HUMANIZING SCIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING HUMAN IDENTITY AS THE WAY TO WORLD PEACE.

As the world hurries towards the direction of a sudden halt, as virtually all known realities are in a war to escape the shores of human knowledge and understanding, as the realms of wisdom attest to imminent and impending collapse of world peace to an unknown base, we wake to our thinking and to the amazement of possibilities that could come our way. The songs of the scientific world and the melodies of the emergent technologically controlled globe have tastes of sour and pain by the cores. Those who do not see this fact need no more glasses as their state of sights are by that measure irremediable. From all corners of the world the dirge is sung in quickest rhythm and the bitter rhymes surge in boundless air-waves. What a world we have got here and where else can there be life?

It was just years ago that the last undertakers seem to have washed their shovels. They were on a far journey to the graveyards of the humanities. Ancestors were defiled, gods were dishonored, teachers were discredited and students saw abandonment.  Many wondered what the fate of the arts will be. Just a hope was left for all. The little space left for the humanities was for that simple case of entertainment. Yes! The great works of art, the wondrous ideas of marvelous thinkers and philosophers, the crafts of the juridical social strong pillars, the art of stateship or statecraft, linguistic importance to human existence, the hermeneutical and epistemic garlands of the arts, cultures, and even the study of man, his history and nature, his reasons for existence and his/her destination after existential consciousness; all became just for entertainment. Entertainment!

Thanks to entertainment; the possible savior after all.

THE SUBJECTS AND THE OBJECTS: WHAT A PIECE OF HUMAN!

Many were left to read the works of great thinkers for admiration of their crafting, their art of wondrous choice of words and gracious combination of letters. It all practically could be the last value of the arts and humanities. The rest of the disciplines that desperately needed to find themselves relevant within the new wave of reasonable doings took up that method hallowed by the new spirit. It raged like a great war that took souls out of thoughts. It continued without even the slightest remorse or rethink. Shame overtook the greatest among authorities in the areas of humanity and they bowed to the unimaginable. I saw it as the world coming to an end but I was so little a voice in a lonely desert. Maybe there are other voices though. But if there is any other such voice or voices, fears must have shrunk and frazzled it into silence.

The world worshipped science and technology to the detriment of the human mind. From the east to the west, and through the south and north were extols of the necessary life of the new knowledge – science. The practical use of science was the order of the day while the aspects of guidance were either encouraged to die or murdered and muzzled. The new generation of thinkers and the rest of humanities took it as a pastime. Most teachers of mind cried for the soul of the world and the future we have today. Science penetrated the streams and toughened its grip through emotions of novelty and charm of amazement. Just a little space was left for the possible questioner. And that miniature space was painted and refurbished with such a horror purposed for avoidance.

A PORTION OF THEM THAT HAVE GOT THAT VALUE OF SCIENCE.

Just like the leaders of new ideas and brave wisdom, we no longer desire life if it is what it demands to confront this bad direction. We have come back for the questions and we have a lot in stock to pose. In a bid to begin once again we are confronted with the challenge and confusion of where to start and where not to avoid. Many questions have taken the heart of the greatest of thinkers such that words have eventually turned so weak to capture and relate this message in the mind. If only there can be hope, for the next few moments of our worldly being, we must not shirk these troubling puzzles. Only if any man saw tomorrow, we would be somewhere else today. But the times were so engaged with the rigors of the outer nature that not even tick was given to the consideration of the human mind. And it is for such reason that today has become gravely endangered and tomorrow so uncertain.

Many have warned us not think about the nature of human knowledge, its ontological mainstay and necessary implications. They tell us how worthless all value statements about knowledge is and never to burden our hearts in such fruitless and unscientific ventures. Anything that must seem possibly relevant for its sake is to engage in the description of scientific processes of knowing. For them, we must not try at any given moment to reason about the foundations of knowledge and the justifications thereof. The new world has earmarked that type of engagement as futile and sore waste of time which must be neglected and cast off. The new chanting from all ends is surrounding the milieu and the melody of this won melee is summarized thus; science or no knowledge!

It is this that has brought us to where we are today.

One who is mischievous may recreate my mission as anti-science. Many more may wish to discard it as one of such worthless engagements while few more will however suggest that such mind as that of this writer has gone bad. Nevertheless, a countable wise and thoughtful portion among us will be pushed into the labour of ideas. Whatever birth comes from that labour, might not cause us a fat smile but must mark a turning point to life at large.

A little to the left, a little to the right! Few steps to the rise, and just some thoughts for a fall!

Science has done the world a great deal of good but the thinking mind has been allowed to damage. From the knives and clubs of archaic warfare have science and technology grown us missiles, bombs and the countless digits of weapons of mass destruction. The screens are awash with killers of mores and morals. As social boundaries are pulled down by seconds, plentiful ills have made untamed cross-cultural journey and the consciences are now freely nurtured for doom.

