BILLIONAIRE WANTS TO BUY ISLAND TO PROVIDE SACTUARY FOR
SYRIAN REFUGEES
APPLE ANNOUNCES NEW BATTERY TECH THAT STANDS FOR WEEKS! NEW COLUMN FOR ARCHITECTURAL CRITICISM! 5 WEEK OLD BRAIN DEVELOPED IN A LAB!
YEAR TWO ISSUE 3 | SEPT’15
WWW.ISSUU.COM/THEFEATHERS
A letter from the hopeless romantic I have been a hopeless romantic for most part of my life. In a way I feel that humans are naturally attracted by what I consider negative qualities. They are attracted to booze, swearing and marijuana; but not to kindness or true love. Like in a lot of my previous writings, I just don’t understand why people would dismiss kindness as naive and fall for the wrong person. Once you realize the wrong person, you break your hearts over them, never realizing the one you friendzoned might think of you as the love of their life. Maybe someday, science or God will open my eye to why we do are attracted by the wrong qualities and reject the good ones. Ar Muthu Kumar, Editor.
Welcome to OutFocus. OutFocus is proud to announce it’s participation in sponsoring the creative writing event “Tempus Fugit” (Latin: “Time flies”) for Breeze 2015! This is great news for us and we hope to keep collaborating with other universities in promoting new talents! :)
Disclaimer:
With certain controversial topics, the opinions provided on this magazine are purely personal views of the authors. Also, OutFocus assures you, we do not intend to hurt any person/ group’s feelings.
Love, Ar Muthu Kumar, Editor.
PHOTO: NIRANJAN
InPix: Naguib Sawiris
BILLIONAIRE WANTS TO CREATE SACTUARY FOR
SYRIAN REFUGEES
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SEESTORY
Announcing the initiative on Twitter, telecoms tycoon Naguib Sawiris said: ‘Greece or Italy sell me an island, I’ll call its independence and host the migrants and provide jobs for them building their new country’. His comments also come just days after heartbreaking images emerged of threeyear-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi whose lifeless body was found washed up on a Turkish beach after drowning in the Mediterranean. Wait, before moving on, let’s understand “the migrant crisis” that Europe is facing. More than 2,300 people have died at sea trying to reach Europe since January, many of them Syrians who fled their country’s four-and-a-half year conflict. Anti-government demonstrations began in March of 2011, part of the Arab Spring.
But the peaceful protests quickly escalated after the government’s violent crackdown, and rebels began fighting back against the regime. More than four years after it began, the full-blown civil war has killed over 220,000 people, half of whom are believed to be civilians. Bombings are destroying crowded cities and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like food and medical care are sparse. A Better look on Bitter Civil Conflict: Syria became an independent republic in 1946, although democratic rule was ended by a coup in March 1949, followed by two more coups that same year. A popular uprising against military rule in 1954 saw the army transfer power to civilians; from 1958 to 1961 a brief union with Egypt
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replaced Syria’s parliamentary system with their local areas. During 2012, rebel forces a highly centralized presidential regime. enjoyed a series of tactical successes, taking control of several outlying suburbs The country was under emergency rule from and towns around Damascus, and ousting 1963 until 2011, banning public gatherings troops from large parts of the second city of more than five people, and effectively of Aleppo. granting security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention. Bashar al- However, the advances were not decisive. By Assad is widely regarded as having been the start of 2013, the government began to unsuccessful in implementing democratic recapture opposition strongholds around change, with a 2010 report from Human the capital, while there was stalemate in Rights Watch stating that he had failed to Aleppo, with the city divided into rebel and substantially improve the state of human loyalist-controlled sectors. rights since taking power, although some minor aspects had seen improvement. In the political arena, rebel groups are also deeply divided - with rival alliances battling In December 2010, mass anti-government for supremacy. The most prominent is the protests began in Tunisia and later moderate National Coalition for Syrian spread across other parts of the Arab Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, world, including Syria. By February 2011, backed by several Western and Gulf Arab revolutions occurred in Tunisia and Egypt, states. However, the coalition has little while Libya began to experience its own influence on the ground in Syria and civil war. The uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt its primacy is rejected by other groups, are supposed to have inspired the mid- leaving the country without a convincing March 2011 protests in Syria. alternative to the Assad government. Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 in the southern city of Deraa after the arrest and torture of some teenagers who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. After security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing several, more took to the streets.
