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Philosophical and Sociological Foundations of Education

Notes that some Indian philosophers too have stated behaving like western philosophers. Some scholars take
it as backwardness to relate philosophy with these questions of world-creator of the world, soul-god,
creature world etc. they say that when in western world, philosopher without discussing world-creator
of the world and soul-god, are testing any specific problem on the basis of human utility, then why we

Indians are still stuck up with soul-god. We feel pity about it. Without understanding the mystery of
human life, how can one decide what is use for him. We Indians should not follow western perspective.
Our hermits have given us true knowledge, on the basis of that; we can interpret any object or activity.
As per us without metaphysics, epistemology and logic and axiology and ethics, philosophy has no
existence. Hence, philosophy should be defined as following—

Philosophy is that discipline of knowledge which provides for logical analysis of ultimate truth of
the universe and human nature, world-creator of the world, soul-god, creature world, knowledge-
ignorance, method of collecting knowledge and final objective of human life and tools to attain

them.

This definition of philosophy is comprehensive in itself. In this definition, naturalist, objective and
idealist, all forms of philosophy are inclusive. If we have a view about this universe and its human
life that there is no spiritual force working in its fundamental level apart from natural changes, then
as per above definition, this view point would also be philosophy. Indian Charvak and Aajivik and

western naturalism are philosophy of this class only. The perspective that entire universe is made up
by any supreme power (Brahma, God, Allah, thought, truth etc), then this shall also be philosophy.
Indian Shatdarshan and Upanishad and western idealism are philosophy of same class. Basic thing
about philosophy is that it should discuss about world-creator of the world, soul-god, creature
world, knowledge-ignorance, tools of attaining knowledge and workable and non-workable karma.
Perspective would be different; logics of people shall vary as per their experience and accordingly the
philosophy.

Difference between Philosophical Mediation and other Meditation

Today wherever we see mediation, we consider it as philosophy. We commit mistake of keeping
social meditation, political meditation, economic meditation and educational meditation etc all in the
philosophy. Such a fashion started in western countries and our country started imitating it. Beware,
philosophical meditation begins with metaphysics. In the middle is epistemology and logic and it ends
with axiology and ethics. Hence, the meditation which includes metaphysics, epistemology and logic
and axiology and ethics, can only be called as philosophy. Philosophy is related with human life, it affects
every aspect of human life, whether they are social, political or economic. It also affects education. This
book studies effect of philosophy on education only.

1.5 Difference between Indian and Western Philosophies

In some university syllabus, emphasis has been given on clarifying difference between Darshan and
philosophy. In fact, Darshan and philosophy are difference word of English and Hindi for similar subject
(discipline), only difference being what is different between Cow and Gau. As regards difference Indian
and western philosophy, there certainly is some difference.

Acharya Pravar pundit Baldev Upadhyaya has told five following difference between them—
1. Deveolpment of Indian philosophy has happened to relieve humans from sorrow (spiritual, gothic,
metaphysical), whereas western philosophy has developed to satisfy the anxiety emerging from
seeing amazing things and activities.
2. Development of Indian philosophy has happened independently, whereas western philosophy has
developed on the basis of other disciplines (anthropology, sociology, political science).

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