The Ideas of Humanist Culture

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For any thinker to define and find out a single meaning of the humanist culture is a very difficult exercise. It may, however, be described as a system of ideas and practices which are man-centred, social and moral in nature and humane in its scope, but not theological and supernatural in any way, looking into its roots in the philosophy of humanism and rationalism.

This book presents a panorama of the ideas of humanist culture that are not only interesting but also deeply intellectual and philosophical. It is a study in humanism and its culture of varied kinds and unique shades that give us a glimpse of its historical, social and political perspectives of fascinating nature. The book, therefore, has an immense value for enlightened readers as well as erudite scholars for further probe into the subject-matter.

A personage, simple by nature and habits, D.R.Jatava (b.1933), after having a brilliant academic career-M.A.(Phil., Pol.Sc.), LL.B., Ph.D. and D.Litt., has by now attained eminence as a scholar of repute; he is a litterateur activist in the ongoing social movement for the emancipation of the weaker sections of Indian society; and he has also the distinction of being the first Ph.D. (1963) holder on the Social Philosophy of B.R. Ambedkar.

As a prominent educationist. Dr. Jatava has authored more than three dozens of thought-provoking books both in Hindi and English on wide-ranging subjects-society, religion, politics. These books contain Dr. Jatava's ideological insight and fervour of a philosophy based on humanist culture, analytical approach and scientific temper of the modern age, which would invariably influence the minds of the youngsters.

In the world of human beings, culture, in general, consists of many things-art, literature, music and other intellectual expressions of a particular society of an age. A society without culture may be said to be a cultural desert. But more or less, each and every society has its own arts, customs, social institutions, musical instruments, etc., that we may find there to show its cultural heritage. Still the culture of mind is vital that provides us with many ideas of humanist culture.

'The humanist culture is a system of beliefs that concentrates on common human needs and seeks ways .of solving human problems based on reason rather than on faith in God, miracles and supernatural powers. This book introduces the readers to the field of humanist culture by analysing the work and vision of the humanists who have made the most important contributions to the development of this absorbing and constantly flowing subject. Implications of a growth in the interest in humanist culture are noticeable in the minds of intellectuals and common men by the end of 20th century. Along with it, there is naturally a growing demand by the youngsters for a clear and consistent statement of the basic elements of humanist culture of different shades.

A person who is not a humanist in the philosophical sense of the term, may find it extremely difficult to understand the picture of humanist culture in a manner which makes it a consistent whole. We may find different kinds of humanist ideas in the history of philosophy and human thought. They give us many contrasting and contradictory yet interesting thoughts. We are overwhelmed, and at times, think of leaving them as they are. But this would be against the spirit of human effort. So, this book proposes to analyse them in a systematic way with reason and arguments.

Since the dawn of history and philosophy, the intellectuals find themselves forced as well as inspired to reconsider the current and the inherited beliefs and ideas, to gain some unity and harmony between the present condition and the past heritage, and to reach position which has to satisfy the demands of feeling and reflection, mind and intellect, and give us confidence and courage for facing the human problems of future. If at present the humanist culture, as a subject for the concern of common man's scientific inquiry, of both theoretical and practical significance has, in general, attracted people's increasing attention, this can be ascribed to the spirit of scientific thought and knowledge, the deeper intellectual interest in the study of human ideas, the widespread tendencies to reform and reconstruct human society based on freedom and equality, the keen interest in rational and socialist human values, and the effect of social, political and international events and problems.

The time when the social, moral and religious authenticity of various religions' sacred books is questioned, the values of the humanist culture are taken up for studies. In fact, all human thoughts based on human experience invariably compel a reconsideration of the most fundamental issues of man's life. Consequently, there arise problems of social justice, poverty and illteracy, along with many others like hunger and diseases, dignity and welfare of the weaker sections of society, the nature of the universe and the reconstruction of the modes and patterns of societies of the world, and these, in turn, involve the problems of the relation between humanist culture and other ideas, theory and practice, experience and expectations, in a way that needs real solutions, and not mere promises.

Here the author has endeavoured to give answers to these problems in the light of and through the ideas and activities of some great and concerned humanists of different kinds of the world. The important thing which the author has noticed in the different kinds of humanist culture or philosophy, is that what is missed in one thought is found in another, and what is considered to be of trifling significance in one thought is treated as of primary importance in another. Here, a comparative and somewhat integrated work broadens our vision and acquaints the readers with different kinds of humanist ideas and cultures which really express the unique and varied experiences and expressions of human life. This work may not be a complete one, because there are many other humanist cultures and ideas in the world which we have not been able to include in the present volume for many reasons which are odd and best known to the author. However, whatever one reads in the book would find it as a true spirit of human approach to our humanist ideas and cultures.

