AESTHETIC AND LOGIC, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN RELIGION AND HUMANISM IN 21ST CENTURY
Aesthetic (beauty or stimuli) and logic (Science)were the two very important subject for discourse during the Age of Enlightenment in 16th and 17th century AD, because once both Aesthetics (Beauty) and Logic (Science)were part of philosophy. This is the way the enlightenment era tried to find out the reason behind the existence of humankind. Therefore, they described Aesthetics aspersistence of human being and Science asconcept. We think we are here and we perceive the beauty thus we are forced to live. Both statements justify two phases of philosophy. The first one was said by René Descartes, an exponent of logic and science philosophy in 16th century AD (only mathematically and scientifically provable things are acceptable). Second one was said by Plato 4th century BC, who was a kind of exponent of metaphysics (a parallel universe is possible by human beings within the human beings themselves beyond the existence of this universe which is infinite as human imagination that is why art and imagination is a synonym of infinite world). This is all about the different philosophical justifications about the creation of universe and existence of nature. Why human kinds have been here, from where they have come?
Human being can easilyanswer that the world was created by God and human is the finest creation of God or if someone is Agnostic, they believe that there is one indefinable nature power and nature evolved from it consequently, we are on process ofthe evolution which is harnessedby the force of this nature. This is the beginning of logic.Myths and art were used to justify this notion up to 20th century. So Science and Art were not free from the bondage of superstition; that thing which human cannot understand was considered as mysterious and beyond the limit of human thinking. Humankind is gradually getting free from the clutches of religion and believing in the development of science in all spheres of lifesince the beginning of 21st century. This is a realization that we understood from the exploitation of religion.If we consider the history of India, we would see how much we have been exploited in the name of God. For that superstition and caste system were created, fear and desires were the base of the religious beliefs. Fear generates from cognizance of sin and the concept of life after death or rebirth and devotion develops from human desire to be cheerful every time.These two psychological elements rule our psyche every time and religion capitalized this state of human mind over the centuries. Science tries to reveal the fact behind it but religion makes it more obscure. A real sciencebased education system can eradicate such fear and superstations.
The role of Aesthetics and science in society was often complementary up to last century because technology and human desire were moving through two parallel paths. The scientific devices developed by the human to satisfy the human needs had limitations because those were designed within the limitation of human logic; example black and white camera, and steam engine. But the development of information technology and globalization fused these two streams. Human perception and imagination are being easily transformed to conception then to the tangible forms, for instance new designer software and output machines are developed, three dimensional printing, graphic editing software , light weight durable materials and new disease diagnostic systems. This is the aftermath of human beings demand new aesthetics in the stream of life. In a broad sense, this is the result of human brain’s development rather than a Neanderthal man started to believe in God; here, the religious human being graduallyextinct and a free thing genus gradually develop on earth.
The total process of human evolution is not completed yet; the unavailability of natural raw materialsforces human being to think about new logic and aesthetics. This will be a big upheaval in future. This will undermine all the concept and aesthetics of human kind so far. Human brain is a desire generating machine which creates necessity and work as stimuli to produce new logics;this isthe spiritual goal of human being, live on earth and let the next generation to live peacefully but not the eternal salvation demanded by the religion. This sardonic concept against the religion is made possible only by the human ‘will’ which is inherently handed over through evolution and that is equal to everybody but it defers accordingly the human desire and aesthetics that is why the less desiring people are still remained undeveloped. The racial and religious discriminations diminish the human values; it comes against the logic and aesthetics of humanities. Aesthetic is not simply about the beauty, it works as a stimuli in the process of metamorphosis. This sort of aesthetical and scientific visions can provide eternal happiness to humankind. The real ‘Evolution’ is the realization that human being evolves every time with their will power and knowledge.
India is a religious country spending human knowledge to solve the socio-religious problems and eradicate superstitions but not yet solved anything; it comes back in more powerful manner because Indian education system is not still free from religion. Science based education becomes a subject to study rather than the application of it in the sphere of life. Teaching Aesthetics and Logics in academies aims to make students to think freely and apply their knowledge for invention. A better design can solve lots of functional and creative problem, a better social and economic system can bring equality in society, good art and literature can make a cultural society and free thinking can bring permanent peace in nation.Architecture is one of the most challenging streams in the case of superstition India; it could not have developed scientifically and aesthetically due to these religious and cultural problems except the urban areas. Indian Vasutusasthra is made partially scientific, though certain superstition and financial exploitation by religion. This comes against the creative thinking and evolving new aesthetics in architecture. This paradox between science aesthetics diminishes the architect’s creativity. So we have to train students to be more creative and scientific rather than blindly following superstitions. A creative generation can make a culture of new architecture and functional objects’ designs which reflects living spirit of new genus.
Article Written By:-
Mr. SujithSudhakaran
Assistant Professor
School of Architecture & Planning
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