THE HUMAN BEING AND JUST THAT VALUE

Knowledge is exposed in strongest forms without consideration of the commensurate strength of mind to bear them. Science of the nature has gone wild into social plane without the skill of the mind appropriate to its containment. The epicurean world has been enhanced beyond measure and the emotions have been rendered borderless. Happiness has been so blessed with the prayers of grief and the homes of excessive joy have got the gifts of decoration with monuments of misery and woe.

This world has got the destination of almost all journeys as death and only by accident is life. Mention where you find safety and I will open your eyes to its paths into jeopardy. Will you remind me of the means of transportation? Think of our roads and the recklessness of our morally poor drivers. Will you mind to get into air? Oh it is my wish that you land in one piece. If the crewmen are good enough, then the government may come for assassination. If the journey seems to be fair, oh be sure that the capitalist owner is hanging willingly by the corner to trade with your soul at the shortest call for profit. The world has lost conscience!

Is it about relationships? Forget about that please and think of something else. The world of relationship has left the idea of ‘I’ and ‘thou’. It is now all about ‘I’ and ‘it’. When we think of how to interact for any purpose, it has become a thing of the ‘user’ and ‘the used’. The only existing subject has become that human person who must see the other as an object to be manipulated, used or dominated. Is it about working, about service, or is it in relation to love? If only you can remind me of anywhere it has not gone scientific. The little child in your house is an object. That lady or gentleman you are about to go into relationship with must be for the purpose that serves you and you alone. Can you think of marriage in the present time? Sure, the meaning has changed because relationship has gone further into science.

Architectural prowess and the arts of shelter-making are determined by a simple relationship; what I should get out of these human objects. Laws have become what the lawyers do in the courtroom. Economics is no more about the equitable distribution of the scarce resources but about the quantity of money or the possible largest portion of the spoils of the commonwealth that can be embezzled. Leadership is of no mention. In this purview, morality must have been rendered lifeless. The emotions and innocence of the populace have been taken for granted and a ride is sure on them. The self has overtaken the stage with reckless abandon and the other (human person) is nothing anymore. Where do we go from here?

SET FOR THE DOOM!

Terror is the new life. It is everywhere. The arts in varying forms pay service to terror such that it has become a part of human reality. No current definition of human person will avoid a word of terror. Our drama, prose and poetry are replete with worship and exaltations of wars. Death is so promoted to the height of admiration while the deepest of our quest is life. What a life fed fat into unhealthy maturity by confusion and dilemma. Little children have become very knowledgeable about wars, threats, kidnappings, murder and assassinations, stealing, rape, violence and a whole lot more of the negative and discouraging lifestyles.

Crime has suddenly become a culture where robbery has won the case into the world of the good and the morally upright is seen as foolish. Stealing has become a job and the religious leaders now bless guns for the thief while waiting behind for praise singing at the altar for their safe arrival. Social sinners are now awardees of greatest honour and reverence as the believers of the true norms are now living in the past.

Insecurity! You can tell me more about this. And please do not fail to let the next person have his explanation of this. Am sure you can fill this space with your wealthy experiences and allow me the little breath to continue on the rest.

Values! A cry is not going to be enough to describe the amount of death in this purview of human existence. Life has gone. Courage has been destroyed. Virtue is no more. Truth is only that part of human language that is on its way to extinction. Will you think of kindness? That will be a reality if only the receiver is used as an object. Honesty! Honesty suffers the same fate with truth. Diligence to service and obedience to work ethics; maybe we will go and exercise some strength of search for them in the public service. Did you say justice? Justice has become the interest of the stronger; it is an unimaginable luxury to the weak and poor. Justice has taken a run into the marketplace and is therefore for the highest bidder. Do not think about justice when you are poor and weak because it is now for the high and mighty.

WHAT A VALUE CALLED HUMAN BEING!

Value which is usually characterized as the measure of the good or acceptable is now a tool in the tough hands of money. The only definition at our disposal and which is allowed to delineate value in the current world order is money. If it is not money then it is valueless; this seems to be the latest social maxim and axiom. If human life now can be bought with money as fathers and mothers buy and sell their children, what else can you see as value if not money? Money measures what is life and what is true, it determines honesty and justice. Money has become everything and nothing is anything outside money. If your knowledge gives you only mental satisfaction and not money, then you should and indeed need to gather it all and hurriedly head towards the bank of rubbish. If you serve your people with all sincerity and uprightness and return home without money, be rest assured you are to be told how stupid you have been all your life on a very good day.

