question_answer 4)

 (i) A single event may change the course of the history of a nation. Discuss. Answer In Favour The history of a nation takes long to develop but this history may, suddenly, take a new course by a single event happening in a particular moment. This can be reinstated by the Battle of Panipat. When the Maratha Army faced the troops of Abdali, there was no disparity between the two. Only the leadership could have made the difference. At a crucial juncture, Vishwasrao, the son and heir of Peshwa was killed. His uncle Bhausaheb also could not survive. For Marathas, losing their leader was a blow and Abdali won. In fact, the Battle of Panipat was the beginning of the subjugation of our country. Against It is very difficult to believe that a single event can change any nation's history. True, Marathas lost the Battle of Panipat and it had severe consequences on India, then. But there were subsequent factors, which made us slaves for a very long duration. The Britishers willfully followed the 'Divide and Rule' policy and ruled us for years together. A single event can affect an individual's life but to change the history of a nation, one requires a significant chain of events to happen. (ii) Reality is what is directly experienced through sense. Discuss Answer In Favour Reality, indeed, is what is directly experienced through senses. It is limited to what we see. The proverb "seeing is believing" has taken its true flavour from this reality only. We appreciate beauty with our eyes. We hear with our ears. Because of the direct experience of our senses, we are able to decipher between good and bad objects. Gangadhar Pant had to undergo that strange experience because his mind was in the denial mode of what his senses were perceiving. Against The mind works on different levels. It is not necessary that what we see may not be the true in reality. That is why we have coined the term 'Illusionistic Reality'. Sometimes, the reality is experienced through indirect instruments also. In the case of professor Gaitonde, he perceived reality indirectly He saw reality in terms of 'What could have been' or 'should be'. What his senses perceived was the reality he was seeing. That proves that reality has other manifestations also: (iii) The methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar. Discuss. Answer In Favour The methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar in the sense that all the three deals with reality. If we have to know the facts, either historic, scientific or philosophical, we have to adopt the research method. All the three have written accounts, which are proved practically. Battle of Panipat was fought and lost by Marathas. History proves that the mind can perceive two-three worlds at the same time as proved by lack of determinism in quantum theory. It is a proven scientific theory. 'The mind perceives what it wants to perceive,' is a philosophical theory,' which is reinstated in the lesson, 'The Adventure, through Gangadhar' Pant's experience. Against The methods of inquiry for History, Science and Philosophy are not the same. What has already gone is History. Why did a few things happen and how new things can be made to happen is science. Philosophy deals with idealism, "What it should be". Battle of Panipat a much talked about incident is history. We read and re-read about it in History books. Gangadhar Pant's fantastic experience and his transition to another world is the journey of his mind, which can be attributed to the catastrophe theory of science. His mind's journey to an ideal world, where he sees India as he wants to see it is philosophy. The fundamental base of Philosophy, Science and History may be the same but the approach is radically different.

Answer:

(i) In Favour : The history of a nation takes long to develop but this history may, suddenly, take a new course by a single event happening in a particular moment. This can be reinstated by the Battle of Panipat. When the Maratha Army faced the troops of Abdali, there was no disparity between the two. Only the leadership could have made the difference. At a crucial juncture, Vishwasrao, the son and heir of Peshwa was killed. His uncle Bhausaheb also could not survive. For Marathas, losing their leader was a blow and Abdali won. In fact, the Battle of Panipat was the beginning of the subjugation of our country.   Against : It is very difficult to believe that a single event can change any nation's history. True, Marathas lost the Battle of Panipat and it had severe consequences on India, then. But there were subsequent factors, which made us slaves for a very long duration. The Britishers willfully followed the 'Divide and Rule' policy and ruled us for years together. A single event can affect an individual's life but to change the history of a nation, one requires a significant chain of events to happen.   (ii) In Favour : Reality, indeed, is what is directly experienced through senses. It is limited to what we see. The proverb "seeing is believing" has taken its true flavour from this reality only. We appreciate beauty with our eyes. We hear with our ears. Because of the direct experience of our senses, we are able to decipher between good and bad objects. Gangadhar Pant had to undergo that strange experience because his mind was in the denial mode of what his senses were perceiving.   Against : The mind works on different levels. It is not necessary that what we see may not be the true in reality. That is why we have coined the term 'Illusionistic Reality'. Sometimes, the reality is experienced through indirect instruments also. In the case of professor Gaitonde, he perceived reality indirectly He saw reality in terms of 'What could have been' or 'should be'. What his senses perceived was the reality he was seeing. That proves that reality has other manifestations also:   (iii) In Favour: The methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar in the sense that all the three deals with reality. If we have to know the facts, either historic, scientific or philosophical, we have to adopt the research method. All the three have written accounts, which are proved practically. Battle of Panipat was fought and lost by Marathas. History proves that the mind can perceive two-three worlds at the same time as proved by lack of determinism in quantum theory. It is a proven scientific theory. 'The mind perceives what it wants to perceive,' is a philosophical theory,' which is reinstated in the lesson, 'The Adventure, through Gangadhar' Pant's experience.   Against :The methods of inquiry for History, Science and Philosophy are not the same. What has already gone is History. Why did a few things happen and how new things can be made to happen is science. Philosophy deals with idealism, "What it should be". Battle of Panipat a much talked about incident is history. We read and re-read about it in History books. Gangadhar Pant's fantastic experience and his transition to another world is the journey of his mind, which can be attributed to the catastrophe theory of science. His mind's journey to an ideal world, where he sees India as he wants to see it is philosophy. The fundamental base of Philosophy, Science and History may be the same but the approach is radically different.