What Is Occult

What Is Often Wrongly Understood About Occult?

Summary: Occult knowledge is a taboo in scientific domain, having disreputable association with knowledge of Supernatural (unreal). But it is hardly realized by the majority that much of scientific knowledge is also occult knowledge even if it strictly pertains to nature and its phenomena. Therefore, the desired course of action is to evolve mental faculty to differentiate occult knowledge about natural phenomena from occult knowledge about supernatural (unreal) phenomena rather than wrongly rejecting any piece of knowledge by labeling it as ‘occult’.

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret), referring to "knowledge of the hidden". The terms esoteric and arcane can have a very similar meaning, and the three terms are often interchangeable. The word has many uses in the English language, popularly meaning "knowledge of the paranormal", as opposed to "knowledge of the measurable", usually referred to as science. By the eighteenth century unorthodox religious, scientific and philosophical concerns were well defined as 'occult', inasmuch as they lay on the outermost fringe of accepted forms of knowledge and discourse." This position holds good even today.

In accordance with literal meaning of the word ‘occult’, all knowledge that is not amenable to direct sensory perception is classifiable as ‘occult’. But by this yardstick the word ‘occult’ has wide connotations. It embraces not only knowledge of the ‘supernatural’ or unreal but also knowledge of the ‘natural’ provided it is not amenable to direct sensory perception. Therefore it embraces not only direct or perceivable truth about natural phenomena but also indirect or non-perceivable truth about natural phenomena and truth about natural phenomena perceivable only with the help of instruments.

Each and every thing and event in nature has indirect truth or occult associated with it. Gross description of natural things and events is often insufficient. Almost nothing can be completely known by mere gross narration and description. Quite often, it is the hidden knowledge that carries much greater significance than the knowledge gained by direct sensory perception.

In information technology, back end of each and every web page carries much more significance than the front end. So, undoubtedly front end is significant but it is the back end that is vital. Similarly invisible Meta tags and Meta descriptions are vital to the purpose of a web page. But all this hidden knowledge that is vital to functioning of IT based products is nothing but ‘occult’.

Likewise, in the domain of natural sciences, all the knowledge that can be perceived only with help of instruments and all the theoretical knowledge about scientific principles and scientific theories is nothing but ‘occult’ knowledge. Therefore it is not surprising that in the Middle Ages, magnetism was sometimes called an occult quality. Newton was even accused of introducing occult agencies into natural science when he postulated gravity as a force capable of acting over vast distances. Newton's contemporaries severely critiqued his theory that gravity was affected through "action at a distance" as occult. Likewise, in the contemporary world, scientific theories such as Big Bang theory, String Theory, M-Theory, Darwinism are nothing but examples of ‘occult’ scientific theories.

Keeping all above in view, it is clear that in pursuit of knowledge, dealing with ‘occult’ or hidden knowledge is inevitable.

The real cause of concern is the ease with which knowledge of ‘supernatural’ creeps into knowledge of ‘natural’ which leads us astray into a universe which is just not there. Such knowledge is of no use except for the purpose of writing science fiction, for example, time machine etc. Such knowledge only builds castles in air. Therefore scientific community must strictly guard against polluting of scientific knowledge by knowledge of supernatural.

Hence, over the past few centuries definition of Science has evolved from knowledge of measurable to the definition given below:-

      “Science is comprehensive, consistent, coherent natural explanation of natural       phenomena”

Therefore, in pursuit of scientific knowledge, conducting isolated experiments and drawing mathematically-logically perfect conclusions is not enough. These conclusions have to be comprehensive and consistent with rest of scientific knowledge. Therefore conclusions drawn have to meet tests of ‘rationality’ and ‘plausibility’ in order to be scientifically valid. This is the only way to prevent creeping of knowledge of supernatural into science so that in due course of time science does not develop a mythology of its own.

