wisdom finds truth essay for upsc

Wisdom finds Truth | UPSC Mains Essay Preparation PDF Download

“The wise man has the knowledge of all things, in so far as possible” ~ Aristotle. 

Introduction

Aristotle, reckoned among the greatest Greek philosophers, devoted his life to searching for truth which to him was the highest knowledge to be attained through wisdom. Philosophers, Greek or Indian, right since ancient times, have devoted themselves to the search for truth. The implication is clear. Truth, per se, is not a unique entity, but is like a chameleon that changes its colours.

Philosophical Scrutiny

There has never been any universal truth in the world of science in human history except self-evident principles that require no wisdom to be applied in their recognition. Of these self evident truths, rationalists like Descartes have maintained that these truths are recognized as soon as they are brought to our cognition. For instance, it requires neither wisdom nor intelligence to cognize that a triangle is a three sided figure or even that a triangle is 180 degrees. If that is the case, what meaning lies in the assertion that wisdom finds truth? The truth being referred to here then must be an altogether different kind of truth than 2+2=4. After all, the Greek philosophers and the Indian philosophers devoted their ageless wisdom in search of the truth. And did they find it? Most certainly, they did. Only, we, the lesser mortals devoted to sensory pleasures and the material world, fail to recognize or appreciate the truth they found through wisdom. All philosophers can be said to be devoted to the enterprise of truth. Descartes was a rationalist, who arrived at the truth of Cogito Ergo Sum, or I think, therefore, I am. This self discovery for Descartes was indubitable because, as he maintained, “the more I think of I, the more certain I become of its existence which even an evil genius could not have put into my mind”. Let us not forget here that a philosopher is one who loves wisdom because, by its very definition, philosophy is the love of Wisdom. Therefore, we can argue that Newton dedicated himself to the love of wisdom when he discovered the law of gravitation, even as our own philosophers like Buddha, Gautam, Shankaracharya, and Kanad discovered their truths through their wisdom. There now emerges a conundrum about truth. Is truth one or many? Is my truth different from your truth? Is the world of plurality a mirage? The wisdom of our holy sages contained in Upanishads answers this question beautifully. Our Upanishads claim, Ekam sat, Vipra Bahuda vadanti. This aphorism means: “That which exists is ONE; sages call it by various names.” Yet, the quest for truth is a never-ending pursuit that has led to civilizational transformations, crusades, jihads, and burning at stake. For much of human history, the creation theory of Adam and Eve held as much sway as the geocentric theory of our world. These were truths patronized by the holy church. They could not be questioned because it was the Biblical truth believed to have descended directly from God. However, some brave and courageous men like Darwin and Copernicus questioned these truths. Hundreds of men before them were already sacrificed at the altar of truth for holding contrary beliefs. When these men brought the new truths before the world, they also simultaneously transformed the world. However, there is no guarantee that the truth brought out by these men will remain permanent and set in stone, and who could have said it better than wise Siddhartha, the Buddha, in as precise words as “The only constant in this world is change” or the wise Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus who claimed, “You cannot bathe in the same river twice.”

Wisdom and Intelligence

These incidents in human history clearly point out the unmistakable distinction between wisdom and intelligence. While intelligence will help us discover, invent or innovate, wisdom allows us to attain the consciousness of truth. The truths found through intelligence can be short-lived, but the truths found through wisdom are permanent. If you are a great devotee to science or scientific truths, you may, in all likelihood, question the above assumptions. You may, for instance, want to know how truths established by science can ever be challenged. You only need to look at the progress of science, which has revised the truths a number of times in its journey. The Newtonian laws of motion perfectly explained our physical world till the time particle theory began to dominate the field of science. The laws of motion failed in their explanatory power when an altogether new world, the microscopic world, was opened to us. Similarly, our understanding of diseases underwent a paradigm shift when the discovery of germs and germs theory came to dominate the medical world. We are constantly discovering new knowledge, and science is no doubt enriched by those, but they can never establish the truth for good, as we continue to hop from one truth to the next, and so on. Therefore, the wisdom of Lord Buddha can surely take us closer to the truth of the world of flux, the truth of constant change. So, the adage wisdom finds truth can be seen to operate in our world like clockwork. The question then for us is what truth we want to find and how wisdom can help us discover the truth. In other words, this adage operates in the very personal and private lives of individuals. There are many things that we discover with our own wisdom, and sometimes what we learn has the status of grand truth. These adages are aptly expressed by wise poets and saints like Kabir and Rahim. Let us see few examples. Rahim says, “Rahiman nij man ki bitha man hi rakho goy, sun ithlainhe log sab, banti na lainhe koi”. Rahim cautions us not to disclose our personal grief to others because people will not share our pain, rather, they will draw malicious pleasure out of it. This is the kind of worldly truth many of us discover through our wisdom. Similarly, Kabir states, “Mati kahe  kumhar se, tu kya ronde moy, ek din aisa ayega, main rondungi toye”. This couplet, in a very simple and plain language, expounds a profound and undeniable truth. The truth of mortality, or impermanence of life, is well known but it requires wisdom to string this truth in a language that strikes an instant chord of awareness.