The conflict is now more than just a battle between those for or against President Assad. It has acquired sectarian overtones, pitching the country’s Sunni majority against the president’s Shia Alawite sect, and drawn in neighbouring countries and world powers. The rise of the jihadist groups, including Islamic State, has added The unrest triggered nationwide protests a further dimension. demanding President Assad’s resignation. The government’s use of force to crush the Capitalising on the chaos in the region, dissent merely hardened the protesters’ Islamic State (IS) - the extremist group that resolve. By July 2011, hundreds of grew out of al-Qaeda in Iraq - has taken thousands were taking to the streets across control of huge swathes of territory across the country. northern and eastern Syria, as well as neighbouring Iraq. Its many foreign fighters Opposition supporters eventually began in Syria are now involved in a “war within to take up arms, first to defend themselves a war”, battling rebels and jihadists from and later to expel security forces from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, who
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SEESTORY
object to their tactics, as well as Kurdish dangerous to tolerate. Another is that, while and government forces. many initially fled into camps, those camps have become dangerous as well, and offer It’s not hard to understand why Syrians little future for families who may spend are fleeing. Bashar al-Assad’s regime has years there. As a result, the camps are often targeted civilians ruthlessly, including with crowded and undersupplied, which leaves chemical weapons and barrel bombs; IS the people who live in them cold, hungry, has subjected Syrians to murder, torture, and subject to the ravages of disease. crucifixion, sexual slavery, and other In the meantime, other crisis have opened appalling atrocities; and other groups such previously closed routes, for example as Jabhat al-Nusra have tortured and killed through Libya. And as the numbers of these Syrians as well. refugees have grown, so have the oftenexploitative smuggling networks that lead The escalating violence and IS advances the journeys, often for exorbitantly high have had a significant humanitarian impact fees, in dangerous conditions, and with on Syria and its neighbours. Syria is now little regard for the safety of their charges. the world’s biggest internal displacement crisis, with more than seven million people Setting the Hard Line: forced from their homes but remaining in the country. Unwilling to face this reality, a number of Western countries have taken the attitude The Migrant Crisis: that they can ignore the crisis and make it somebody else’s responsibility. The Europe is struggling to cope with the UK wants France to keep refugees away number of people trying to escape war and from the UK. France wants Italy will keep poverty. Some European countries have refugees away from France. Italy, like taken a hard line on migration and are Greece, wants the rest of Europe to take refusing to accept any more refugees. They its refugees. But pretty much all of Europe argue that welcoming them would send agrees that Turkey, which has the largest the wrong signal to people smugglers. refugee population on earth, many of them Meanwhile, countries on the European Syrian, should be handling it. Union’s external border such as Greece, Italy, and Hungary, are facing an influx of Part of how this happens is a European thousands. Union rule called the Dublin Regulation, which requires refugees to stay in the first Harrowing images of tiny bodies washing European country they arrive in until their up on European shores, and the shocking asylum claims are processed. In theory, this news of 71 refugees found dead in a truck rule is a way to prevent applicants from in Austria, are now shaking the continent “orbiting” the EU by filing application after to its core. application in different countries until one of them finally gets approved. But in practice, Reasons for Immediate Migration: it’s a rule that has trapped thousands of refugees in Greece and Italy, simply because The first is that the crisis in their home those countries are the easiest ones to countries have simply become too reach by boat across the Mediterranean.