Summing up, it must be appreciated that ‘occult’ is unavoidable in scientific domain but it is valid only so long as it is consistent with natural phenomena, directly or collaterally.

Author: Dr Mahesh C. Jain is a practicing medical doctor and has written the book “Encounter of Science with Philosophy – A synthetic view”. The book begins with first chapter devoted to scientifically valid concept of God and then explains cosmic phenomena right from origin of nature and universe up to origin of life and evolution of man. The book includes several chapters devoted to auxiliary concepts and social sciences as corollaries to the concept of God. This is the only book which deals with origin of nature and universe from null or Zero or nothing.  Second chapter of the book is about ‘Truth’. I have used excerpts from Wikipedia for writing this article.

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Dinosaur Extinction

Can Climate Change Account For Dinosaur Extinction?

Summary: In line with generally accepted theories of evolution, Dinosaur extinction is currently believed to be due to climate change due to various causes. However this is not correct, being inconsistent with known facts. There are only two possibilities. Either Dinosaurs evolved to their extinction or evolved to some other phyletic lines or species with which ancestor – descendent relationship can’t be presently demonstrated.

Both, Darwinism and Lamarckism support the currently held belief that pan-global mass extinction of Dinosaurs was due to environmental change towards the end of Cretaceous era about 65.5 million years back. But the view about specific climatic change accounting for mass extinction of Dinosaurs has been changing from time to time. The earliest view was that ice age caused mass extinction of Dinosaurs. This view was followed by Asteroid attack on earth. Subsequently a volcanic eruption in India was believed to be the cause of pan-global mass extinction of Dinosaurs that materialized over a period of about one million years. A later view emerged that egg shell thinning led to Dinosaur extinction. The latest view is that Methane gas emission by Dinosaurs led to global warming. A view has been advanced that this global warming is to account for mass extinction of Dinosaurs (www.foxnews.com/.../dinosaurs-farted-their-way-to-extinction...)

. So we have moved full circle from ice age to global warming.

Dinosaur extinction was accompanied by extinction of Ammonites (Mollusks), Mesosaurs, Plesiosaurs, and many Mammalian groups. No theory of relationship has been advanced to explain this association of facts. No theory has been advanced to explain as to why not the entire global flora and fauna became extinct due to alleged climate change but only selected groups of animals. There is evidence that birds survived extinction events affecting Dinosaurs. Flowering plants were making their early appearance at the time of Dinosaur extinction.

Dinosaurs first appeared about 230 million years back and were dominant life forms on earth from 200 million years BC (Jurassic era) to 65.5 million years BC (end of Cretaceous). Therefore Dinosaurs had been dominant life forms on earth for 135 million years from beginning of Jurassic era to end of Cretaceous.

Dinosaurs had been present on each and every continent and occupied all habitats. 500 genera and 1000 species of Non-avian Dinosaurs are known as extant species on the basis of fossil remains. Non-avian Dinosaurs ranged in size from present day birds (e.g. Pigeon) to the size of Sauropods i.e. 60 meters in length and several stories high. Anchiomis is the smallest known Dinosaur with skeletal length of 35 cm and weight of 110 gms.

Dinosaurs shared several traits with birds such as egg laying, nest building and inhabiting all available habitats.

The following excerpt from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur) shows that Dinosaur extinction was not a sudden event lasting only a few hours, days or years. Rather it was spread over a period of at least one million years.