In conclusion, it is clear that wisdom finds the truth. The wise either discover the truth themselves, or realize the truth spoken by masters. The unwise, far from the truth, spend their days without self reflection and self-cogitation. One may be knowledgeable, may have mastered the encyclopaedia; but all of it amounts to nothing if one has not invested an iota of wisdom in searching the truth. With all our knowledge and learning, we are like robots fed with data that we churn out when needed and that really makes no difference to us. But when we apply our wisdom to find the truth of life, we are transformed individuals.

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UPSC Mains 2019 Questions- Essay

• September 20, 2019
• Mains , Questions

1.   Wisdom Finds truth

2.  value, are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be 

3.  Best for an individual is not necessarily, but best for society

4.  Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success

5. South Asian societies are woven not around the State, but around their cultures and plural identities

6. Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for backwardness

7. Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy

8. Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunity through reskilling and upskilling. 

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Papers / 10 Jan 2024

Download UPSC IAS Mains 2019 "Essay" Exam Paper

Download UPSC IAS Mains 2019 "Essay" Exam Paper

Marks : 250 (125x2)

Duration: 3 hours

Exam Date: 20-09-2019

Subject: Essay

• Wisdom finds truth.
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
• South Asian Societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
• Neglect of primary healthcare and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian Democracy
• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.

Click Here to Download Essay Paper

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ESSAY PAPER – UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination – 2019

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UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination – 2019

ESSAY PAPER

1. Wisdom finds truth

2. Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be

3. Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society

4. Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success

5. South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities

6. Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness

7. Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy

8. Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling

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UPSC Mains-2019: ESSAY PAPER- UPSC CIVIL SERVICES MAINS EXAM 2019

• September 20, 2019

UPSC MAINS 2019 QUESTION PAPERS

• Wisdom finds truth.
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
•  South Asian Societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
• Neglect of primary healthcare and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian Democracy
• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.

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Essay Question Paper – UPSC Civil Services Main Exam (Written) 2019

Last updated on September 30, 2023 by Alex Andrews George

UPSC Mains 2019 – Download Essay Question Paper:

UPSC conducted the  Essay Paper , as part of  Civil Services Main Exam 2019 on 20-09-2019.

Table of Contents

ESSAY PAPER: UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination – 2019

Instructions.

• Total Marks: 250 marks, Time duration: 3 hours.
• The essay must be written in the medium authorized in the admission certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this question-cum-answer (QCA) booklet in the space provided.
• No marks will be given for answers written in a medium other than an authorized one.
• Word limit, as specified, should be adhered to.
• Any page or portion of the page left blank must be struck off clearly.

SECTION – A

Write any one of the following essays in 1000-1200 words (125 marks)

• Wisdom finds truth
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be
• Best for an Individual is not necessarily best for society
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success

SECTION – B

• South Asian societies are woven not around the state but around their plural cultures and identities.
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy
• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of a jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.

Quick Analysis by ClearIAS.com

Candidates were asked to write two essays, one each from Sections A and B.

All four questions in Section A were more or less general in nature. Nothing specific was mentioned except key terms like ‘wisdom’, ‘values’ ‘courage’ etc., and hence all essays were philosophical in a broad context.

Section B sought from candidates their knowledge and expertise in specific topics. While the first question was specific to South Asian Societies, the second essay focussed on health care and education – that too on a primary level.