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And it’s a rule that many EU result of European policy countries exploit in order to meant to keep out refugees. push much of the burden of handling refugees onto Sell me an Island: these two countries. Asked by AFP whether he The United States, for its believed it could work, part, has largely ignored Naguib said: “Of course the crisis. Thus far it has it’s feasible. You have resettled only 1,434 Syrian dozens of islands which refugees, and has pledged are deserted and could to take only a few thousand accommodate hundreds more. The entire US refugee of thousands of refugees.” resettlement program is Sawiris said an island off capped at 70,000 refugees Greece or Italy could cost globally — a cap that has between $10 million and remained the same for $100 million, but added the years, despite the growing “main thing is investment in crisis. infrastructure. There would With the rare exception of be temporary shelters to Germany, each country is house the people, then you trying to push the burden start employing the people on somebody else, which to build housing, schools, means that nobody is universities, hospitals. And actually trying to handle the if things improve, whoever crisis, which means that the wants to go back (to their crisis is getting worse all the homeland) goes back,” time. said Sawiris, whose family developed the popular El The result, predictably, has Gouna resort on Egypt’s been deadly: an estimated Red Sea coast. 2,500 people have already died so far this summer. This He conceded such a plan is not an accident. It is the could face challenges,
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including the likely difficulty of persuading Greece or Italy to sell an island, and figuring out jurisdiction and customs regulations. But those who took shelter would be treated as “human beings,” he said. “The way they are being treated now, they are being treated like cattle.” Sawiris is the chief executive of Orascom TMT, which operates mobile telephone networks in a number of Middle Eastern and African countries plus Korea as well as underwater communications networks. Sawiris has good credentials as he has developed a 32000 strong El Gouna community alongside the Red sea in Egypt. But many critics have questioned his intent as they believe the Egyptian will use the island for his personal benefit to hide illegitimate funds and transactions. -Sga Thomas, Associate editor.
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N U ! FACTS QUEEN ELIZABETH IS NOT THE QUEEN OF JUST UNITED KINGDOM; SHE IS ALSO THE SOVEREIGN OF CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, JAMAICA AND 11 MORE COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES
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INFOCUS
APPLE
ANNOUNCES BATTERIES THAT CAN STAND FOR WEEKS Apple Inc., renewed it’s old patent application published on 2010. And guess what ? It is a patent for a fuel cell battery that could power its devices “for days or even weeks”, a potential step on the way to ending battery life issues. The patent, first spotted by 9to5Mac.com, refers specifically to Apple’s MagSafe charger for MacBooks, suggesting the technology wouldn’t be used in iPhones or iPads. The filing says fuel cells “can potentially enable continued operation of portable electronic devices for days or even weeks without refueling”. Fuel cells work by mixing a fuel, such a hydrogen, with an oxidising agent, such as water or oxygen. Unlike batteries that have to be recharged regularly, fuel cell systems require refuelling once they run out -- and can last for weeks. While the new patent application, which suggests a number of different energy sources from sodium borohydride to liquid hydrogen, varies little from its previous filings, its
renewal could suggest that Apple is still interested in the idea. A downside of the technology is that it makes use of disposable cartridges that have to be removed and replenished once they run out of juice, presenting a potential inconvenience to users accustomed to plugging in at the end of a work day. Apple’s patent references a removable cartridge that could be slotted in and it is likely the fuel cell would operate alongside a normal battery. The most likely implementation would be a mix of conventional batteries and fuel cells, allowing the MacBook to be recharged in the usual way, switching to fuel cell power only when extended wireless use is required. Also in the patent application Apple describes a small internal power source that would add very little extra weight to a laptop. This also means that the cartridges may also be of a size not conducive to increasingly slimmer MacBoooks. -Sga Thomas, Associate Editor.
