IF IGNORANCE IS BLISS, WHY SEEK KNOWLEDGE

Ignorance is bliss:- who don’t know of the problems of the world,of other people remain happy, unknown of the sufferings
and pain that exists in the world. Rich people with exceptions don’t know how people strive to earn money everyday so
they can feed their family. Medically if someone doesn’t know what problem he/she have for example cancer; is happy
until they are known about it.

*Siddhartha was ignorant of the worldy pain and problems. He was happy and content in that state of mind. But when he
got to know about the death, the sufferings of an ailing body he started questioning the causes and remedies for those
pain. His quest for knowledge made him wander places, know the real world and which in return gave the world the
Gautam Buddha.

*Dark age is one prominent example to illustrate the difference. People were ignorant of the fact that the king is not the
Divine one made by the God, they were happy with it and agreed to accept the sufferings brought down by the Church and
the feudal lords upon the Peasant class.

Why seek knowledge:- Knowledge has the power to uplift people from their problems. Ignorance though brings bliss but it
also brings pain. Pain from the cancer, the curious mind not getting its food in the form of an answer, pain from the
exploitation done by the people in the position of power. With the knowledge acquired, the common man can question the
legitimacy of the decisions made and work upon to overcome the wrongs done to them. Physically ailing people getting
treatment; with the fact that they were known of their problems , get cured and get the real bliss.

The world today is facing zellions of issues in the form of humanitarian crisis, climate change, terrorism, organised crime,
cyber crimes etc. plenty of organisations, NGO’s, countries acknowledge and work towards the same but plenty are there
with no knowledge of the problems or should I say not ready to ackowledge it. This may work for them for short time but
will render them no way in the long term.

A researcher can be called objective or said to have objectivity if it is free from biases; not even reflecting the attitude of
the investigator.

This can be easily achieved in positivist methodology as it is devoid of values. However,objectivity in the interpretative
research can be achieved in the following ways-

1) In order to have the subjective unedrstanding of objective reality,the non-positivists advocates the value-
relevance in a research.
2) This according to Weber brings objectivity in a research and gives better sociological understanding. Methods of
Verstehen and ideal types can be used to ensure objectivity.
3) Methodological Pluralism may help in reducing subjectivity in an interpretetaive research.
4) Stating one’s biases and field restrictions in the research.

Besides ,training the resercher,multi-disiplinary peer review,testinf to improve reliability and validity arre other ways in
which objectivity can be achieved.

Having said that,critical scientists do opine that complete objectivity remains an elusive goal. Today objectivity
has to be thought of as a continuous and an ongoing process. As C W Mills, Elvin Gouldner and the likes have
advocated that value neutrality is not desirable as it reduces sociologists to the status of mere spectators and can
play no role in social welfare.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely
Lack of power also leads to corruption too

Power doesn’t corrupt people, it is the people who corrupts power---Amit Kumar Bihar Diaries.
 Real is Rational and Rational is Real

An Error Does Not Become Truth by Reason of Multiplied Propagation, Nor Does Truth Become an Error Because
Nobody Sees It.

-Mahatma Gandhi

Rationalism is fundamentally the tendency of human beings to ask questions and look for solutions to the different
aspects of reality. It is a phenomenon that stimulates awareness and prompts questioning. In reaction to
philosophical movements, rationalism thrived. It places a lot of focus on applying logic to evaluate facts and concepts.
Rationality is applied in the majority of domains of life. Although there are many various views on what rationality is?
It is widely accepted that it is the capacity to learn from the failures and successes of the past. Rationality is the result
of a critical mind. Being rational requires the ability to think critically. It is the capacity to assess a claim, viewpoint,
or ideas critically and decide if it is true or false. Rationality requires a logical mind and the capacity for critical
thought.

Rationality promotes scientific temperament in the individual. Scientific temperament enables people to raise the
question of what exists in the universe. Scientific invention, discovery and exploration are all the outcome of human
rationality. Rationalism is the very fundamental essence of humanity. When the light of rationality illuminates the
human brain, intellectualism takes birth. The rise of rationalism is the renaissance which happened during the 14  to th

17  century in Europe.
th

Following the Middle Ages, Europe had a passionate era of cultural, artistic, political, and economic "rebirth" during
the Renaissance. The Renaissance, often seen as occurring between the 14th and the 17th centuries, fostered the
rediscovery of ancient philosophy, literature, and art. The Renaissance was basically the rise of rationalism. Every
intellectual perspective became more visible under the illumination of rationalism.