It is interesting to note that UPSC picked the bias in the media as the 3rd question in Section B.

The Essay Paper finished with a question on Artificial Intelligence , a widely expected current topic. Candidates should note that this was listed among the most important topics in the ClearIAS Current Affairs Backgrounder .

In general, the Essay Question Paper of the UPSC Civil Services Main Exam (Written) 2019 was devoid of any ambiguities. It straight away touched on the relevant topics. As almost all questions were kind of answerable, the presentation and writing skills would make the difference in marks.

How to download the question paper as a PDF?

Aspirants just need to click here to download the essay question paper. Alternatively, you can scroll down and use the print-PDF option.

Also read:  General Studies Paper 1 (GS1) Question Paper – UPSC Civil Services Main Exam (Written) 2019

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UPSC Essay Topic wise Question Papers of last 31 years (1993-2023) for Civil Services IAS/IPS Exam Free Download

In the UPSC mains examination, essay paper is worth 250 marks and three hours. Here is the topic wise questions from the earlier years for the benefit of civil service IAS IPS aspirants.

1.1 India Since Independence

1.2 federalism, decentralization, 1.3 administration, 1.4 judiciary, 1.5 poverty, social justice, 1.6 indian society, culture and values, 1.7 media, tv & cinema, literature, 2.1 growth vs development, 2.2 environment vs development, 2.4 sectors of economy, 3.1 values in education, 3.2 scheme implementation, 3.3 higher education, 4.1 character, honesty, ethics, 4.2 knowledge, 4.3 compassion, 4.4 truth and reality, 4.5 youth, discipline, 4.6 towards excellence, 5.1 @national politics, 5.2 @world / quote type, 5.3 empowerment overall, 5.4 compared to men, 6.1 globalization, 6.2 international org./ bilateral, 6.3 security, 6.4 history, 7.1 science and religion, 7.2 science and education, 7.3 computer and internet, 7.4 sci-tech: others, appendix: linear paper of upsc essay 2023, appendix: linear paper of upsc essay 2022, appendix: model answer pe free lecture & powerpoint, appendix: syllabus of essay paper in upsc, 1 india: democracy, administration, society, culture.

• Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s Success? -2013
• In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy -2012
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. -2015
• Why should we be proud of being Indians? -2000
• Whither Indian democracy? -1995
• How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? -2003
• What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. -1997
• What have we gained from our democratic set-up? -2001
• My vision of India in 2001 a.d. -1993
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India. -2017
• Water disputes between States in federal India. -2016
• Cooperative federalism : Myth or reality. -2016
• Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative, economic and developmental implication -2011
• Evaluation of panchayati raj system in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people. -2007
• Water resources should be under the control of the central government. -2004
• The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. -1998
• There are better practices to “best practices”. -2021
• How should a civil servant conduct himself? -2003
• Politics without ethics is a disaster. -1995
• The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy -1996
• Need for transparency in public administration -1996
• The country’s need for a better disaster management system. -2000
• Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. -1994
• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws. -2017
• Justice must reach the poor -2005
• Judicial activism and Indian democracy. -2004
• Judicial activism. -1997
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity. (- जिस समाज में अधिक न्याय होता है उस समाज को दान की कम आवश्यकता होती है।) – 2023
• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless (बिना आर्थिक समृद्धि के सामाजिक न्याय नहीं हो सकता, किन्तु बिना सामाजिक न्याय के आर्थिक समृद्धि निरर्थक है ) -2020
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness. -2019
• The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. -2009
• Food security for sustainable national development -2005
• Reservation, politics and empowerment. -1999
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have (जो हम है, वह संस्कार; जो हमारे पास है, वह सभ्यता ) -2020
• Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? -2000
• Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. -2000
• The composite culture of India. -1998
• The Indian society at the crossroads. -1994
• From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? -2010
• New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion -1996
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy. -2019
• Responsibility of media in a democracy. -2002
• Role of media in good governance -2008
• Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? -2011
• How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? -2007
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? -2014
• Mass media and cultural invasion. -1999
• The misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. -1998
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world (कवि संसार के अनधिकृत रूप से विधायक होते हैं) – 2022

