the speaking tree - The Need to Understand

RADHEY SHYAM KAUSHAL





About 250 years ago, German philosopher Immanuel Kant advocated a fine description of objective component of ultimate reality in nature in terms of its space-time structure and in society in terms of moral values. Such thinking did begun with Descartes and Galileo but Kant was the first one to become conscious of these things.This kind of stock taking of knowledge was a criticism and Kant called his great books as critiques: the `Critique of Pure Reason', the `Critique of Practical Reason' and the `Critique of Judgment'. He called his philosophy as the `critical philosophy' or `critical idealism'.
As far as the actions of an individual and their execution in the day-to-day life are concerned, the same appear in Kant's philosophy through the principle of morality that he has advocated in his later `critiques'.Kant regarded human actions as `phenomenal' when looked at them from an anthropological point of view. As a result, these actions are subject to the law of cause and effect.
According to Kant, we are born and grow with different natures, which, in turn, lead to different likes and dislikes, inclination and disinclination, temptations, temperaments and abilities to perform an act.The differences are attributed to different external environments to which an individual is subjected and responds differently in accordance with the principle of causality .
Human actions, thus, are considered as the result of interaction of character and environment and are not to be praised or blamed but understood.

Aug 05 2015 : The Economic Times (Delhi)

Another Step in a Naga March to Peace





It is welcome that New Delhi has signed a peace accord with a major faction of Naga insurgency that has been active since August 1947. While the exact contours of the agreement are yet not known, forcing major leaders in the states neighbouring Nagaland to hold their judgement rather than join the celebrations underway at the Centre, some principles that underlie the pact are welcome. One is a fair degree of autonomy for the Nagas in and outside the state of Nagaland (the Greater Nagalim claimed by the Naga insurgency is more than seven times as large as Nagaland itself, and includes parts of Myanmar, besides of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam).Another is exercise of this autonomy without breaking up existing states. Autonomous regions within a state are a common feature in the northeast. The readiness of the Nagas to accept this principle and of the government at the Centre to grant it holds out promise, for future demands for autonomy in other parts of the country . A third welcome feature of the accord is the non partisan continuity of policy on the part of the government of India that sees the fruition of efforts overseen by prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao, H D Deve Gowda, A B Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. Yet, all this does not quite guarantee peace.
The Kaplang faction of the Naga insurgency is not on board, as are not an alphabet soup of other militant groups in the region. The areas of autonomy granted to Nagas include those where Kukis live and any arrangement that subordinates them to the Nagas will invite grim resistance. Unlike Rajiv Gandhi's Assam accord or the peace deal with Laldenga ending the Mizo rebellion, the present accord does not have a single, wholly representative champion of the rebellion as a party. Risks remain, in other words.

the speaking tree - Are You Someone Who Can Never Say `No'?

Marguerite Theophil





A precious teaching came from a woman i recently met, who told me she had learnt never to say `yes' unless she could say it wholeheartedly. I found this such a good lesson to pass on, as there are so many who find it almost impossible to say `no'.It's not that these are always loving and compassionate types; they do agree and say `yes' to everything at first, but then often end up fiercely resenting those who asked, and resenting themselves even more! There is nothing wrong ­ actually there is everything right ­ with saying `yes' to what you need, like, or care about. Sometimes `yes' involves a bit of sacrifice ­ but you are willing to accept that.
We are talking here of those who just can't bring themselves to say `no' ­ ever ­ and end up with an inordinate load of other people's wishes and needs to fulfil. If they don't say `yes' at once, often the other person will come up with highly persuasive reasons which make them feel they are selfish, uncaring, ungrateful, mean, illogical, irresponsible or whatever. They don't want to feel any of these things, so say they `yes' ­ and regret that later! As time goes by, it can cause them to backtrack, make excuses, and even lie ­ bringing on those unwelcome feelings of guilt and shame. In the long run, unfortunately, they get a reputation for being unreliable or uncaring, labels that they were avoiding in the first place! If this mode of behaviour describes you ­ a simple way through all the guilt and manipulation is to have a clear personal rule that you will only say `yes' under these circumstances: when you can say it sincerely , out of your own interest, according to your own wishes, understanding clearly what is involved, if you genuinely wish to be of help to others, or to get involved in what will bring you learning or joy .
When you say `no' to something, you often mean `yes' to something else.
Think about it. Saying `no' to commitments that you know you can't manage is saying `yes' to handling well whatever you are currently committed to. Saying `no' to things you are really not interested in is a `yes' for giving time to those that interest you. Saying `no' to lethargy is saying `yes' to more energy in your life.
Saying `yes' or `no' needs you to reflect.
In no way am i offering you a cop-out, where you say `no' to everything. Sometimes you may not initially want to or be able to acquiesce to a request ­ but on reflection, may feel you can or should. After examining the issue, summon the wholehearted `yes'.
Saying `yes' calls for discernment; there is no rule that fits every situation.
For instance if someone calls you and asks if you could be on some committee, or to give a talk or to join a group ­ when faced with any such decision, ask yourself: “Could i do this wholeheartedly?“ Now be aware of your self-talk which might go: I really don't want to but somehow feel that i ought to; maybe i'd be letting the other person down; maybe they will think less of me. Or it might be: I don't think i have the skills; i am afraid; maybe i'm not capable.
In the first scenario, you just know it is not and will never be a wholehearted `yes'. But in the second case, you might like to find the courage to say an initial hesitant `yes' that could well develop into a wholehearted `yes'.

