Scientific

 All persons of science may not be scientific - Pedro

 India celebrates National Science Day today. It marks the discovery of the Raman effect by Indian scientist C V Raman on 28 February 1928.For this discovery, he was awarded the Noble Prize for Physics in 1930

 A scientist is someone who systematically gathers and uses research and evidence, to make hypotheses and test them, to gain and share understanding and knowledge. In different fields, a scientist is agronomist, astronomer, botanist, chemist, geologist, ecologist, biologist, physicist, zoologist, so on and so forth.

 However all scientists are united by their relentless curiosity and systematic approach to assuaging it. The scientists in these fields ask different questions and perform different tests. However, they use the same core approach to find answers that are logical and supported by evidence.

 Sadly, some who describe themselves as men of science, may not be following the scientific method. They are unable to break the conditioning of their mind and their prejudices and biases. They forget to put things to the test of critical thinking. They end up supporting pseudo-sciences and fraudmen.

 Scientific temper is about being open-minded. We must welcome new light, new knowledge, new experiments, even when their results are unfavourable to preconceived opinions and long-cherished theories. Yet, so often, so many of us succumb to information without due examination.

 Developing a scientific temper is a fundamental duty under Constitution of India. Article 51-A-h speaks about it in alignment with humanism and a spirit of inquiry and reform. What Science confirms as truth as of now, may change tomorrow with new context and insights. And it is scientific temper that will lead us to that reality.

 Keep an open & questioning mind

Scientific is Terrific, you will find!

 - Pravin K Sabnis

 

Empty Boat

Ancient Chinese philosopher, Zhuang Zhou wrote about a boatman cruising on a river when he noticed a boat on a collision course. He began calling out to the boat’s owner to change course. As the boat closed in on him, he cursed and shouted louder.

As the two boats collided, he screamed out, threatening the other and calling him names. But he discovered that the other boat was empty. The man stopped yelling as there was no point in screaming at an empty boat.

The man’s rage reduced when he realized no one was at fault. When there is no one to blame for a mishap, we behave calmly. But when we perceive someone is at fault, we feel justified to angrily jump into the blame game.

Most of the time, we are screaming at an empty vessel. Even if the boat is not empty, rage is not a good. Actually, we punish ourselves when we allow our perceptions of others’ behaviour to affect us negatively. So we can scream at an empty boat or we can reach out, support and encourage others.

We have choices all the time. We can shout at an empty or occupied boat or we can choose to be kind and make our world a better place as we respond to people at work, at home and in the community. It is best to empty our boat of reactionary behaviour. After all, empty boats do not find fault with other boats, empty or otherwise.

Don’t treat every mishap as assault

Empty boats don’t fight to find fault!

- Pravin K Sabnis

Amor Vincit Omnia

Amor Vincit Omnia is a Latin phrase for ‘love conquers all things’. Shortly before the start of the first millennium, the Roman poet Virgil wrote ‘love conquers all things; let us too surrender to Love.’

The expression is self-explanatory being so clear within itself. It gained weight of a proverb. W. H. Auden, John Gower, Diane Wakoski, and many poets used it into their writing. A character in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, written in the late 1300s, wore a brooch engraved ‘Amor Vincit Omnia.’ The phrase caught on…

The phrase is an apt compass in a world of growing prejudice and increasing distrust and hostility. Love can win. Hate can only defeat. We must choose to yield to love rather than hate. The victory of love is to connect to hearts. The triumph of hate is to subdue or slaughter the other.

Love actually is the beginning of a conversation. Conversation is about expressive speaking as well as responsive listening. And conversations end on a positive win-win note when aligned to the belief of ‘Amor Vincit Omnia.’

Amor Vincit Omnia is a great way

Love ensures win-win every day!

- Pravin K Sabnis

share imagination

 ‘Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real’ – Jules Verne (Around the World in 80 Days)

Imagination is the ability to form mental images, analogies, or narratives of something that is not perceived through our senses. It is a manifestation of our memory and enables us to scrutinize our past and construct hypothetical future scenarios that do not yet but could exist. It allows us to see things in advance.