2 Economy, Development

• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. -2018
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. -2016
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. -2016
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms. -2016
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. -2015
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? -2014
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country-2013
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth? -2015
• Resource management in the Indian context. -1999
• Economic growth without distributive justice is bound to breed violence. -1993
• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence (आर्थिक समृद्धि हासिल करने के मामले में वन सर्वोत्तम प्रतिमान होते हैं।) – 2022
• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India. -2018
• Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? -2010
• Urbanisation and its hazards -2008
• Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. -2006
• Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. -1997
• Ecological considerations need not hamper development. -1993
• Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. -2006
• Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs -1994
• Special economic zone: boon or bane -2008
• Is the criticism that the ‘Public-Private-Partnership’ (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified ?-2012
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India. -2017
• BPO boom in India. -2007
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? -2014
• Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? -2009

3 Education

• Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in – school. (- शिक्षा वह है जो विद्यालय में विधालय में सीखी गई बातों को भूल जाने के बाद भी शेष रह जाती है।)
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. -2017
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil-2015
• Independent thinking should be encouraged right form the childhood. -2007
• Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? -2014
• Irrelevance of the classroom. -2001
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? -2014
• Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. -1996
• Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses ? -2008
• What is real education? -2005
• “Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. -2006
• Restructuring of Indian education system. -1995
• Privatization of higher education in India. -2002
• Credit – based higher education system – status, opportunities and challenges -2011

4 Quote based, Philosophy, Ethics

• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities (हर असमंजस के लिए मुस्कराहट ही चुनिन्दा साधन है) – 2022
• Philosophy of wantlessness is a Utopian, while materialism is a chimera. -2021
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me. -2021
• Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication (सरलता चरम परिष्करण है ) -2020
• Ships don’t sink because of water around them ships sink because of water that gets into them (जहाज अपने चारों तरफ के पानी के वजह से नहीं डूबा करते, जहाज पानी के अंदर समां जाने की वजह से डूबता हैं ) -2020
• Life is a long journey between being human and being humane.  (मनुष्य होने और मानव बनने के बीच का लम्बा सफर ही जीवन है)-2020
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be -2019
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society -2019
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success -2019
• Wisdom finds truth -2019
• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both. -2018
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modem file. -2018
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed. -2016
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. -2015
• With greater power comes greater responsibility. -2014
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword. -2014
• Attitude makes, habit makes character and character makes a man. -2007
• He would reigns within himself and folds his passions and desires and fears is more than a king. -1993
• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. (- सोच एक खेल की तरह है, यह तब तक शुरू नहीं होता है जब तक कि एक विपरीत टीम/पक्ष न हो।) – 2023
• Mathematics is the music of reason. (- गणित ज्ञान का संगीत है।) – 2023
• The real is rational and the rational is real. -2021
• Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self (विचारपरक संकल्प स्वयं के शांतचित्त रहने का उत्प्रेरक है )-2020
• ‘The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values. -2018
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. -2018
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. -2003
• Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. -1995
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. -2017
• Compassion is the basic of all morality of the world -1993
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. -2015
• Be the change you want to see in others (Gandhi)-2013
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right (केवल इसलिए कि आपके पास विकल्प हैं, इसका यह अर्थ कदापि नहीं है कि उनमें से किसी को भी ठीक होना ही होगा) – 2022
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it. -2018
• Truth is lived, not taught -1996
• When money speaks, the truth is silent. -1995
• Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. -2002
• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining (छप्पर मरम्मत करने का समय तभी होता है, जब धूप खिली हुई हो) – 2022
• You cannot step twice in the same river (आप उसी नदी में दोबारा नहीं उतर सकते) – 2022
• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin -2008
• Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret -1994
• If youth knew, if age could. -2002
• Youth culture today. -1999
• Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? -2014
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (- दूरदर्शी निर्णय तभी लिए जाते है अंतर्ज्ञान और तर्क का परस्पर मेल होता है।) – 2023
• Not all who wander are lost. (- भटकने वाले सभी गुम नहीं हो जाते।) – 2023
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (- रचनात्मकता की प्रेरणा अलौकिक ता में चमत्कार ढूंढने के प्रयास से उपजति है) – 2023
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for (जहाज बन्दरगाह के भीतर सुरक्षित होता है, परन्तु इसके लिए तो वह होता नहीं है) – 2022
• Quick but steady wins the race. -2015
• Useless life is an early death. -1994
• Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. -1995
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave. -2002
• The pursuit of excellence. -2001