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5 WEEK OLD BRAIN GROWN IN A LAB! -SGA THOMAS
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Wikipedia defines Stem cells as “undifferentiated biological cells that can differentiate into specialized cells and can divide (through mitosis) to produce more stem cells.” In simple terms, Stem Cells are cells that could develop into any cells. By synthesizing under accurate conditions, one could develop the stem cells into any organs they wanted. When cells are removed from the body and maintained in culture, they generally maintain their original character. Keratinocytes continue to behave as keratinocytes, chondrocytes as chondrocytes, liver cells as liver cells, and so on. Each type of specialized cell has a memory of its developmental history and seems fixed in its specialized fate, although some limited transformations can occur. Stem cells in culture, as in tissues, may continue to divide, or they may differentiate into one or more cell types, but the cell types they can generate are restricted. In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing adult tissues. In a developing embryo, stem cells can differentiate into all the specialized cells—ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm but also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin, or intestinal tissues. Each type of stem cell serves for the renewal of one particular type of tissue. For some tissues, such as the brain, it was long thought that regeneration is impossible in adult life because no stem cells remain. Researchers at the Ohio State University in the US claim to have developed the most complete laboratory-grown human brain ever, creating a model with the brain maturity of a 5-weekold fetus. Rene Anand, professor of biological chemistry and pharmacology at Ohio State and lead researcher on the brain model said that the brain, which is
approximately the size of a pencil eraser, contains 99 percent of the genes that would be present in a natural human fetal brain. While we have heard about developing brain tissues in a dish in culture, this seems to be breakthrough. The brain they have developed is a virtually complete recreation of a human fetal brain, primarily missing only a vascular system – in other words, all the blood vessels. What’s more, it’s functioning, with highresolution imaging of the brain model showing functioning neurons and brain cells. “If we let it go to 16 or 20 weeks, that might complete it, filling in that 1 percent of missing genes. We don’t know yet,” said Anand. The organoid was developed by starting with adult skin cells and coaxing them to revert to pluripotent cells, which are a form of stem cell that can form any other type of cell in the body. These are used to build up specific tissues and then entire organs by recreating features of an in utero environment. The lab-grown fetal brain model is the result of four years of research by Rene Anand and Susan McKay, a research associate in biological chemistry and pharmacology, aimed at finding a better alternative to conventional rodent studies. Its purpose is not only to provide scientists with a better research model, but also to avoid ethical concerns regarding fetal tissue research, which have been highlighted in recent weeks by allegations of illegal organ harvesting at US abortion clinics. Anand hopes his brain model could be incorporated into the Microphysiological Systems program, a platform the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is developing by using engineered human tissue to mimic human physiological systems.
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PHOTO: NIRANJAN
ARCHITECT: JEAN NOUVEL
I’M SEXY AND I KNOW IT - JEAN NOUVEL
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SPOTLIGHT:ARCHITECT
TORRE AGBAR ARCHITECTURAL CRTIQUE - KAST
IN A NUTSHELL STYLE: HIGH-TECH ARCHITECTURE COST: €120 MN (966 CRORE INR) HEIGHT: 144.4 M (38 FLOORS) YEARS CONSTRUCTED: 1999-2004 MATERIALS: CONCRETE, STEEL, GLASS, ALUMINIUM. SPECIALITY: LIGHTING FEATURES, REFLECTIVITY. FACADE: 40 SPECIAL COLOURS OF GLASS.
Torre Agbar. GHERKIN RIP-OFF screams the common man’s eye. And the only reason you might know the Gherkin is because Thor demolished that in his independent sequel made to fund Avengers 2. The Torre Agbar, located in Barcelona - Home to some of the most radical buildings in the world, sometimes also termed ugly. The name, translated to English, means “The tower of Agbar”. Grupo Agbar is a Spanish holdings company which has around 230 companies under it, also owning the Aguas de Barcelona, the municipal water company in Barcelona from which the group derives its name. Now, the design part. The building has been subjected to a multitude of nicknames thanks to its shape. It has turned out to become one of the identifying landmarks of Barcelona. The feature that stands out the most is its unique facade. It has approximately 4500 windows, and is clad in around 40,000 panes of glass in 40 different shades. This causes the building to reflect different colours of light throughout the day depending on the colour of the sky. Another feature of the Torre Agbar is its nocturnal lighting. It is equipped with 4500 LEDs and is capable of creating 16 million diferent colours. One of the inspirations for Jean Nouvel for this building was the architect Antonio Gaudi, whose buildings can be found throughout Barcelona, the most famous of which is the Sagrada Familia. -KAST.