Article 51 A(h), of the Fundamental Duties (FDs) which was introduced in the Indian constitution in the
42  Constitutional Amendment Act,1976. It is the responsibility of every Indian citizen to develop scientific temper,
nd

humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. The spirit of inquiry is basically promoting rationalism in human
beings. If we want to know the reality of the universe or cosmos, then our approach should be rational. The truths
about who we are, the world we live in, and the cosmos may be discovered if we think logically and rationally. Truth
and reason go hand in hand. It is not possible to imagine one exist without the other.

Rationality is continually looking for reality, and reality can only be found in the light of rationality. The Indian legal
system is based on the principle of rationality. Judges attempt to make judgements based on evidence rather than
preconceived notions, emotions, and sentiments. Rationality serves as the standard by which reality is evaluated.
Rationality is continually trying to give truth the upper hand and truth is real. Thus, what is rational is also real, and
vice versa.

Rational people may attain their life objectives by having the ability to control their thoughts and conduct. They have
the self-control to avoid engaging in unhealthy life habits such as drinking alcohol or disordered eating, and they are
able to make rational judgments without letting their emotions affect them. A logical mind constantly thinks calmly,
attentively, and objectively. It may be said that everyone with a rational mind has this as their ultimate goal. If you
consistently participate in rational thinking, you can base your conclusions on facts and evidence. Using reason, you
can recognize bad conceptions and practices.

We may better comprehend ourselves and those of others who surround us by using rational thought. It can also help
us succeed since we can comprehend realities regarding true desires instead of becoming sidetracked or behaving
unreasonably. Although full objectivity will never exist, logical thought is still possible. As far as objectivity is
concerned, rationality encourages individuals to make informed decisions. Setting feasible micro and macro goals is
the fundamental indicator of being rational, and one should be proud of one's capacity for logical thought. If you want
to succeed, you must be rational.

Rational people refrain from making mistakes they'll later regret. They frequently make sound decisions because they
thoroughly consider all of their possibilities. Rational individuals have unique and clear views on the purpose and
vision of life. Arguments need to possess the quality of truthfulness. A belief possesses the quality of truth when it
accords with reality. Similar to this, it is asserted that a belief is false when it is inconsistent with reality.
Knowing the truth is necessary in order to tell it. To determine what is right and what is not, one must exercise
rationality. However, reason and the application of reason also lead to truth. While we may experience some of the
truths that exist both inside and outside of us, these truths are not reliant on our understanding or our capacity to
perceive them.

The truth exists without our intervention. We can comprehend things because we can think about them rationally.
The seeker of truth cannot ignore the search for reason because finding based on emotions and our feelings generally
ignores reality and truth. The ideal circumstance is one in which you are free to choose solely what is best for you,
without taking into account the repercussions or any other factors. When we are logical, we may draw conclusions
that are in our own best interests. When we act impulsively, our judgments typically reflect our emotions instead of
reality or reason. We can end up making poor decisions about our finances or even our interpersonal relationships as
a result of this. As a result of their illogical behavior, this can cause them to make one poor decision, which might
cause them to experience financial insecurity.

Financial matters need more accurate decisions. Accuracy in decision making depends on basic information and
conceptual clarity. Conceptual clarity and basic information bring the ability to think and make decisions rationally.
Poor financial choices frequently lock people in a cycle of poverty where they are unable to advance because they
continue to spend more than they bring in. People who get into this debt trap frequently end themselves in even
more debt because they use credit cards and other types of credit to pay off debts from earlier purchases while acting
irrationally, which causes them to slip into the debt trap.

The rational is real, and the real is rational. Both reality and rationality are true. It very clearly signifies how reason
and reality both complement one another. Considering that there are two viewpoints on truth, real and rational. Both
viewpoints come to the same conclusion: both reality and reason are true. It is essential to understand how these
factors interact. Creating arguments, drawing conclusions, and identifying causes and consequences are all aspects of
rational justification, which is the main focus of rationality. In other words, thinking and emotion are both involved in
reasoning.

Three Things cannot be Long Hidden:

The Sun, The Moon, and The Truth.  – Buddha