5 Women empowerment

• Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. -1997
• Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. -2006
• The new emerging women power: the ground realities. -1995
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. -2021
• If women ruled the world -2005
• The hand that rocks the cradle -2005
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality (पितृ-सत्ता की व्यवस्था नजर मैं बहुत काम आने के बावजूद सामाजिक विषमता की सबसे प्रभावी संरचना है) -2020
• Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth. -2017
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered. -2016
• Whither women’s emancipation? -2004
• Empowerment alone cannot help our women. -2001
• Women empowerment: challenges and prospects. -1999
• Woman is god’s best creation. -1998
• Men have failed: let women take over. -1993
• Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal ?-2012

6 International issues, Internal Security, History

• South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities. -2019
• Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. -1994
• ‘globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’ -2009
• National identity and patriotism -2008
• Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. -2004
• The masks of new imperialism. -2003
• As civilization advances culture declines. -2003
• The implications of globalization for India. -2000
• My vision of an ideal world order. -2001
• India’s contribution to world wisdom. -1998
• The world of the twenty-first century. -1998
• Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role. -2010
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संबंधों मैं मौन करक के रूप मैं प्रौद्योगिकी) -2020
• Has the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world ? -2017
• Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities -1996
• The global order: political and economic -1993
• India’s role in promoting ASEAN co-operation. -2004
• Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement -2006
• Management of Indian border dispute is a complex task. -2018
• In the Indian context , both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism -2011
• Are we a ‘soft’ state ? -2009
• Good fences make good neighbours -2009
• Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? -2007
• Terrorism and world peace -2005
• True religion cannot be misused. -1997
• History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. -2021
• Geography may remain the same ; history need not. -2010

7 Science-Technology

• Spirituality and scientific temper. -2003
• Science and Mysticism : Are they compatible ?-2012
• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge! -2021
• Modern technological education and human values. -2002
• Value-based science and education. -1999
• The march of science and the erosion of human values. -2001
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. -2021
• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling. -2019
• ‘Social media’ is inherently a selfish medium. -2017
• Cyberspace and Internet : Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run -2016
• Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. -2006
• The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. -2000
• Computer: the harbinger of silent revolution. -1993
• Technology cannot replace manpower. -2015
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation-2013
• The modern doctor and his patients. -1997
• The lure of space. -2004

Section-A (write any one)

• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. (- सोच एक खेल की तरह है, यह तब तक शुरू नहीं होता है जब तक कि एक विपरीत टीम/पक्ष न हो।)
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (- दूरदर्शी निर्णय तभी लिए जाते है अंतर्ज्ञान और तर्क का परस्पर मेल होता है।)
• Not all who wander are lost. (- भटकने वाले सभी गुम नहीं हो जाते।)
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (- रचनात्मकता की प्रेरणा अलौकिक ता में चमत्कार ढूंढने के प्रयास से उपजति है)

Section-B (write any one)

• Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines. (-लड़कियां बंदिशों के तथा लड़के अपेक्षा के बोझ तले दबे हुए होते हैं दोनों ही समान रूप से हानिकारक व्यवस्थाएं हैं।)
• Mathematics is the music of reason. (- गणित ज्ञान का संगीत है।)
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity. (- जिस समाज में अधिक न्याय होता है उस समाज को दान की कम आवश्यकता होती है।)

Answer one-one essay from each section in 1000-1200 words

• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man (इतिहास वैज्ञानिक मनुष्य के रूमानी मनुष्य पर विजय हासिल करने का एक सिलसिला है।) – 2022
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for (जहाज बन्दरगाह के भीतर सुरक्षित होता है, परन्तु इसके लिए तो वह होता नहीं है) & 2022
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right (केवल इसलिए कि आपके पास विकल्प हैं, इसका यह अर्थ कदापि नहीं है कि उनमें से किसी को भी ठीक होना ही होगा) – 2022

Essay: Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

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Tag: Wisdom finds truth essay

Insights weekly essay challenges 2020 – week 1: wisdom finds truth.

