Writing Feedback / Only by questioning accepted wisdom can we advance our understanding. [4]

hello again! i have been working on my analytical section for gre. i hope you would be kind enough to evaluate them.

Question authority

Only by questioning accepted wisdom can we advance our understanding of the world

One of the greatest gifts of mankind is the desire to search and discover, to answer the unanswered questions which have been lingering for centuries, to reveal the truth, to question authority which some might even consider as outrageous, or atleast uncomfortable attacks upon the accepted wisdom of the time. According to the 'Guide to human thought', Authority is a power exercised by few and obeyed by all because it is considered legitimate. This authority has been employed as an influence exercised by leadership over the community and it is true that this authority of the supreme has often been questioned by the people.

In Europe, the church enjoyed its authority unquestioned arousing superstition and orthodoxy for centuries, feeding off the society like parasites. But the curiosity led to the challenging of this power and finally the downfall of the autocracy, followed by the advent of the industrial revolution. This concludes that questioning plays an important role for the proper functioning of the government and for the development of the society. If we move blindfolded after the accepted wisdom it will cause stagnation in the society and may even cripple the entire system of governance.

Ayan rand's 'Fountainhead' is based on objectivism. the main protagonist chose not to go with the traditional designs of architecture and came up with some very radical and challenging designs. He challenges the traditional designs questioning the creators of some of the most beautiful buildings like Parthenon in ancient Greece. Only some of the designs are corroborated but that does not force him to change his ideals for the world.

Taking another example, Copernicus challenged the ptolemic theory which said that the earth eas at the center of the universe. Eventually he was ostracized from the society for his theory saying that the sun is at the centre. man is averse to change and this discovery was considered outrageous, albeit this does not stop people from questioning the zeitgeist.

This freedom is our right. Life is reduced to a meaningless drift towards an end if we do not enjoy this freedom, losing the power to think and act. The minds of the people are stuffed with the views of the party in power; karl marx aptly said "the prevailing ideas are the ideas of the ruling power." When a particular philosophy is hammered into the brains, it becomes convenient for the people at large, to utilise their own power to think. This does not let the society remain static and the social values and habits undergo a change. Thus, i would conclude that questioning is important for bringing reforms that slowly trickle down the veins of the society.

Writing Feedback / Laws should not end up in motley - should give the law makers enough flexibility [3]

The sands of time have witnessed injustice innumerably and those responsible have been castigated. Europeans discovered new worlds and brought with them their knowledge and traditions. Civilization settled and established laws for the smooth governing of the society. With the onset of modernization thinking changed and so did the need for changes in the way people are governed.

But with time these laws have seen a saturated stagnation. The injustice faced by the society demands more stringent punishment as changing times demand for a change in the antediluvian laws. E.g. the worst industrial disaster at the Union Carbide Plant(UCP) in Bhopal, India claimed 15000 innocent lives and maimed millions f others. Twenty five years later the apparition of the tragedy still scares the people. Recently the verdict was declared with 2 years imprisonment and $2000 fine to the seven culprits with the main accused still at large. This is a clear case of 'justice delayed is justice denied.' This amercement is in accordance with the laws formulated by the Britishers in India sixty years ago and cannot account for this act of genocide.

However, a defaulter in the stock exchange caught for unfair trade and embezzlement is imprisoned for 5 years with a fine of $ 20000. The question is, is the cost of human lives less than the monetary loss?

Laws all over the world consider homicide and a regular sex offence as an equal crime. There should be more transparency in the judiciary. There is a need for reforms in the laws. Law should not be fixed instead it should be flexible enough to account for various circumstances, times and places. Coming back to the UCP incident, more compensation should be given t the victims and only timely action will get them justice.

But the modern laws should not end up in motley, it should give the law makers enough flexibility and liberty to deliver timely and fare justice.