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Looking for the perfect processor to build your gaming rig? Want to game and stream at the same time? And want to edit your action videos and photos? We got you covered - Intel is proud to announce its 6th Generation Intel® Core™ Desktop processor family. The processor revamps what gamers have been waiting for apple fans to hold off with their upgrading, and what video car companies feared, Intel has finally detailed its 6th generation core by the code name “Skylake”, platforms
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a brand new 14nm architecture putting performance, security graphics abilities and power consumption at the forefront with a sizable nod to windows in the process. Intel is targeting potential upgraders, promising up to 2.5 x better performances, 3 x battery lives, and 30x better integrated than comparable processors from five years ago. Skylake is a micro-architecture redesign using an already existing process technology, serving as a tock in the Intel’s tick-tock manufacturing and design model
INTEL’S SKYLAKE
TALKTHETECH
also includes several enhancements specifically targeted at mobile devices such s support for sensors and cameras, wireless display output and docking, natural user interfaces, hardware-level security and the direct 12 framework for gaming. Intel has three updates for 2016 with Broxton (Quad Core SOC based on 14nm Goldmont) which will be featured in performance mobile platforms while the SoFIA MID will go for the mid-tier Quad Core based LTE solutions. The part of 2015 will be updated with Cherry Trail and Moorefield while on the value side, several SoFIA 3G (Dual Core), SoFIA 3G-R (Quad Core), SoFIA LTE (Quad Core w/LTE) will launch in 2015 while 2016 will feature the SoFIA LTE 2 update based on 14nm process So enough with the mobility parts, we will come back to them in a bit after detailing the desktop parts. Intel’s line-up of desktop chips is broken up into two main categories, based on Thermal Design Power (TDP). The hungrier 65watt and 47watt chips consist of mainstream quadcores and dualcores in the Pentium, i3, i5 and i7 categories. There’s only one i7, the i76700, which is clocked slightly lower than the i76700K, and is also locked, meaning it can’t be overclocked. There are few surprises to be found. As before, the i7 is a quad-core with Hyper Threading, while the i5s are quads that lack HyperThreading. The i3 line is made up of dualcores that have HyperThreading, but lack Turbo Boost, and the Pentiums lack both. Arguably, the biggest changes
are The differences between the three are slight ﴾mostly higher core clock speeds and video﴿, but this could give you a better idea of what to expect when you’re buying a future MacBook or Windows tablet. Back to the mobile front, with skyline Intel’s core M range finally graduates from one-size-fits-all-nomenclature. On top of seeing the largest graphics improvement and longer battery life, the chips are smaller and denser than they’ve been before. Also, you’ll have to get used to a more complicated naming scheme with the core m3, m5, and m7 models as it makes it easier to understand the wide range of power, core count, and speed options on the table. The mobile chips will kick off at 4.5W and climb all the way to 45W, with up to 60-percent cut in active power despite being up to 60% faster versus the 5th gen processors. In total there’ll be nearly 30 different variants, with Intel predicting more than 300 designs to be launched using these chips. In any case, consumers looking to buy a computer sometime in the next two years should become familiar with this lineup. It will likely remain relevant for a very long time, as the successor to Skylake is said to be delayed until 2017 – or beyond Of course, it’s worth wondering how many of these chips will show up in production with all the major PC manufacturers at IFA seem to be embracing the sixth generation. - Aishwarya V. Writer.
6TH GENERATION INTEL CORE PROCESSORS 21
PHOTO: NIRANJAN
Ebola was dominating all over the media. The new deathly buzz ! And surprisingly I have a flu. Might develop into Ebola? Who knows? Aa...Aa...Aaah...Chu..... Phew. I have never visited doctors for flu. Reason is I believe that the western medicine gives a band aid for the symptoms not for the real pathogen. Having heard that Ebola is deathly, I thought of visiting the hospital. Thanks to Shanmu Uncle for fueling that thought.
“I don’t think so. Ebola strives on immune system. Stronger the immune system, stronger the Ebola gets and deprives you out of your body resources.” Ebola- Negative. A good thing to hear at the cost of one hour and few tests.