Tags: essay on topic Wisdom finds truth , essay on Wisdom finds truth , what is the meaning of Wisdom finds truth , Wisdom finds truth essay , Wisdom finds truth upsc essay

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2020 – Week 01 Archives 22 September 2019 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: Wisdom finds truth

• Our Mission, Vision & Values
• Director’s Desk
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Table of Contents

Essay (UPSC Mains) – Previous Year Questions

• Thinking is like a game; it does not begin unless there is an opposite team.
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic.
• Not all who wander are lost.
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.
• Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands — two equally harmful disciplines.
• Mathematics is the Music of Reason.
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.
• Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.

Value based / Ethical Issues

• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities.
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.

Philosophical

• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
• You can not step twice in the same river.
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for.

Miscellaneous / Mixed

• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence. (Environment / Economics)
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world ( Literature / Socio-political-economic impacts)
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man ( History / Values / Philosophy)
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
• Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.
• The real is rational and the rational is real.
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

History / Culture

• History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

Science and Technology

• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
• There are better practices to “best practices”. ( Multiple Themes )
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. ( Philosophy / Technology)
• Life is long journey between human being and being humane.
• Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self.
• Ships do not sink because of water around them; ships sink because of water that gets into them.
• Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have.

Social Issues

• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless.
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality.
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations ( Technology / International Relation ).
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
• Wisdom finds truth.
• South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.

Science & Technology

• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy.
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
• A people that value its privileges above its principles lose both.
• “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values.
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life.
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it.
• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.

Environment

• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India.

IR & Security

• Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task.
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
• Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth.
• Social media is inherently a selfish medium Domain.
• Has the Non- Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multi-polar world Domain.
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India Domain. ( Agriculture )
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India Domain.
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.

Polity & Governance

• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws Domain.
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered.
• Cyberspace and internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run Domain.
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms.
• Water disputes between states in federal India Domain.
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality India.
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. ( Technology / Economy)
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare Domain. ( Technology / Economy / Social Sector)
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader.
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
• Quick but steady wins the race.
• Technology cannot replace manpower.
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth?
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil. ( Education / Ethics)
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. ( Morality / Economics)
• With greater power comes greater responsibility.
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword.
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy?
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country?
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India?
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
• Are the standardized tests, good measure of academic ability or progress?
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. ( Multiple themes )
• Fifty Gold’s in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? ( Sports / Governance )
• Be the change you want to see in others – Gandhiji
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation.
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the well-being of a country.
• Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s Success? ( History / Culture / Growth & Development / Ethics )

Truth: An Alternative perspective

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Relevance:  Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants, and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators; the role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values.

We often use the word ‘Truth’ in our daily life. The aim of many philosophers and the objective of many disciplines will be to find the truth. But what does it mean and on what grounds certain propositions can be considered true? Is it a metaphysical construct or is it a reality, Factuality, Or Authenticity? And whether truth is subjective or objective, relative or absolute?

There is no single answer to the above questions and the answers change with time and space.

• Truth as a metaphysical construct : It means truth or reality is outside of human sense perception. And it cannot be reached through objective studies of material reality.
• Truth in a  relativist perspective :  Relativism believes that there's no absolute truth . Truths are the ones that a particular individual or culture happens to believe.
• Truth as  openness : In Ancient Greece, the original meaning and essence of truth is the revealing or bringing of what was previously hidden into the open, as indicated by the original Greek term for truth, Aletheia.
• Truth as correctness : Here truth is considered as being error-free and conformity to recognized standards.
• Truth in  social construct perspective : Truth has a more pragmatic dimension as a process of accurately recording perceptions, and ensuring they become part of an agreed social record . 
• Views of Plato : Truth is objective; it is that which our reason, used rightly, apprehends
• Views of Post-modernists : Postmodernist philosophers, in general, argue that truth is always contingent on historical and social context rather than being absolute and universal and that truth is always partial and “at issue” rather than being complete and certain.
• Views of Mahatma Gandhi : Truth has no finality , hence everyone's life should be a continuous pursuit for truth.
• For Socrates, Dialectics is the source of truth i.e. dialogue as a means of reaching the truth.
• For Mahatma Gandhi, Satyagraha and Ahimsa are the means to truth.
• Mimamsa, an ancient philosophical school, argue that the Vedas contain the eternal truth.
• It is also widely believed that  Wisdom Finds Truth .

