THE PURSUIT of knowledge from theoretical to practical manifestation created every civilization even one that was cradled in the bosom of Nile River. The crystallization of knowledge becomes the repository of wisdom that could make the dreams of mankind turn to living reality.

And the power of reason is the power of the mind in practical ramifications, so that the philosophy of reason is the supreme good of humanity.

It was premised in the philosophy of Greece that the Romans founded the greatest empire the world has ever known and Western civilization owed its birth of science to the logic of Aristotle and that it could be said that so many benefited so much from one man.
And not to exclude other important periods in history, where the predominance of reason harvested the greatest intellectual and material achievement in human potential. This was the proudest moment of philosophy!

And the paradox is that while humanity, the beneficiary of philosophy’s triumph through reason sowed its own seeds of destruction by embracing mysticism, the precursor of faith and force that produced centuries of darkness and medievalism in history. And it is said that decline of civilization barring other incidents is caused by loss of moral values which only the philosophy of reason could check its wrong premises but unfortunately the mind of humanity turned to brutish judgment. And moral disintegration is more dangerous that what history teaches that the fate of nation is imperiled when the hordes of barbarians are at the wall!

Like oil and water, reason and faith could not mix and yet throughout the ages, some insisted in its mixture to the detriment of philosophy. It is true that reason is not all knowing, bereft of omnipotence but it is honest and one of life.

While faith proclaims the impossible or the truth or fact is far behind and humanity needs reality to survive. Despite that, some influential in their own time championed the validity of faith and caused the downfall of the philosophy of reason.

While their followers in their great frustration that faith could not move mountains devoted their lives to make the state an absolute power over the individuals and the guardian of the welfare of the people.

Thus collectivism has become the overwhelming passion of some intellectuals that practically carried the world as a proof of philosophy’s power directed at the wrong and of the barrel of a gun.

Leave a Reply