Possible Paleocene survivors

Main article: Paleocene dinosaurs

Non-avian dinosaur remains are occasionally found above the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. In 2001, paleontologists Zielinski and Budahn reported the discovery of a single hadrosaur leg-bone fossil in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, and described it as evidence of Paleocene dinosaurs. The formation in which the bone was discovered has been dated to the early Paleocene epoch, approximately 64.5 million years ago. If the bone was not re-deposited into that stratum by weathering action, it would provide evidence that some dinosaur populations may have survived at least a half million years into the Cenozoic Era.^[135] Other evidence includes the finding of dinosaur remains in the Hell Creek Formation up to 1.3 meters (51 in) above (40000 years later than) the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. Similar reports have come from other parts of the world, including China.^[136] Many scientists, however, dismissed the supposed Paleocene dinosaurs as re-worked, that is, washed out of their original locations and then re-buried in much later sediments.^[137][138] However, direct dating of the bones themselves has supported the later date, with U–Pb dating methods resulting in a precise age of 64.8 ± 0.9 million years ago.^[139] If correct, the presence of a handful of dinosaurs in the early Paleocene would not change the underlying facts of the extinction.^[137]

Any climate change causing pan-global mass extinction of Dinosaurs along with a few other animal groups namely, Ammonites, Mesosaurs, Plesiosaurs and a few Mammalian groups over a period of one million years should have, rationally speaking, resulted in near extinction of the entire flora and fauna on earth. But to the contrary there is evidence that birds survived extinction event. Flowering plants (Angiosperms) made their early appearance during this period.

 There are known other mass extinction events affecting other groups of organisms, for example planktonic forms Globigerinidae suffered mass extinction at the end of Eocene only to reappear later (Cifelli 1969: Radiation of Cenozoic foraminifera, System. Zool., 18, 154 – 168).

Similarly Lazarus taxons are well known which suffered extinction at some point in time only to reappear later. One such taxon is Coelocanthus fish which reappeared in 1938 after extinction for nearly 65 million years (Wikipedia: search Lazarus taxons) .

From the above account, it is self-evident that no theory explaining mass extinction of Dinosaurs due to climate change of any kind can ever be consistent with known facts.

Therefore, only two possibilities remain, either Dinosaurs suffered pan-global mass extinction as biologically timed out group of organisms or they evolved into some other group of organisms with which no ancestor – descendent relationship can be established, presently. Regarding the former possibility, Gryphaea mollusks are known to have evolved to their extinction.

The later possibility can’t be dismissed outrightly because saltatory evolution is known to occur. This has led to Punctuated Equilibrium Hypothesis of Eldredge and Gould ( Eldredge N. and Gould S.J. 1972, ‘Punctuated Equilibrium an Alternative to Phyletic Gradualism’, in Schopf T.J.M.(ed.), Models in Paleobiology, Freeman , Cooper, San Francisco).

Darwin in 1859 in his book Origin of Species by Means of Natural selection page 298 observed:-

That the periods during which species have been undergoing modification though very long as measured by years, have probably been short in comparison with the periods during which these species remained without undergoing any change  

Summing up, pan-global mass extinction of Dinosaurs could not have been due to climatic change. It was essentially not the question of struggle for survival and survival of the fittest or imperfect forms struggling to perfect themselves. Therefore neither Darwinism nor Lamarckism can explain Dinosaur extinction. There are only two possibilities. Dinosaurs either evolved to other phyletic lines or organisms, with which no ancestor – descendent relationship can be presently demonstrated or Dinosaurs evolved to their extinction, alternative speaking were biologically timed out. What really happened is a matter of further investigations.

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Author: Dr Mahesh C. Jain is a practicing medical doctor and has written the book “Encounter of Science with Philosophy – A synthetic view”. The book begins with first chapter devoted to scientifically valid concept of God and then explains cosmic phenomena right from origin of nature and universe up to origin of life and evolution of man. The book includes several chapters devoted to auxiliary concepts and social sciences as corollaries to the concept of God. This is the only book which deals with origin of nature and universe from null or Zero or nothing.  Chapter 30 of the book is about Evolution of Life wherein author has worked out a new theory about evolution of life.

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How do Planets And Stars Originate

How do Planets And Stars Originate?

Summary: Creation of planets and stars is generally held to be the result of some catastrophe. However, this is not correct. It has to be in accordance with natural laws and one such law is Titus – Bode Law. Every planet and star being a discrete entity can have a characteristic chemical composition.

