FAILURE OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL SEARCH

FAILURE OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL SEARCH Search for Truth A LL philosophers are impelled by the search for truth. Down the centuries, all of them have sought to find or discover the truth through the path of knowledge. But experience shows that every philosopher has failed in his search. The well-known English philosopher Bertrand Russell was no exception in this regard. Despite spending many years searching for the truth, he was unsuccessful. In this, he was no different from other philosophers. Yet, very few other philosophers acknowledged this failure of theirs. In contrast, Bertrand Russell honestly admitted his inability to find what he had spent much of his life seeking. In his autobiography, he wrote: “When I survey my life, it seems to me to be a useless one, devoted to impossible ideals […] My activities continue from force of habit, and in the company of others I forget the despair which underlies my daily pursuits and pleasure. But when I am alone and idle, I cannot conceal from myself that my life has no purpose, and that I know of no new purpose to which to devote my remaining years. I find myself involved in a vast mist of solitude, both emotional and metaphysical, from which I can find no issue.” o USA Centre for Peace and Spirituality 2665 Byberry Road, Bensalem, PA 19020 kkaleemuddin@gmail.com Making Difficulties Stepping Stones of Life It is a fact that ease and facility are constant obstacles to intellectual development, while effort and difficulties are stepping stones to the sharpening of the intellect.