Aug 05 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)

`Happy hormone' can kill cancer tumours, discover Kol-born scientists

Prithvijit Mitra & Sayan Mazumder TNN

Kolkata:





A 14-year study by two Kolkata-born scientists has led them to discover that dopamine -known as the happy hormone -can also kill tumours, putting them on the verge of one of the most significant medical discoveries ever.Trials on mice have been successful, say researchers Partha Dasgupta and Sujit Basu. If human trials succeed, cancer cure will get significantly cheaper -a chemo course costs lakhs, while a vial of dopamine comes for just Rs 25.
Dasgupta is an emeritus professor with Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Institute and Basu, a professor at Wexner Medical Centre, Ohio State University. Like penicillin -said to be the biggest medical discovery in history -the cancer-killing property of dopamine was discovered almost by accident, when the duo was carrying out random tests to analyze the hormone.Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate movement and emotions. The duo says it also starves cancerous tumours of blood, causing them to shrink and eventually vanish. “Tumour cells multiply rapidly, making them swell very fast. We concluded that if the growth of blood vessels can be checked, tumours will stop growing and disappear. In animal-model experiments, we observed that dopamine acted very well on cancerous tumours, effectively countering vascular endothelial growth factor (that helps tumours grow),“ said Dasgupta.
But dopamine fluctuation could lead to serious disorders like Parkinson's disease. “We need to know more about its efficacy in the long-run,“ said oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay .
For the full report, log on to http:www.timesofindia.com

Only 8.15% of Indians are graduates, Census data show

Despite a big increase in college attendance, especially among women, fewer than one out of every 10 Indians is a graduate, new Census data show.

Over the weekend, the office of the Census Commissioner and Registrar-General of India released new numbers on the level of education achieved by Indians as of 2011.

They show that with 6.8 crore graduates and above, India still has more than six times as many illiterates.

While rural India accounts for only a third of all graduates, the rate of increase in graduates was faster in rural than in urban India over the last decade, and fastest of all among rural women. From 26 lakh graduates 10 years ago, nearly 67 lakh rural women are now graduates. Rural Indians are more likely to have non-technical graduate degrees than urban Indians, while urban India accounts for 80 per cent of all Indian technology and medicine graduates.

Among those with a graduate degree or above, the majority (over 60 per cent) are those who have a non-technical graduate degree.

Technical qualifications double

New Census data on the educational status of Indians show that the biggest increase is in the number of people pursuing engineering and technology diplomas or technical degrees equivalent to a graduate or postgraduate degree.

The proportion of Indians with engineering and technology qualifications has nearly doubled over the last decade, while the proportion of women technology graduate equivalents has more than tripled.

In all, there were over 73 lakh Indians with a tech qualification in 2011. India also has over 30 lakh people with a teaching degree and over 15 lakh people with a medical degree.

Chandigarh and Delhi have the highest proportion of graduates — over one in every five persons — followed by Maharashtra among the big States, while Bihar and Assam are worst off among the big States, with fewer than one in every 20 persons a graduate. Across the country — with the notable exceptions of Chandigarh and Kerala — the proportion of male graduates is higher than that of women.

The proportion of graduates among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is far lower than the national average; just over four per cent of the SCs are graduates or above, while for the Scheduled Tribes, it is below three per cent, and lower still for women.

Keywords: Census data, Registrar-General of India

Famous last words? Say them before it’s too late

The deathbed is where we impart one final piece of wisdom, settle one final score

I was at a funeral recently. The woman who had died had reached her ninth decade and had been a wonderfully kind lady. In the eulogy, her son remarked that she had seen her death coming; that it was the best kind of death and one that would not be available to most of us. She had prepared herself for the end and had been able to say what she needed to say to the people she loved.

Part of our understanding of death is the deathbed scene. It’s where we impart one final piece of wisdom, settle one final score or say something so witty that our erudition in the face of the grim reaper will b

Ke celebrated for years to come. Oscar Wilde, lying in a fleapit hotel on the left bank of the Seine, took a look at his surroundings and said: “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.” It was the most Wildean of comments: arch, funny, tasteful and poignant. And 100 years after he died, he had the last word when the cursed wallpaper was replaced by red, blue, green and gold frescos based on designs by his friend Aubrey Beardsley.