Western philosophers and scientists have one thing in common. Both are unanimous in their belief that nature and universe advanced through catastrophes, cataclysms, chaos, upheavals, accidents, random events etc. only because they have no scientific explanation to offer. Even in human society ‘Revolution’ is an attractive slogan as a means to advancement of human society.

Theory of Catastrophism was advanced by Cuvier in 1812 to reconcile geology with Moses account of creation in Genesis in Bible. Cuvier was a great comparative anatomist of 19^th century. He appreciated complexities of the process of creation in general and origin of species in particular. To explain origins and creations, he preferred to attribute it to direct intervention of creative powers i.e. Supernatural God.

Darwin likewise attributed biological evolution to accumulation of random variations without ever bothering to explain as to how random variations can account for large number of coordinated variations which accompany origin of species. He out-rightly ignored the collateral issues of identity and integrity of species and varieties that permit only a limited change in any species and variety as a result of variations.

In twentieth century, Physicists attributed origin of universe to Big Bang without ever explaining nature and source of dense matter, only because straight line extrapolation of one particular line of thinking leads to Big Bang. All the irreconcilable differences with collateral evidence and issues were out rightly ignored. No proponent of Big Bang theory has ever bothered to explain as to how the assumed chaos that presumably preceded Big Bang could ever spontaneously (without external intervention) lead to order which is than determined and guided by laws of Physics.       

Theories abound where nature’s creativity is sought to be explained on the basis of Entropy that accompanies each and every irreversible physical and chemical change. In all these theories Entropy was assumed to be directing and driving creations and origins. The question of ‘How’ was out-rightly ignored. These theories never explained as to how Entropy which is nothing but dissipation or decay of thermal energy into universal heat sink, could ever account for creation even if in general. These theorists built elaborate theories but never bothered themselves to explain specificity of creations and origins.

Pre-biotic soup, which must have preceded origin of life and should have led to origin of life in a kaleidoscopic manner through a series of random events, has till date found no evidence in support of its existence. Even theories which postulate extra-terrestrial origin of life and its subsequent plantation on earth, besides being irrational are struggling for evidence in their support.  

 It is pertinent to ask oneself many questions while dealing with the issue of natural origins and creations.

How can chaos ever lead to order without external intervention?

What about self-organizing, self-sustaining character and nature of universe.

What about constancy of natural laws in a universe advancing through catastrophes, cataclysms, chaos, upheavals, accidents, random events etc.?

Why shouldn’t natural laws also keep changing in such a universe?

What about scientific predictions of the past and future in a universe devoid of constant natural laws.

Therefore all acts of natural origin and creation have to be explained with due regard to constancy of natural laws, collateral facts and issues.

Nature can’t advance through cataclysms and catastrophes.

Evolution has to be involution rather than revolution i.e. a change from within rather than a change from without.

Generally speaking all planets and stars and other celestial bodies revolve in stable elliptical orbits. Circular orbits could have been easily explained on the basis of balancing of gravitational force and centrifugal force. But this is not true for elliptical orbits. Stable elliptical orbits involve precise inter-conversion of kinetic energy of the planet into potential energy. Control and regulation of this phenomenon is beyond comprehension on the basis of known laws of Physics.

Therefore, to explain formation of any planet, star and any other celestial body on the basis of some catastrophic, cataclysmic event is clearly farfetched. Concomitant to the said catastrophic, cataclysmic event shall be the issue of their placement in stable elliptical orbits and sustaining them in those elliptical orbits as is the case with artificial satellites. How shall that be managed?    

Planets, stars and other celestial bodies can form only in strict compliance with applicable natural laws and at the same time satisfying all the conditions mandatory to their existence. Therefore their formation as a result of some cataclysm or catastrophe is highly improbable.

