EXIGENCY OF INTELLECTUALITY AND PRAGMATIC REASONING AGAINST CREDULITY.

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EXIGENCY OF INTELLECTUALITY AND PRAGMATIC REASONING AGAINST CREDULITY.

   (COUNTERFEIT PROPHECY, SUPERSTITION,

 ASTROLOGY AND VIGILANT GLOBE)

ABSTRACT

        Along with advancement and technology, still some parts of the globe are greatly affected by fake beliefs. Future is unpredictable and black magic is superstition. Necessity lies in working for future rather than knowing it. Lack of intelligence is detrimental for a society. Astrology is not a science, Astronomy is science. Astrologers predict by the influence of planets and they create a psychological game. In other words they establish a perfect marketing and affect the life of an individual in every possible way. Superstition is still ruling and it is degrading the development.

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

        The globe is still not equally equipped with development, advancement and intellectuality. Some 5000 years ago, superstition started to merge out from the ancient Europe and got spread to entire Globe. Countries like China, Greece, India, United Kingdom, Japan, Thailand, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal etc are influenced by black magic, superstition, astrology and fake Beliefs. Almost 98 countries out of 195 are affected by credulity. Orating the scenario of ancient time and comparing it with the present arena, it is still not degraded. The roots of this belief starts from the village and gets spread socially due to migration and social media across the entire district, state and country.

2.0 SUPERSITION IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES:

2.1 JAPAN:

1. There is a myth in Japan that when a group of three gets clicked in a single frame, then the middle one attains the state of mortality.

2. A person’s name should never be written in red ink.

 

2.2 THAILAND

1. While eating if one makes jokes, ghost will steal the rice

2. The Moon contains a rabbit.

 

2.3 UK

1. If you see a black cat you would be lucky.

2. Those that break a mirror they are unlucky.

 

3.0 SUPERSTITION - AFFECTS AND IMPACTS:

        In some countries, it is believed that black cat is lucky and in some it is believed to be unlucky. Superstition is nothing but a psychological game.

 Superstition refers to any belief or practice which is explained by supernatural causality, and is in contradiction to modern science.1 some beliefs and practices, which are considered superstitious by some, may not be considered so by others. The gap, between what is superstitious and what is not, widens even more when considering the opinions of the general public and scientists.2

In India, there is no street where rumour is not present. Every single individual is blessed with the odd and evils of superstition, black magic and false belief. Tantriks, Pandits and some  astrologers play a psychological game with the life of an individual and make up benefits by the fear of people. A weak mental state, lack of  cleverness , low confidence level and fear from future leads one to tantric and various pundits. Some common superstition in India is:

 

3.1 SPIRITS AND THE EXISTENCE OF GHOST:

        They get entered in human body. In villages, people believe in the existence of dayaan, chudail and if one is abnormally affected they approach tantriks rather than medical science.

Superstitions are usually attributed to a lack of education. But, in India educated people have also been observed following beliefs that may be considered superstitious.The literacy rate of India, according to the 2011 census is at 74%.The beliefs and practices vary from region to region, with many regions having their own specific beliefs.3

3.2 BLACK CAT CROSSING THE PATH

        Misfortune will lead to one’s way if they observe black cat crossing their path. They returned back to their home if they notice such incidents).

3.3 BUYING NEW CLOTHES IN SATURDAY, IF THE MIRROR BREAKS,WEARING BLACK COATS,DOGS AND CATS CRIES ETC ARE ALL SOME  OF THE COMMON SUPERSITION IN INDIA.

        These superstitions are transmitted from our ancestors to the present generation. There is no logic and science behind superstition. It adversely affects the socio – economic scenario and this belief become one of the barriers in the development of a country.  According to a report, between 1999   and 2006 about 200 cases of child sacrifices were reported from Uttar Pradesh, India.

 

4.0   ASTROLOGY – EXERCISE OF PREDICTION:

        Astrology is never a science. Directly or indirectly it is linked up to superstition again. Astrologers predict the future by the influence of planets, sun and various elements that is present across the universe.

Astrology, in its broadest sense, is the search for human meaning in the sky; it seeks to understand general and specific human behavior through the influence of planets and other celestial objects. It has been argued that astrology began as a study as soon as human beings made conscious attempts to measure, record, and predict seasonal changes by reference to astronomical cycles.4

        Irony is that – Study of planets and the universe is called astronomy and it’s not astrology. According to Prabir Ghosh Objects and artefacts located far away from earth or within the earth never influence an individual. It’s an individual that can influence objects present near him.

        Astrology is all about predictions. And prediction can be changed if one change’s itself. Whoever approaches astrologers, they are either very tensed about their future or have very low self – confidence. And if astrology would be always true or astrologers would always predict correctly then everyone would approach, know about their future and will do nothing. Astrology predicts future and damages the present. Future is based on present and present is based with the proper utilization of time. Astrology is marketing. In every aspects astrology and astrologers affects the life of an individual by damaging the working mechanism of a healthy psychology. When they orate about future in positive way, individual doesn’t work and leave everything on astrology. When astrologers predict something about future in negative way then the individual damage their present by thinking a lot and do nothing. So, from every aspect astrology is harmful. It’s never 100% true. Sometime’s due to coincidence the predictions become true.

 

4.1 HISTORY OF ASTROLOGY:

        There is no exact detail from where did astrology begin and when it got evolved? But from the antecedent time it can be assumed that astrology began around 25,000 years ago and the first omens based on astronomical events are found between 3000 and 2000 BC in Mesopotamia. In contemporary times there is a new modification created in which astrology is known as vedic astrology. The bygone scriptures in the world have its rhizome from the vedic hindu astrology.

        The Vedas consist of six supplements which are known as Vedangas. After that Indian astrology from India travelled to Persian,than to Babylonians. 17th century made a remarkable sign in the history of Astrology. Astrology and its belief was regarded scholastic tradition and it considerably helped in the upliftment of astronomy. Mostly it was accepted in cultural and political aspects and later on its applications were used in medical science.  After 17th century the overall development of astronomy started to arose in every direction of society (right from cultural,religious,scientific to individual).If we peep through the past to present we will find that astrology have greatly affected the society in every aspects.

 

5.0 NECESSITY OF INTELLECTUALITY:

        With Modernization and Globalization the world have stepped into a new field of development. Necessity of Socio – economic society is very important to remove fake practices and establish a world of practical approach for maintaining well equipped equilibrium with reasoning and pragmatic thinking.

 

6.0 CONCLUSION:

        Superstition is the one of the hindrance for the development of a society. It is detrimental to individual as well as for the entire society. As Nehru had faith and a realistic thought that scientific temper would play a crucial role in nation’s socio economic upliftment. According to the constitution of India, ‘’to develop scientific temper,humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform’’ is one of the fundamental duties of the of the Republic  of India.

        Superstition, Black magic, astrology and fake predictions are based on human beliefs. And to eject these types of viruses a new procedure of questioning habits must get arise in a society. A globe free of credulity is very important to move on in a process of development.

7.0 REFERENCES:

         1. Dale B. Martin (30 June 2009). Inventing Superstition: From the Hippocratics to the Christians. Harvard University Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-674-04069-4. Retrieved 10 September 2013.

         2. Stuart A. Vyse (2000). Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition. Oxford University Press. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-19-513634-0. Retrieved 10 September 2013.

         3. Peter Jarvis; Mary Watts (23 May 2012). The Rutledge International Handbook of Learning. Rutledge. p. 527. ISBN 978-0-415-57130-2. Retrieved 13 September 2013

         4. Marshack (1972) p.81ff.

@Bhaskar Bhuyan, Research Scholar, Gauhati University