Syed Abdullah Tariq

All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason. -Immanuel Kant     Kant, one of the most influential philosophers in modern philosophy, tried to take a balanced approach between empiricism and rationalism. The empiricists believed that knowledge comes from experience and the senses, while the rationalists believed that reason is the highest source of knowledge. Kant tries to combine both through this statement. What Kant is basically saying is that first we experience the world through our senses, then our mind organizes and understands those experiences, and finally reason becomes the highest stage through which we reach truth. At first, this sounds like a very complete and convincing structure. But the more we think about it, the more questions starts to surface. The Problem with the Senses Firstly, Kant argues that knowledge starts with the senses. But our senses are not always trustwor...

It has often been contemplated that the deepest emotions are not meant to remain confined. They extend outward in ripples, influencing everything and everyone in ways beyond anticipation. The following words attempt to capture this phenomenon—a reflection on how a singular and focused love can transform the world around it. People shall see and experience the derivative of my love for my Beloved, upon them. They shall understand what they know not through peace, calm, and cool warmth-my uncontainable compassion that will reflect upon them. These are emotions that will render them powerless, and yet will give them strength and confidence within an infinite pool of contemplation, perpetual effort, and awakened consciousness. These are emotions that extend much beyond the physical construct of life, transform the spiritual being, and beautify existence. 

If you correct your children excessively – especially at their slightest mistakes – they will become conditioned to notice and grow irritated by mistakes of that magnitude in everyone, including, and often most intensely, you. If you correct mistakes in your children that you also make, but let your own slide with the justification, 'I'm your father,' or 'I'm older,' they will learn that it's not acceptable to make mistakes unless you hold a certain age or role. This teaches them that some positions are subject to persecution, while others hold the power of the persecutor. Consequently, when they grow up, they are likely to give their own children a hard time, while freely repeating those same mistakes without self-reproach.

The more you grow and understand, the more you realise that nothing matters as you thought it would. The good physique and toned muscles don't make feel all that confident. The classy dresses and the fine fabrics don't give the comfort you seek for. The beautiful face and the charming personality don't get people to value you. The expensive experiences and extravagances don't add meaning to life nor does it bestow satisfaction that you hoped it would. Being center of attraction and a fan following doesn't bring close people that you find solace with. A big black car and matte black heavy motorcycle are nothing but a toy for the older boys. All toys that people get used to after playing with. The lavish house is nothing but just to provide you comfort enough that you look forward to coming back to it. People? The family that you will grow old to realise that they can't understand you. Friends; everyone will come to you to make you hear them. The people are but se...

  In older days, economists gave the idea of trickle down economy of the civilization. It was from the rich that money trickled down to the lower classes and the lowest classes received the least of this trickle. To better understand this, we can take a man from the middle economic section, who when comes around a lot of money, will buy lands that he will not utilize all for his residence but will employ those lands to get fruits, vegetables, grains and even get a pond dug to breed fishes. That will invite a lot of employment for the poor people who will maintain those. Also, he will from time to time have dinner parties in which he will invite a lot of people (richer people used to have more guests than the others.) These parties will also need buying of resources from the vendors around that shall see a surge in their sale. He shall also have drivers and cleaners for his automobiles and everyone around from the lower economic section are going to benefit from his wealth, whether ...

I respect those who are truly learned, the storehouses of wisdom. They are the custodians of knowledge and deserve to be addressed with honor. I also respect the people of action, the doers and the movers. They actively bring about changes and believe in engaging directly to improve society and the lives around them. As for the people who are both learned and active, I take them as gurus. They are rare, and one should become their disciple and stay in their company, seeking to absorb their essence through presence. One should also be careful not to upset them or dishonor them. For all the above, they must be respected. This respect stands irrespective of their position in society, or their status in wealth, or their age. As for the rest of the people, the majority, the real challenge is to deal with them consistently using etiquettes and good manners. Etiquettes and good manners must be maintained with everyone, since it is the basic foundation of human decency. I personally find it a ...

Let's just say that life is a complicated system. To understand and to live, and to live and to understand—sometimes interchangeably—is laborious. How else should a heretic live? A war he waged; mighty was his belief, a weakling that he was, against the orthodoxical majority of old and strong. Drained, heartbeat elevated, wounded and in pain, grasping for breath, on his knees with shoulders dropped—stubbornly refusing to give up. What a stage set for drama!

"Conviction comes either from deep faith or from ignorance. If you can distinguish deep faith from ignorance (or the other way), then you should stand down before faith and choose silence for ignorance."

A view of Yoksum village, East Sikkim. I am at an evolutionary stage of understanding where I seem to have found the convergence of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual viewpoints. I find it absurd to chase life, develop a deep desire for something, or have ambitions. It feels as though the world is moving in a direction where nothing truly matters. Moreover, no matter how much effort a person puts into striving for something, favourable results are never guaranteed. An individual receives what they are destined to have. What is meant to be yours will find its way to you, sometimes in the most unimaginable ways. Beyond that, a person might dedicate their entire life to something and yet achieve that which ultimately holds no significance. There is no lasting legacy, and even if there is, who will remain to witness how it unfolds? I understand this perspective may seem distant from the common way of viewing life, but the indeterministic nature of death invalidates everything. I believ...

  Ever since I was a child, I learned what it meant to be a man. I looked up to my father, who loved me dearly, but also disciplined me and taught me how to do things. He knew that by being strict, he might not win my affection as much as my mother did, but he chose to be respected rather than loved. He wanted his family to trust him and rely on him for everything. He endured countless hardships to provide for my brothers, my sister and my mother, giving them the best possible food, education, clothes and lifestyle. He never allowed anyone to doubt him or question his methods. He was the ultimate authority in our home. But he also sacrificed his own needs and comfort for ours. He always put us first. He was ready to face any danger or challenge for us. He was the one who would rush to put out a fire, or intervene in a conflict, or take responsibility for any problem. All my life, I wanted to grow up and become a man like him. A man who could provide, comfort and support his family....