Hence in my view planets, stars and other celestial bodies form as a result of condensation of solid dust and gas clouds at specific loci in space. At its specific locus, a celestial body is naturally self-sustaining but how is a matter of further investigation. What natural laws and other factors determine such spatial loci capable of serving as home to celestial bodies is again a matter of further investigation. But one such law already known is Titus - Bode Law.

Under these conditions every celestial body is a discrete entity and may have unique laws of behavior, natural history and chemical composition. Chemical composition of one celestial body may not necessarily be relatable to chemical composition of another. The process of their formation has to be essentially non-catastrophic and non-cataclysmic. However some time in future it may be possible to classify celestial bodies into various types based on similarities of their chemical composition.

Professor Ian Campbell & Hugh O Neil of Australian National University on 29.03.2012 reported to Eagle.com that earth does not have the same chemical composition as Sun implying that earth did not originate from sun.

Junjun Zhang and Colleagues at Origins Lab at University of Chicago reported on 27.03.2012 that chemical composition of moon can’t be explained on the basis of Giant Impact Theory. Visit: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/03/new-evidence-nixes-giant-impact-theory-of-moons-origin.html

Author: Dr Mahesh C. Jain is a practicing medical doctor has written the book “Encounter of Science with Philosophy – A synthetic view”. The book begins with first chapter devoted to scientifically valid concept of God and then explains cosmic phenomena right from origin of nature and universe up to origin of life and evolution of man. The book includes several chapters devoted to auxiliary concepts and social sciences as corollaries to the concept of God. This is the only book which deals with origin of nature and universe from null or Zero or nothing. This article is inspired by author’s understanding of nature.

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Judiciary and the Chaos

Judiciary and the Chaos

Summary: Judiciary is the custodian of law, system and justice in any society. Effective resolution of conflicts is essential in a healthy society. Failure of judiciary to meet its obligations in any society is bound to lead to chaos.  Judiciary should devise ways and means to achieve its ends effectively and efficiently.

Instances of judicial misconduct are reported by media off and on but they are very mild in character and do not qualify even as tip of the iceberg. Media can afford to be harsh on all other professions but certainly not on judiciary. It is difficult to say, whether it is out of respect or fear of judiciary. So, in any society, judiciary rules unopposed and unchallenged. Only higher judiciary is empowered to question authority and wisdom of a judge lower down in hierarchy. That too, only when the subject matter is placed before a higher judicial forum. But this may often be beyond the means of the learned and the most informed of the litigants. No doubt that this is a systemic constraint but it means that if a judge does not actively and aggressively delivers justice; he is likely to end up as R. Goldschmidt’s hopeful monster acting autonomously according to his own whims and fancies. He can easily override all criterion of reasonableness applicable to him. He can easily defeat all the safety mechanisms built into legal procedure as well as law, facts and legal procedure.

A chaos is a state of lawlessness and is inevitable in any society if its members loose respect and fear of law. Every individual is then at liberty to behave autonomously in the name of individual freedom/independence/self-interest.

If a system of governance is considered to be a stream, than Legislature and Judiciary constitute two banks of the stream, so that contained between its banks stream flows smoothly.

Between the two banks lie people and executives. In any society, politicians are primarily important not so much for their legislative function, as for their executive function. Legislature can be held responsible for laying down questionable laws. But to guard sanctity of established laws and to secure their implementation is solely the function of judiciary. Since in any conflict of interest judiciary is the final arbiter and therefore character of judiciary shall determine character of people in towns and villages. Hence in the event of general lawlessness or chaos in a society, it is essentially judiciary’s failure to discharge its function for whatever reasons.

It is only when judiciary fails to discharge its function and uphold sanctity of law that people and executive get an inspiration and opportunity to act arbitrarily. People’s experience with judiciary in the course of litigation often acts as determinant of their character. Failure to uphold sanctity of law means failure of system of governance and failure of justice which would mean truncated evolution of the society as a whole. Jungle Raj or Rule of the forest is inevitable under such circumstances.  In a society with failed judiciary the only law that prevails over every other law is “Might is the right”. In a chaos, existence is a matter of perpetual struggle.