The correspondence theory of truth:

• The theory says that a proposition is true provided there exists a fact corresponding to it .
• A fact is something  indisputable , based on empirical research and quantifiable measures. 
• Every proposition cannot be verified for its factuality.
• Some philosophers believe that many truths are beyond scientific research.
• It is widely believed that truth may include fact, but it can also include belief.

The pragmatic theory of truth: 

• According to pragmatic theory, truth is defined in terms of utility .
• True statements might be those that are useful to believe .
• Beliefs that lead to the best “payoff”, that are the best justification of our actions, that promote success, are truths, according to the pragmatists.
• It may be useful for someone to believe a proposition but also useful for someone else to disbelieve it.
• For example, it is said that many people, to avoid despair, need to believe there is a God who keeps a watchful eye on everyone.
• According to one version of the Pragmatic Theory, that proposition is true.
• However, it may not be useful for other persons to believe that same proposition.
• They would be crushed if they believed that there is a God who keeps a watchful eye on everyone.

The coherence theory of truth:

• It defines truth in terms of coherence with our knowledge .
• Coherence theory accounts for the truth of a proposition as arising out of a relationship between that proposition and other propositions.
• Knowledge of an individual varies with knowledge of other people , then there cannot be one single truth.
• Even the knowledge of one individual is not constant, it evolves with time, then truth cannot be constant.
• Hence, as knowledge varies, truth also varies.

As we have seen above, as per pragmatic and coherence theories, there is huge scope for the truth to change and evolve with time and space . In contemporary times,  what we perceive as ‘true’ changed dramatically bringing unprecedented revolutions to most areas of human life. Let us understand the same thing with some examples.