People react differently to what they see due to the unique interpretations they make based on different prior knowledge and experience. Imagination enables us to create new meanings from cognitive cues or stimuli within the environment, which on occasions can lead to new insights.

Jules Verne is extending it further to state that the onus of turning imagination into reality is not only on the originator. Someone else could convert the vision into reality. But it is necessary for that imagination to be passed on to others. The ball has to be passed for it to reach the goal.

Most do not share their imagination as they want sole custody of the success to follow. But we must realise that every time we share our creative thoughts, there are multiple benefits possible like feedback, suggestions and support. But the best possibility is that someone else may fructify your seed.

Don’t hold on to your imagination

Sharing increases shots at acton!

- Pravin K Sabnis

Caveat Emptor

In early Rome, sales of goods were governed by ‘caveat emptor’: let the buyer beware. Caveat means ‘a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices.’ The word ‘emptor’ refers to buyer or purchaser. Buyers were advised to scrutinize goods before purchase, as sellers had few obligations.

 It is election season in Goa and a few other states in India. However, it is not just politicians who are to be viewed with a caveat emptor. The media and social media; the psephologists and the analysts have usurped roles with little obligations towards their gullible buyers: the voters.

 Previous voting data, public opinion polls, campaign information and other statistical data are being twisted in the maze of half-truths and full-on falsehoods. A pre-decided narrative is defended even with the indefensible. The sellers have decided to employ the caveat emptor.

 The onus is on the voter to be better informed. We must familiarize ourselves with the candidates and the issues. If we do not do so, we cannot fault the sellers who make fools of us, the buyers. We have to beware the guile by being aware of the reality behind the layers of posturing.

 heed the caveat emptor: beware

before a hurried buy… be aware!

 - Pravin K Sabnis

Placebo

A placebo is anything that seems to be a ‘real’ medical treatment -- but isn't. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery and other procedures. What all placebos have in common is that they do not contain an active substance meant to affect health.

Researchers use placebos during studies to help understand effect a new drug or some other treatment. People in the study are not aware if they got the real treatment or the placebo. Researchers compare the effects of drug and the placebo and determine the effectiveness of the new drug and check for side effects.

Sometimes a person can have a response to a placebo. The response can be positive or negative. For instance, the person's symptoms may improve. Or the person may have what appears to be side effects from the treatment. These responses are known as the ‘placebo effect.’

Research on the placebo effect has focused on the relationship of mind and body. One of the common theories is that the placebo effect is due to a person's expectations. If a person expects a pill to do something, then it's possible that the body's own chemistry can cause effects similar to what a medication 

Escape the deceit when it’s a sham

But placebo can carry belief stamp!

- Pravin K Sabnis

Empathy

Last June, cases of Covid infections was rising in Goa. In Pedro’s colony whatsapp group, a resident disclosed that he was infected and that he had gone into isolation. While most responses were of care, concern and offers of help and support, Pedro’s was of ire and condemnation.

Someone tried to cool down Pedro by saying, ‘let’s show empathy?’ Instead of calming down, the rage rose, ‘what do you mean by empathy? How can we let such people get away with careless acts?’ Pedro went on and on…

A few months later, when infections were going down and situation seemed better, Pedro was infected. When he shared the news on the whatsaap group, neighbours expressed concern and offered help. Pedro was not only grateful, he now knew what empathy meant.

Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view and imagine ourselves in their place. Essentially, it is putting ourselves in someone else's position and feeling what they must be feeling.

When we see another person suffering, we must instantly envision ourselves in their situation and feel sympathy for what they are going through. While we are generally pretty well-attuned to our own feelings and emotions, getting into someone else's head can be a bit more difficult.

Empathy makes us ‘walk in another's shoes’ so to speak. It makes us understand the emotions that others are feeling. Seeing another person in pain and responding with indifference or outright hostility is not acceptable. But the fact that we do respond such demonstrates that empathy is not a universal response to suffering of others.

Choose empathy not vile slight

Imagine self in a similar plight!

- Pravin K Sabnis