Judiciary perpetuates chaos actively as well as passively. Some of its ways and means are as under:-

1.     Judiciary stubbornly refuses to evolve to discharge timely and affordable justice in a people friendly manner. Judges listen to litigants only when it is unavoidable and apply their mind only when unavoidable and that is generally at the time of final order. This means that even for the simplest of matters, one has to face a protracted trial lasting several years even when the dispute may be resolvable at the stage of framing of charges or issues, on the basis of material on record and may be a little persuasion of litigants.  The only excuse given is that this is a court.

2.     Judges generally do not critically examine their judgments on the touchstone of reasonableness and comprehensiveness. Therefore, either the personal opinion of the judge succeeds or the better advocate succeeds. This is more likely to happen when a judge is empowered to exercise his discretion under the law or arguments advanced from both sides are incapable of being literally and mathematically-logically precise with reference to established law and established facts. Such a situation may also be the result of ignorance. Under these circumstances, Judges instead of applying the test that for a judgment to be correct, it has to be correct from every possible point of view prefer to be guided by their personal point of view under the color of their authority even if it is unverified and basically absurd. Moreover it is a misconception that a neutral mind shall deliver the right judgment. There is no entity such as a neutral mind. What is really needed is an informed and enlightened mind.

3.     Judiciary routinely fails to discharge its supervisory role in administration of criminal law machinery under the pretext of not interfering with investigations, effectively giving rise to rule of police instead of rule of law. Once an accused, all the human rights of the accused are in a state of suspended animation until proven innocent after a protracted trial. All the deficiencies in police investigation are just ignored.

4.     In the name of reducing litigation, judiciary routinely promotes compromises contrary to law. Law requires that compromises must be legal and valid. This gives the strong every opportunity to prevail over the will of the weak and the sufferer.

5.     Selective enforcement of law on one or the other pretext.

6.     Judges often assume robes of an advocate in defending their judgments presumably delivered as speaking orders.

7.     Justice can’t be expected to be awarded, it has to be extracted. It requires an advocate of skill and standing to secure justice for oneself. A litigant, howsoever well informed about facts and law of his case is miserably dependent on his advocate, for advocate is the only one who knows how to extract justice for his clients.

8.     Judicial orders during trial are often passed as a matter of routine rather than after due consideration of merits of the case and the applicable law. At times even objectivity and rationality is not kept and subjective justifications are advanced in lieu of speaking orders.

9.     Illegal and contradictory orders are passed in breach of merits of the case and law, advancing such interpretation of law and justification to which no sane person in the street would agree.

10.                        Quite often judges have a propensity to decide those issues which they are otherwise incompetent to decide such as a judge in USA decided about merits of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution which 150 years of scientific debate have not been able to decide.

11.                        Often imaginary considerations and unfounded apprehensions guide their judgment. In one case before the apex court I was verbally asked to forget about the law and previous judgments of the apex court.

In any society, judiciary is the ultimate authority in conflict resolution in accordance with law and in this capacity judiciary is the custodian of law, system and justice. In the event of its failure in discharging its designated function, chaos is inevitable.

To do justice to its designated function, judiciary should aim at conflict resolution in accordance with law in a timely and affordable manner. Judiciary should not refrain from listening to common man and should attempt to deliver effective justice at the earliest in accordance with law. An understanding of law should expedite and not delay decision making.

Author: Dr Mahesh C. Jain is a practicing medical doctor has written the book “Encounter of Science with Philosophy – A synthetic view”. The book begins with first chapter devoted to scientifically valid concept of God and then explains cosmic phenomena right from origin of nature and universe up to origin of life and evolution of man. The book includes several chapters devoted to auxiliary concepts and social sciences as corollaries to the concept of God. This is the only book which deals with origin of nature and universe from null or Zero or nothing. The book contains two chapters devoted to law and justice respectively.

