In the 21st century, we all are surrounded by communication devices and the world today is unthinkable without them. But just go two centuries back, even a century back, a few decades back in remote areas and communication devices were obscure, if not absent completely. Thus, beyond doubt the invention of radio and other communication technologies is a huge contribution to the mankind. Now, when we start finding this fact that who were the people who contributed to this endeavour, the first big name that comes to our mind in terms of scientific conceptualization is James Clerk Maxwell, because of his mathematical genius. But, when we explore within the scientific community of that era, we find that the contributions of Michael Faraday (even surpasses that of Maxwell) and there were several others who contributed and developed this field of Electricity and Magnetism. The conceptual development of the field helped practical applications to come out. It may not always be the case that concepts come first and then the applications, it can also be the other way round many a times as in many human endeavours such as the invention of fire, wheel in earlier eras. But modern scientific pursuits surely help fasten the rate of technological development. This is beyond doubt and is an established fact.
What implications can be drawn from the conversation in the last para? Abraham Flexner’s very famous article from 1939 published in the Harper’s Magazine titled as “The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge” needs to be brought to the fore in this regard. It talks about how the pursuit of knowledge just for the sake of it leads to development of concepts in the Basic Sciences and scientists can come up with theories, basic principles, and fundamental theorems, which provides boost to technological development. We realize even afterwards and especially in contemporary times i.e., Industry 4.0., how modern scientific development has got boosted the technological prowess of humans. Now, given this what are lessons for the other disciplines?
If we see in India currently there is a lot of conversation since the enactment of the National Education Policy (NEP) on July 29, 2020, that education should be liberalized at all levels but especially in the higher educational institutions (HEIs). HEIs and their program offerings should transcend disciplinary boundaries and become more multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary in nature. But what does that mean will require understanding and deciphering what does “Liberal Education” mean? It is actually not a question of shedding disciplinary silos but actually not building them at the first place and that is why the idea is that introduce a Liberal Education at a Bachelor’s Level and not later. It is about providing the pupils and the young minds an opportunity to see the world through various lenses that the different disciplines provide them. It is also about understanding and appreciating the complexities of the real world, the paradoxes of life and developing an ability to appreciate the challenges and problems if not able to offer a solution. The objective probably of the Liberal Education is to make the participating students more liberal individuals and less radical ones, who after graduating will turn out to be more process-oriented active global citizens working for public good and less-oriented towards solutionism for private benefits. Liberal Education is not restricted to the pure or the applied and the social sciences or the physical sciences, but its boundaries extend even to the health sciences and the management sciences.
So, reflecting on the Flexner’s proposal eight decades back and the contemporary discussion on the Liberal Education, it seems to be a great idea to just pursue knowledge for the love of it and outcomes and outputs are going to follow. It may be the arts, the sciences, the language, the written form, the unwritten form, the rhythmic form, the unrhythmic ones, so on and so forth. The pursuance must continue with vigour and vivacity without boundaries, just for the love of it.
Bibliography
Abraham, F., & Robbert, D. (1939). The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge. Harper’s Magazine, 179, 545-552.
Dr. Rajiv Ranjan
Assistant Professor of Public Policy,
Alliance School of Liberal Arts