Death is produced in different forms for money. Viruses of life destructive essences are manufactured on daily basis by scientists for purposes of monetary exchange. The most important thing is how much danger it poses on human life which can make it elicit much more money from the pockets of everyone and anybody who desires to live. Life is now very costly and for the rich, hence anyone who cannot afford it monetarily dies away. What about diseases? They are now products to be sold in the market. Science has done a lot good but has left much more pains at the deepest heart of the human race for its development without the attendant improvement of the human mind.

Warheads and massive life terminators are the fastest selling goods across the world. But no one has asked how their markets are created. Wars are established and promoted all around the world by the producers of weapons. They sell and wish for more that it is eventually becoming a fashionable title to be called a merchant of death. If they do not wish to answer the name (merchant of death) in the public, I am sure they grade themselves and weigh their importance by how much such a name fits anyone among them. Money!

Peace and happiness do not have pride anymore in the presence of money. After all, not just one will ask you how much peace and happiness you think of having without money. Money has become everything and everything money. Put that money on the dead man and it settles it. Give money to the priest of your religion and he/she will profess how God loves you. I wonder how those gatekeepers of the much acclaimed kingdom of God will fair with the population of moneybags that will besiege them. If humans are now defined in terms of money, how else is the rest of reality to be defined? Even when everybody seems to agree that the love of money is the root of all evil, they excessively love money. Does it mean they need evil? I do not want to think that humans will want to live with evil continually since in the conscious and sane moments of human life, he/she will want the good. But the problem becomes where and how to place money on the value chain since placing it on the highest plain seems to cause more harm than harmony.

The definition of value by reference to money has elevated science beyond human nature and places knowledge above the knower. This has taken peace away from humanity. Taking more time to study objects without same measure of time given to the study of human subject negates human nature and reduces it to mere object. Educating the human being in association with scientific developments must not just be seen in terms of how to engage in the tactical use of the products of science but should primarily center on the training of the mind on the purposes of such usages for human greater values. Also the gradation of values should properly place standards in accordance with their rates of importance. Misplacement of values therefore is an alienation and estrangement of human kind. When humans are alienated the effects are such that we now see thus we experience wars, terrorism, lack of peace, loss of value for human life, love for destruction and other vices which lead to dehumanization of mankind.

When dehumanization becomes the norm, life becomes worthless and peace will be left for the dream which must always be interrupted by nightmares. Therefore, for us to think and to sincerely search for peace we need to engage ourselves in the revaluation of values. We must attempt to know and understand the nature of the human person. And to do this, certain questions are inevitable. To get the questions right, one must start with him/herself. Let us now consider asking ourselves these questions in their order of importance;

a.      Who am I?

b.      Who are we?

LITTLE BOY OF HIROSHIMA

These questions are questions that dig into human nature for definition and for proper understanding. They are questions that bother on identity. When we ask ourselves such questions, we engage ourselves in the definition of human life in a way that gives us an understanding of human relationship. The first question queries the area of micro-identity or what is usually described as self-identity. Whatever you understand yourself as determines what and how you live your life. Do you see yourself as a being that should be used as an object to destroy? Do you see yourself as that human substance that should be respected and honoured? Do you understand yourself in terms of impartation of niceties and good qualities to the next person out there? Or do you wish to be perceived as that piece of worthless entity that is good for nothing? For those who are used by the gang of terrorists, what do you make out of the actions you daily engage in by virtue of trying to define your being? What is the difference between you and the lower animals like those wild animals in the forest? Is the best of your nature captured by your actions in daily life? Who are you? Who am I? What are you? And what am I? These questions are very important to the definition of human kind. Essentially, when the questions are posed by those who answer them, they make better impact. This can be seen as that desired self-examination. Just as the Greek Socrates will admonish that ‘an un-examined life is not worth living’. We also could re-assert his dictum like a command; ‘man know thyself’.

In knowing yourself, will you wish your actions to be part of the golden rule by which you approve of your daily life as a universal law? By this is simply to ask if you will be happy to receive the same measure you mete to the next person? The terrorist, the thief, the rapist, the assassin, the murderer and the bomber; will you pass your actions into laws such that the effects are acceptable to you as the recipient? How will you find life if everybody becomes a terrorist, a thief, a murderer, an assassin or a bomber?

BEAUTIFUL DESTRUCTION...

Having defined yourself and granting your definition as universal human nature, how do you find the world? Who am I?

Identity in respect to the second question will be referring to macro-identity or what would severally have been addressed as ‘collective self’, ‘group mind’ or ‘group identity’. This strand of identity forms many into one. This means that the individual delegates and surrenders his/her identity to the pool which intersubjectively shapes the group-identity and in turn redefines the individual. When this happens, the individual can therefore be exchanged for another individual from the same identity group without difference. In this manner are found such group consciousness as Ibos, Israelis, Palestinian, American, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, ISIS, African, Boko-Haram, Hezbollah, Taliban, Christian, Muslim, etc.