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What is the rational basis of mental illnesses

What is the rational basis of mental illnesses?

Summary: Mental illnesses often mean breakdown of mental equilibrium caused by inadequately compensated mental stresses which can originate from any source and not only sexual deprivation. This may lead to a vicious cycle which can be often broken by various therapeutic interventions.

In the article “What is the origin of Wants and Desires?” it has been pointed out that many of our motivations or wants and desires are beyond biological needs and can only be explained on the basis of universal instinct to exist, evolve and diversify. Visit: http://www.sciencengod.com/what-is-the-origin-of-wants-and-desires.html

But even that is not enough. Besides being a part of a universal scheme, we all exist as individuals or discrete entities having unitary organization, in a state of dynamic equilibrium aimed at keeping our identity and integrity and meeting our goals and objectives. Besides this, a desire for self-expression and self-realization lurks deep inside every individual inspired by the individuality. All the above, collectively, constitutes individuality or personality of the individual and is the rational basis of inter-individual differences.

Universal instincts coupled with personality or individuality collectively approximate what Sigmund Freud has referred to as ‘Id’. But to be effective, this ‘Id’ has to be duly supported by appropriate structure and function i.e. brain and mind. Mind is defined as the function of brain. But brain and mind have their origin in genome and all the necessary cellular and biochemical machinery that genome creates through regulated gene expression. Therefore, all our behavior, sentiments and intellect have a material basis as detailed above and any malfunctioning of any of the components directly or indirectly involved in keeping the mental equilibrium can precipitate mental illnesses. Neurophysiologists are progressively discovering material/biochemical correlations of mental functioning.

Since, in order to satisfy the universal instinct to exist, everything has to exist in a state of dynamic equilibrium having internal as well as external harmony so that all the inherent conflicts and contradictions (Dialectical materialism) are in a state of effective resolution. This need for harmony inspires ethics, morals, laws (even manmade), a sense of justice, a sense of fair and unfair or a sense of right and wrong. Even need for an order and system is at least in part determined by this universal Law of Harmony. Much of the religion is inspired by the need to keep harmony with in individuals as well as with in human society. This is what has corresponds to Super-ego of Sigmund Freud.

To keep harmony and to meet individual satisfaction a large number of conditions with inherent contradictions and conflicts have to be satisfied all the time. Inherent contradictions and conflicts often demand intellectual resolution which may require at times resetting the fulcrum or state of dynamic equilibrium. This may be done consciously in humans but in all others it is done subconsciously. This is what corresponds to ‘Ego’ of Sigmund Freud.

Sigmund Freud for the first time recognized role of subconscious in determination of human behavior and causation of mental illnesses and even devised Psychoanalysis as the technique to unearth subconscious phenomena. But Sigmund Freud failed to appreciate true significance and scope of subconscious in nature and universe. Further he failed to appreciate that even in the domain of Psychology, most of the needs are satisfied subconsciously only. Nature and universe until the evolution of self-awareness or voluntary consciousness in humans have managed all their affairs subconsciously only. Voluntary Consciousness or self-awareness is only a minute fraction of whole of consciousness that permeates this universe. No doubt that voluntary consciousness is the highest level in the natural hierarchy of consciousness. It not only makes consciousness aware of itself but also allows action at a distance to its bearers.

Universal instincts assisted by consciousness actively and aggressively work to attain their ends and this motivational drive has been variously described by others including Sigmund Freud as libido or energy presumably because this is what gets the things done. However it is a misconception to call it as energy, since it is not the same as energy as understood in Physics. What we may call as libido directs utilization of energy for various ends but is not energy in itself.

