J.B.P.More. A Critique of Western Civilisation and Thought : Facts, Non-Facts and Ideas, published by TLPMS & Ilakkya, Pondicherry, 2016, pp. 197
Being always an impartial historian, JBP.More is a keen observer of the past, present and future of the world and the human beings who live in it. In this book JBP.More with his usual analytical clarity and precision holds that all the problems faced by human beings and societies in this world under the influence of modern civilization and thought since the past tow centuries especially arises because human beings by and large do not want to adhere to facts as they are and live with those facts. Instead, since time immemorial they have been running behind ideas, ideals, beliefs, values and ideologies, which are actually abstract non-facts, generated by the activity of the brain. These non-facts are fundamentally viral in nature as most of the time they lead to tension, conflict, war and killing. In this book, JBP.More analyses in the form of 26 essays and a long Introduction every aspect and form of modern life and civilization, without any bias or prejudice. He calls a spade a spade.
JBP.More holds that ideas and ideologies can never bring about peace and order in the individual and the society because they are not based on facts. Facts like the law of gravity will not breed tension and conflict in normal circumstances. But abstract non-facts and ideas like God or the non-existence of God or the idea of nation or any other c&pitalistic or communist idea by their very nature will bring about conflict, confusion and war.
In this book JBP.More analyses the rise of western civilization and culture since the past two or three centuries. This civilization has now spread its tentacles around the world. Much of this civilization is based on ideas and ideologies and therefore western or modern civilization has always been confrontational in nature and highly competitive, seeking to impose its stand-points and world views on the whole world. This has led to clash of civilisatons and innumerable conflicts since the past few centuries in which millions have died and are still dying. It cannot be otherwise because this civilization has been built upon non-facts and ideas generated by the brain which are fundamentally viral. The human brain knows how to deal with facts, but when it has to deal with non-facts and ideas like God or nation or caste it is in a quandary for it does not know how to deal with them and therefore ends up creating a mess.
JBP.More proposes a complete psychic cleansing of the brain of all abstract non-facts, on the basis of facts alone, so that the natural order is restored in the brain of every man and woman. More holds that this order is bound to reflect in the society. If one really wants peace and order, one has to first get rid off viral ideas from the brain mechanism as one would get rid of viruses from a computer and then the brain will start functioning smoothly and peacefully on the basis of facts alone. Otherwise More warns that human being will continue to fight and quarrel for another three thousand years. He holds that the key to peaceful and orderly living lies in the understanding of how the brain functions naturally and knowing how to put it in order. No other science and technology or external innovations can usher in this order.