WONDROUSLY HONORED TO KILL

In group identity, the individuals are lost into the group consciousness and may never have any idea of their own anymore. The paramount denominator in this form of identity is that if the guiding ideas are not carved out of positive humanity, they can further enhance the destruction of collective human nature even of those who created them. This form of identity seems to have had many things gone wrong about it in current social life. Though we can also hold that the collective consciousness cannot go bad without the badness of it constitutive individuals. However, we must not fail to remind ourselves that the mental and structural formulations which are frequently the mainstay of these group consciousnesses are not usually formed through extraction from all participants. More often than not, the philosophies are formed by idealization of models of lifestyle. Just as the child may grow without any depicting traits from the parents, certain collective consciousness are formed from imaginative models.

The foregoing is to also highlight the idea of in-group and out-group relationship. In this type of relationship, one could remind of Plato’s idea of the society as man-writ-large. In this Plato’s idea, the society is seen as the over-blown man. This implies that whatever happens at the individual level can be found also at the social level if properly studied.

Adopting the method of Plato’s idea of the society, we can get back to human relationship in micro-identity to appropriate certain traits of relationship. This strand of micro-identity relationship can also be applied on the macro-identity or group consciousness interaction. If this be the case, the question above can also apply when we need to understand the nature of group consciousness. Thus we ask; who am I? This question goes to the social identity or collective consciousness adherents of any in-group.

I WISH THEY WERE WEAPONS FOR A VALUE...

Group identity idealizes and understands certain group as an individual. In this case we read and experience such relationships as the in-group and out-group relationships. If the question posed above can make any meaning at all, the group must engage in self-examination of itself, its goals and objectives. Are they worthy of any right thinking human person? Can the functions and works of your group be found universalizable? Does the action engagement of your collective consciousness picture any acceptable norm of social being such that it can be seen as reasonable and socially responsible? If you were made to exist at the end of the actions of your group or collective personality as a beneficiary, how much happiness will you derive from it? How much happiness and lasting pleasure do the performances of your collective personality maximize and how much pain does it diminish? In the parlance of utilitarianism, is it in the interest of the greatest number?

Questions on and of identity are questions of meaning and value of human being. Our bid should be on the reformation of mental state of the current world order such that value should and will be restored to humanity. Less importance should be placed on the value which is got through monetary exchanges. Philosophies should be encouraged to sprout and recreate humanity towards value reorientation. There should be conscious struggle to actualize the call for utmost revaluation of values.

From the laboratory to the workshop, from the library to the experiments, from the church to the mosque, from the law court to the football pitch and to all activities of humans across life, the world should be turned to man once again. Let us all surrender self to the call of values and allow reasoning to rule over all functions of emotion. Science and technology should henceforth wear the human face in such manner that all its occupations and purposes should be perceived as that sacred pursuit to the service of humanity qua humanity. Science and technology should be positioned back to their valuable portents as servants to humanity and not masters which they have turned.

THE PRIDE TO DESTROY LIFE AND THE DEATH OF VALUE...

This is seen as humanizing science. When we have brought science to the service of human person and placed on its portfolio towards the protection of human value, the identities will change and acquire proper meanings. This will return peace to humanity which has gone almost irremediably.

In the last analysis therefore, we have set out on a journey to procure peace for humanity. This graciously lies with humanizing science and technology. Through this movement, we realize that all problems of humanity so far come from misplacement of values and diminishing of human value below objects. This has altered meaning and severely changed relationship from ‘I-thou’ to ‘I-it’. The result of this is that humans have become mere objects which are existent for manipulation and use by the other. This is an evil wind and it blows around all and across boundaries. We must return value to humanity beyond all other matter and relate in manners of mutual respect and honour.

To this end therefore, identity becomes paramount. We must ask the question of importance which queries human nature and meaning. I must know who I am and you must know who you are. I must also know who you are upon and deriving from my self-projection and objectification. In doing this, I in turn will most sincerely be ready, willing and able to accept your treatment of my kind in such manner. Regarding this method of revaluation of human values, we should at all time subject our actions to that examination of universalizability. If I think it is just and right, then let it be done to me and if you think it is good for me then be happy to receive it at any time. In this new frame of identity, humanity should be primal and primary. We should be seen as same in being humans and therefore deserve treatment in that same regard.

If human identity if got right and given its proper meaning, the problem of human existence, which essentially contemplates world peace, will give way to a happy and safe existence. It is for this reason that world leaders and all leaders of conscience are called upon to have a refocus on the idea of human identity. If and when this is successfully achieved, world peace will cease to be a mirage, illusory and a chimerical proposal.