So, our motivations, dreams, fantasies, idiosyncrasies, personal preferences, whims and fancies, actions are principally determined, directed and managed by subconscious. We have only a minimal control on our own actions. Prudence and pragmatism is a state of mind and its resultant action where our actions are grounded in comprehensive reality whether internal or external. A prudent and pragmatic mind is amenable to reason. Therefore in a prudent and pragmatic state of mind, role of unrealistic elements in driving our action is adequately regulated leading to a state of harmonious existence and optimum utilization of our resources. But a sick mind may refuse to see reason.

An individual has to cope with conflicts and contradictions all the time since conflicts and contradictions are inbuilt in nature. Inherent conflicts and contradictions often demand intellectual resolution either subconsciously or at the level of self-awareness. Therefore for any individual, existence is the result of a dynamic equilibrium. Nothing exists in a state of static equilibrium. This dynamic equilibrium demands perpetual management to keep existence, to maintain peace and tranquility and to keep body, mind and soul harmony.

Different individuals show differing sensitivity, predisposition and resilience to different disequilibrating factors (mental stresses). Individual’s sensitivity to a particular factor may vary from being hypersensitive to insensitive. This sensitivity can be altered by mental training. Sensitivity and response to various disturbing factors is conditioned not only by universal instincts but also by innate personality, cumulative experiences and other material factors influencing behavioral, emotional and intellectual responses.

A particular behavior may be normal in one set of circumstances but not so in another set of circumstances. Therefore, various behavioral responses require context dependent interpretation. Hence, at times line of distinction between mentally healthy and mentally ill is exceedingly thin and its identification is dependent upon subjective experience of the observer.

Normally, in accordance with universal instinct to exist (Sigmund Freud described this as instinct to life) mind tries to keep its dynamic equilibrium or Zero state but if the mental stress far exceeds the ability of mind to cope, a mental breakdown occurs and mental illness is precipitated. Same mental stress can precipitate different mental illnesses in different individuals. Once mental breakdown occurs, it may lead to a vicious cycle leading to progressive deterioration of mental state. In a sick mental state, mind may refuse to see reason.

In coping with mental stress two options are generally available.

 In repression the conflict is buried deep inside the psyche without any effective resolution. It acts as a time bomb waiting to explode. Sigmund Freud identified underlying repression as the reason behind most of mental illnesses involving sudden outburst of repressed emotions. He particularly emphasized significance of repressed sexuality as the cause of most of mental illnesses. However this is not completely correct. All types of deprivations and repressed emotions can precipitate mental illnesses.

The other option involves resetting or shifting or modifying the fulcrum or the state of dynamic equilibrium so that the individual is able to keep his dynamic equilibrium despite existence of mental stresses in the environment. This can be further improved by mental training. Often a proper understanding of mental stresses helps and this is precisely the reason for effectiveness of Freud’s Psychoanalysis.

Armed with improved understanding of mental stresses, mind in line with universal instinct to exist tries to restore its dynamic equilibrium. Therefore with in any individual, there will always be compensated mental stresses that shape personality of the individual. But uncompensated mental stresses in a state of repression can precipitate mental illnesses any time.

Sigmund Freud has been wrong in laying undue emphasis upon sex as the principal cause of repression. Any unsatisfied, uncompensated demand can be a cause of repression. Hence reasons for mental illnesses may be as wide and varied as human wants and desires.

Summing up, mental illnesses may be viewed as the result of failure of normal compensating mechanisms concerned with maintenance of mind’s state of dynamic equilibrium leading to a vicious cycle which can often be broken by various therapeutic interventions.

Author: Dr Mahesh C. Jain is a practicing medical doctor and has written the book “Encounter of Science with Philosophy – A synthetic view”. The book begins with first chapter devoted to scientifically valid concept of God and then explains cosmic phenomena right from origin of nature and universe up to origin of life and evolution of man. The book includes several chapters devoted to auxiliary concepts and social sciences as corollaries to the concept of God. This is the only book that deals with subject matter of origin of nature and universe beginning from null (Zero or nothing).  This article is inspired by author’s understanding of `nature.

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