If we can’t be as witty as Wilde, what should we say? A survey carried out recently found that 83 per cent of the 2,198 of adults polled had received final words of advice from their loved ones — 62 per cent had received advice about their relationships, while 56 per cent had received career advice. After that, wisdom relating to family (43 per cent), education (39 per cent) and finances (32 per cent) was the most common.

It’s heartening that advice about relationships tops the poll. Perhaps all the career and financial advice was full of truth, but there still seems to be something a little depressing about being given some final top tips on how to nail that key job interview or how to correctly fill out a mortgage application. Of course, you’d be in great company if you were to impart financial advice. Bob Marley’s final words, “Money can’t buy life,” were financially themed. And Plato tells us that, having been sentenced to death and having drunk the poison that would kill him, Socrates turned to his friend Crito and said: “Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius. Do pay it. Don’t forget.” Crito assured the philosopher that he would not forget and then, seeking some greater piece of wisdom, asked Socrates if he had anything more to say. He did not.

These things — career, finance — are all an important part of the rich tapestry that is life but surely, in the end, it’s not only hippies who recognise that friendships and relationships are the things that matter the most. “Only connect,” reads the epigraph to EM Forster’s novel Howards End, and this need to reach out to others is perhaps strongest at the end.

Connecting with fellow human beings

Other famous figures chose to celebrate connecting with their fellow human beings by paying tribute to love. “I love you very much, my dear Beaver,” the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said to his partner Simone de Beauvoir. “Goodnight my kitten,” was Ernest Hemingway’s offering to his wife Mary before he killed himself. “Oh, I am not going to die, am I? He will not separate us, we have been so happy,” Charlotte Brontë told her husband, while T.S. Eliot simply whispered the name of his wife, Valerie, and nothing more. If this is all a bit too touchy-feely for you, then the deathbed is also a great place to tell people “what you really think of them” or, if you are feeling Shakespearean, order that your death be avenged. “How the little piglets would grunt if they knew how the old boar suffered,” the ninth-century Norse warlord Ragnar Lodbrok said as he was being devoured, naked, in a pit by a horde of snakes. The “little piglets” he was referring to were his sons (he was the “old boar”) and indeed the sagas record that they sought and exacted vengeance by ritually executing Ælla, the Northumbrian king who had cast their father into the snake pit.

Your final moments offer you a chance to impart wisdom by reflecting on your own life, something that many public figures do. In Karen Thorsen’s documentary about the great American writer James Baldwin, The Price of the Ticket, Baldwin’s brother, David, recalls that James hoped that he had done his work so that when he was gone, those looking could find “in all the turmoil, through the wreckage and the rumble … something that I left behind”. Having considered all this, you might just think “to hell with it” and follow in the footsteps of Karl Marx, who hollered at his housekeeper: “Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough!” In short, say it now, before it’s too late.

— © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2015

Freedom after many midnights

Even the sternest of critics of Indian foreign policy will find it a tough task to question some of the diplomatic feats that New Delhi has managed to notch up of late. The settlement of the dispute related to the maritime boundary with Bangladesh in July 2014, albeit after an intervention by an international tribunal, was one of these. And as if to mark its anniversary, the long-running land boundary dispute was buried in July. The enclaves on both sides were exchanged quickly after the required formalities by the midnight of July 31. Settlement of inter-country disputes — especially those that involve sacrifice of territory — are always the most remarkable of achievements, howsoever cordial their relationships might be. So settling a dispute that involved issues that ran counter to the very opening lines of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations, that recognises ‘equal and inalienable rights’ of the ‘human family’ to ‘freedom, justice and peace’, is a creditable achievement. Indeed, the enclave issue involved the denial of the right to freedom and justice to many. It had its roots in Partition. Now, as the national flags of the respective countries fly in the 162 former enclaves, it is time for the state to set up the infrastructure as quickly as possible to mitigate the trauma of citizens who lived without a country for decades. From now on, the diplomats’ responsibilities are less than those of the local administrative authorities.

The enclave question was tossed around for too long and was never seriously acted upon. The obfuscation of justice helped none. Now the questions of citizenship and legality can be redefined. The ‘illegal Bangladeshis’ of the enclaves — predominantly those from the minority community — have become ‘legal’ because the states felt the time was conducive to award the ‘inalienable right’ to the poorest of the poor. Perhaps if there were different sets of political parties, leaders or diplomats in both the national capitals, the enclave-dwellers would still have been considered ‘a security threat’ and arrested across the line, as was being done until just last week. There are more people now crossing continents and concertina wires for survival — more often than not without state-stamped papers — and thus it may well be the time to recollect and record the memories of our nationals who suffered just for being born in the enclaves. Maybe what we need now is not a powerful state or a diplomat, but a historian to document the plethora of personal narratives on both sides, which are otherwise bound to be forgotten. For in the words of Tolstoy, “Historians are like deaf people who go on answering questions that no one has asked them.”