“I sort of hate Western Medication- It wasn’t just about medical error. It was about the very nature of the pill-popping medical culture “Why don’t you go to the Doctor?” that doctors and patients alike have adopted, “For Flu, I don’t think so.” a culture that is more about slapping Band“No, Not for flu. For Ebola” Aids on symptoms than on healing from the “Ebola?” root. And the heavy cost to be incurred for a “Your flu might get worse with Ebola joining treatment.” the party.” “I think my immune system might take care “Say for example for a teen with ulcerative of it” colitis, alternative or other streams of
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SHANMUUNCLE
THE AILMENT OF MODERN MEDICINE
Medicine would suggest to change diet such as removing common food allergens from the diet along with harder to digest carbohydrates (ie. grains, disaccharides and polysaccharides) while focusing on a nutrient dense diet of easy to digest foods. But Western medicine would suggest you to take anti-inflammatory drugs, and/or cut out the colon. A more common example is the common fever. And the side effects of the drugs. They are killing us!”
more corporate, then I am also grateful for the alternative medicine healers who save patients in their own way. They are serving a need doctors aren’t serving adequately. They are spending time, sitting at the bedside, holding a scared hand, giving a much needed hug, and helping patients reduce stress responses and relax their nervous systems so the patient’s natural self-repair mechanisms can activate.
“Atleast they have higher accuracy in finding the symptoms.” Shanmu Uncle started. “But, one cannot altogether say Western Medication is bad. I cannot renounce modern medicine. Modern medicine may be killing you. But it’s also saving your life. If I’m in a car accident or I break a bone or if I’m having a stroke or a heart attack, I would ask you to get me to a Level 1 trauma center.
And we need them just as much as we need doctors, especially when it comes to the treatment of chronic diseases for which Western medicine doesn’t have much to offer: like autoimmune diseases, chronic pain syndromes, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and many other conditions. Thank God for the healers who play a role doctors are often too busy and traumatized by the system to play.”
Modern medicine does acute and trauma care brilliantly. People who would have died Aa...Aaa... Aaah... Chu... or become disabled are rescued every day by well-intentioned doctors who dedicate their And I got a hot Kashayam dose(Herbal Mix lives to saving your life. Syrup) from Uncle. If commercialism had made Health institutes
- Sga Thomas, Associate Editor.
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PHOTO: NIRANJAN
SILENCE SHORT STORY | RUBY 28
SHORTSTORY
He finished his last article for the day and looked outside. A cold, silent December morning. The warmth of the coffee on his table couldn’t keep up with the cold. As the rain lashed on the window pane, he sat there contemplating on how much it symbolized life. The drops of events falling on his weary 55 years of life, leaving behind a trail of memories. He had always been observant. He used to think a lot. His analogies were always around him. “Bhai saab, tiffin on table. I come give lunch at 2 pm”, the mess food delivery boy exclaimed after placing the food on table carefully. He nodded and signalled him to collect the paisa that was placed near the thermos flask. “Today rain. Very heavy rain”, he further added sensing the man’s solemn expression. “I’ll take English classes for you boy. Come by next week. Free of charge.” he replied. “No sir”, he hesitated. “Yes. 2 pm, we’ll start next monday”. “Okay sirji, shukriya.”, he showed a thumbs up sign while grinning widely. The boy’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he reached his plastic raincoat to cycle amidst the rain. Apparently, his day has just begin. Climate plays no part when you’re working in a food outlet as the delivery boy.
these years but he did know. “How are you?” Silence. Silence. Eerie silence. She called. After 30 years, she finally called. It took him a while to recognize her voice. It took him a while to gather back his senses. A short flashback of all the times were playing in his mind. Those rucksack images flashing within his memory box. The first “hello”, and the last “goodbye”. Of all those moments in between. The smiles, the cries, pain and hopes. Ahh, all those good times and the bad. The days, nights, and transition phase in between. Of all the words said, and a few thousand unsaid. The promises of never letting go and the vows to grow old together. The silent exchanges, the warm touch and cold embraces. Silence. Silence. Eerie silence. He wanted to say a lot. He wanted to congratulate her on her marriage. He wanted to let her know that he had never moved on, he had merely moved away from Thrissur to Patiala. He wanted to reach to the other end of the phone, hug her tight, and say “sorry” one last time. He wanted to look into her eyes, and prove to her that “she was always the one”. She will always be ‘The One’. The minute indicator on the phone brought him back to reality. Life only gives once chance, to make it worthwhile. He couldn’t ask for another anymore.