Here, I am indebted to many authors whose writings and thoughts have enlightened me and contributed a lot to my personal knowledge and interest in the study of the ideas of humanist culture. I wish to express gratitude to my family members, especially to my son Mahendra Singh, M.A., LL.B., who read and helped me to correct certain portions of the manuscript, and also to my wife, Shakuntla, whose care of me and love to my writing mission, encouraged me to move on steadily. My grand-children, too, kept me gay and lively by their amusing talks and walks in the inner circle of our home. Lastly, I am also very thankful to my publisher National Publishing House who has brought the book in best of its print and style for the enlightened readers at large.

Man, as a rational being, follows a humanist thought whether he is aware of it or not. Every individual conducts his life according to some general pattern of behaviour that is more or less consicious, more or less consistent and adequate to cope with everyday affairs including the wills and woes of mankind. More or less, man consciously tries to remove what seems to him to be interruptive in life and tries to achieve what facilitates his life towards progress and prosperity. This guiding pattern in the life of every man makes an individual a humanist, even though it may be implicit in his actions rather than explicit in his mind. As a matter of fact, such is the strength of humanist culture that men have always tended to drift in a blissful trend of life. In our considered view, human beings, primitive or civilized, educated or uneducated, plodding or brilliant, simply cannot escape from the philosophy of culture. In a sense, culture is everybody's business, though everyone, from the technical standpoint, may not be a humanist philosopher.

The humanist culture has for its purpose the analysis and clarification of human arts, actions and aims, ideals and problems-as either interruptive or facilitative. It brings into the light through human intelligence the hidden good qualities of man. It teaches us to reach such a life that our behaviour can bring happiness to all. Culture, as a bold step in society, brings before all men the dominant human values, ideas and institutions that wholly concern with the welfare of human beings. The mission of humanist culture is to bring peace and prosperity, to establish justice and to create right relations between man and man. The humanist culture, as a synthetic philosophy, attempts at working out a correct and integrated view of human nature, of social structure, into righteous efforts for a better living. It tries to fit together into a significant relationship the bits of a great world of Man and Nature.

The history of humanist culture records many systems of thought that have had in their efforts a great appeal to the minds of men. But these systems were largely artistic and purely philosophical and overemphasized certain limited aspects of human existence. They neglected the practical aspect of human life. That is why today, there has been a conscious protest against mere philosophical thought divorced from the practical problems of life. There is no doubt that humanist culture is to fulfil its proper role by being a philosophy of good living and a philosophy of right action. The humanist culture at its best, is not simply an interpretation of things, it is essentially an activity that aims at stimulating men in the direction of those ends and values that are quite conducive to bring all men together for establishing those standards of life, which facilitate the living of men towards progress. In other words, the modern humanist culture has to bridge the age-long gap between thinkers and doers, praying men and working men, between theory and practice. It has to abide by Henri Bergson's principle: "Act as men of thought; think as men of action.

The humanist culture from this standpoint, is a philosophy of thoughtful and active life. It is a way of thinking, doing and living, not of one part of mankind, but of the whole. This way of life is the life of man, because man without a pattern of life cannot lead a happy living. The aim of humanist culture as a guiding principle has been widely recognized by many brilliant minds of all ages. Culture has helped man in dispelling many superstitions in life, and so, even today the great need is to save man from the new waves of interruptions, war and violence. Man, being a responsible being, can do it with a view of making humanity a sweet and beautiful current of righteousness. This is possible only when we study man and his problems as the precursors of humanist culture did in the past.

When Greece was passing through a political ferment and was making fast headway towards one of the most glorious periods of her history, it was but natural that people should think more of the fundamental demands of human life in all its various aspects, such as social, political, moral, religious and aesthetic. The Sophists thought that human aspirations are necessarily purposive, because they presuppose a teleological explanation of themselves. Science annoyed some Sophists simply because it was wedded to mechanical explanation of the world. They liked human values more than mere mechanics of life. Hence, the Sophists, who ushered in the humanistic culture in the philosophical speculation, challenged science. Being dissatisfied with mechanical explanation, the Sophists tried to furnish the teleological explanation of the universe and this constitutes the distinctive feature of the predominantly humanistic culture of thought of the Sophists.

In the philosophical tradition, the first notable humanist was Protagoras (481-411 B.C.), who gave powerful expression to the humanistic outlook of the Sophists. He was a Greek teacher and philosopher. His famous dictum is: "Man is the measure of all things, of things that are that they are, and of things that they are not that they are not". To him, whether a thing is good or bad, it is always in relation to a parson who approves or disapproves it. Apart from such a relation, a thing in and by itself cannot be said to exist at all. The consciousness of man is, thus, the sole determinant of the nature of things. It was considered to be a daring and unorthodox thought directly related to man. Protagoras was not interested in supernatural beings. He asserted that: "As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist. For, many are the obstacles that impede knowledge, both the obscurity of the question and the shortness of human life." He was accused of impiety and was banished by Athenians and his works were burnt in the market place. This persecution indirectly laid down the grounds for further humanistic thinking and culture, and in fact, his standpoint was continued by many subsequent thinkers and philosophers.

**Contents and Sample Pages**