An unknown number showed up on his phone. He had never been much of a sociable guy. People didn’t want to be with him and neither did he. So, it was wise to assume that the phone companies had come up with some new scheme. “Specially for you sir”, they would say. Phew, he was inclined not to believe them. He answered with an air of “Sorry, wrong number”. derision. He choked on his words as he cut the call. A familiarly sweet female voice. The voice that Some words are better left unsaid. whipped up his senses up like a fresh breath of mint flavoured bubblegum. It was the voice Silence. Silence. More silence. that he know, knew or have known forever. A voice that he should no longer know after all - RUBY
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Christopher Richard is a final year student at Shiv Nadar University. His favourite hobby is product visualization and has made a series of astounding renders he calls Chris Designs. He uses 3DS Max, SolidWorks and Keyshot render.
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IS
PHILOSOPHY DEAD?
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THOUGHTBUBBLE
“Philosophy is dead. Philosophers have not kept up with modern developments in science. Particularly physics.” - Stephen Hawking While it is interesting to note that both Science and Philosophy aims at understanding the truth, they have different opinions or views in obtaining the truth. Moreover, in the last few years a number of scientists, like Stephen Hawking, have been very vocal in pronouncing the death of philosophy. They seem to think that science can or will answer all the important questions there are. If there are any questions that science can’t answer, then they’re just pseudo problems, not worth thinking about. Some vocal members of the scientific community, and even members of the general public, have suggested that philosophy itself has become a superfluous, archaic practice. And they say philosophy didn’t progress. Speaking of progress, I think a big part of the dispute between some philosophers and scientists stems from a difference in opinion on whether philosophy has actually made any progress in its over two thousand years. Indeed, philosophers themselves can’t seem to agree on the question. The answer depends, of course, on what counts as progress and how we would measure something like that. In science, progress might be thought of as convergence on the truth. We know a lot more now about the world we live in than people did two thousand years ago; each successive theory scientists agree upon comes closer and closer to the truth, so we are making progress. Modern science has made astounding progress in our understanding of ourselves and the universe. Physics, neuroscience, and psychology now tackle questions that a few decades ago could only be explored through philosophical speculation. But the question lies in answering “Is this the Ultimate truth ?”. Both Science and Philosophy fails here. It is absolutely impossible for one to obtain Ultimate Truth. The next question is had Science took over philosophy in quest for knowledge. Might be Yes. But wait, this
debate started long before Hawking. Last century saw Martin Heidegger arguing that philosophy ended with its dissolution into different disciplines (aesthetics, ethics, logics) and into particular sciences (physics, psychology, biology), and ignoring those fundamental questions that determine our lives. And yes, in a way, Science ignore the fundamental question that determine our lives and to an extent calling them PseudoProblems. Those who believe philosophy must keep up with science will have to declare its death if philosophers, as Hawking said, fail to keep up with the latest scientific developments. But on this measure, even the most celebrated scientist can’t possibly keep up with all the latest developments across the vast contours of scientific enterprises. So it seems absurd to us to hold philosophers to such a standard that scientists themselves couldn’t possibly maintain. But Hawking also has a point. It is the Analytic Philosophy whose methods are too conservative to transgress the presuppositions on which it is based. In this respect, the Trojan horse of philosophy might just be analytic philosophy snuck into the city of Troy, which today has become ever-shrinking conservative philosophy departments in universities. Students in these universities are not only forced to read summaries rather than the great classics texts from the history of philosophy, but are trained, like scientists, to write articles instead of books. But I believe philosophy may provide us with an escape-hatch from the gulag of neoliberalism and other totalitarian regimes, leading us into a future committed to freedom, democracy, and the celebration of differences. In this respect, philosophy is a humble stick of revolutionary dynamite. We just need to be bold enough to use all the resources philosophy provides, some of which we are only now coming to understand. - Sga Thomas, Associate Editor
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