• As Indians lacked record keeping, what colonial historians told about India was considered to be true history until the last century.
• But after Independence, with the emergence of Indic historians , a new perspective of Indian history came out.
• Britishers claimed that they came to India for civilizing Indians and establish a proper rule.
• This was initially considered to be true by some Indian people and modernist leaders.
• However, later it was understood that they are plundering the wealth of India.
• Many of them followed Hitler because they thought what Hitler is saying is the truth.
• They genuinely believed that Germany was fighting for its freedom, even for its very existence.
• But they got to know the real truth after the war ended.
• World War II was not about former German territory assigned to Poland or about the national self-determination of Germans living outside Germany.
• The war was about creating a new racial order in which there were German superiors and Slav inferiors and in which Jews had no place.
• It was about creating an exploitative empire in which might determines right. 
• In earlier times, the war was accepted as a means to defeat evil forces and establish peace and as a fixture for thousands of years.
• Now, it is considered that war is no longer an inevitable fact of life and that major efforts should be made to abandon it.
• This is reflected in the enthusiasm during the first two world wars and the effort in present times to avoid another world war.
• About the American involvement in the Vietnam war, the American people considered what their government portrayed to be true.
• But the government had grossly misrepresented the facts of the Vietnam war to the American people and willingly deceived the American people about the nation's involvement in Vietnam. 
• The Pentagon Papers revealed that the U.S. had secretly enlarged the scope of its actions in the Vietnam War with the bombings of nearby Cambodia and Laos, coastal raids on North Vietnam, and Marine Corps attacks— none of which were reported in the mainstream media .
• Here, we can also see how the government and media combined manipulated the truth .
• Certain jobs were seen as unfit for women because of the stereotypes that exist in society.
• For example, it was believed that science requires a technical mind, and girls and women are not capable of dealing with technical things.
• However, recent examples like mission mangalyaan prove the above statement to be false.
• Certain sections of society were considered to be inferior by birth and fit only for some inferior roles in society.
• Today, although that perception is not completely changed, the majority of the people do not find it to be true.
• Earning a degree from a reputed institute was once considered true education.
• However, after seeing the imbalances in the individual's life and the number of evils in society, it is found to be false.
• Now the true education includes inculcating moral values, positive thinking, helping nature, selflessness, and ethical values.
• In the 20th century, economic growth was considered a panacea for all problems the country is facing.
• But focusing on economic growth alone, gave rise to huge inequalities, deepening of poverty, and other externalities.
• Hence, in present times development i.e. an improvement in the quality of life and living standards is considered as a true path.
• Earlier, industrialization was given priority even though it adversely affects the environment.
• Now after realizing the importance of the environment, excessive industrialization is considered a bad idea, and the focus is on conserving the environment.
• With globalization, consumerism became rampant.
• It is believed that buying more things will give happiness.
• However, it proved to be wrong and also harms the environment.
• Thus minimalism is now considered a good idea, which is good for the planet and also gives satisfaction and happiness to the individual.
• People once thought grains of sand were the building blocks of what we see around us.
• Then the atom was discovered, and it was thought indivisible until it was split to reveal protons, neutrons, and electrons inside.
• These too, seemed like fundamental particles, before scientists discovered that protons and neutrons are made of three quarks each.
• Thus, the truth about the smallest particle kept on changing.
• People used to believe that all the planets and the sun orbited around the Earth, but now we know that is incorrect.
• Scientists used to think that Pluto was a classical planet, but now it is classified as a dwarf planet.
• This reflects the process of scientific inquiry because scientists used discoveries and inventions to change the proposition, which was once considered to be true.
• 100 years ago, it wasn't definite that there were other galaxies, or whether we were close to the center of our own galaxy.
• In the 1920s and 1930s, Edwin Hubble discovered that many distant objects, previously assumed to be clouds of dust (nebula) were in reality, other galaxies.
• And there are hundreds of billions of other galaxies in the universe.
• So this completely changed our view.
• Similarly, once the universe was believed to be static, whereas now it is considered to be expanding.
• We often hear that most people throughout history believed the world was flat.
• Today, that belief is not considered to be true, as new scientific instruments and methodologies showed the true shape of the earth.
• Before scientists invented sonar, many people believed the ocean floor was a completely flat surface.
• Now we know that the seafloor is far from flat.
• In fact, the tallest mountains and deepest canyons are found on the ocean floor; far taller and deeper than any landforms found on the continents.
• In science , the relaxation of the rigid materialistic framework allowed for new and radical ways of thinking including Einstein’s relativity theory and Heisenberg’s paradoxical uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics. These developments changed the way physicists think of the world allowing them to ponder the existence of multiple universes and the role of consciousness in creating reality, etc.
• Our ideas about “truth” are filtered through the lens of our social groups, our education, and our experiences.
• For example, A child in the 1900s has grown up hearing that black people are inferior to whites. He includes that information as part of the truths about life.
• After becoming an adult and now being exposed to other societies, experiences, and people, he realizes that what he grew up believing was ” truth” was actually his parents' twisted worldview.
• His idea of “what is true” has completely changed as he matured and experienced life.
• Social media creates an illusionary truth effect .
• The illusory truth effect is also known as the validity effect, truth effect, or reiteration effect.
• The illusory truth effect refers to a phenomenon where people rate repeated statements as more truthful than non-repeated ones .
• The more someone ingests a piece of information, the more likely they are to believe it to be true. Whether this is based on a legitimate fact is irrelevant.
• Thus, 'truth' according to social media always changes.
• With its widespread reach and appealing nature, fake news has the potential to reach millions of people, faster than the truth.
• They take place of true news.
• People believe it to be true until they are made aware of true news, but the damage will be already done.
• Thus in modern times, getting true news became more difficult.

From the above examples, it is clear that  Truth is conceptual and multi-dimensional in nature. And our perception of truth continuously changes with expanding knowledge, discoveries, extensive research, and with experience acquired. What we consider to be true today may be proved a lie tomorrow.

In recent times, new threats like alternative truth and post-truth are emerging. Hence, it is important to keep vigil and consider truth from a wider perspective .

• “Even falsehood has the nature of truth if it confers a benefit that is free from fault”-Thiruvalluvar.
• “Truth is what stands the test of experience.”-Albert Einstein.
• “There Is No God Higher Than Truth” – Mahatma Gandhi.
• “The truth should be independent of whoever says it.”-Tawfik Hamid.
• “You can have your own truth but you can't have your own facts.” – J Russ.
• “When opinions are free, the truth will finally and powerfully prevail.” -Thomas Paine.
• “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth” – Marcus Aurelius.
• “If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” ― Mark Twain.

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Wisdom finds truth

The nature of both wisdom and truth is highly subjective which means the basic or inherent character of the two is influenced by personal feelings or opinions. Perhaps this is the reason while in his search for truth for six years, Gautama could not find the answer to end suffering although he took the help of the wisest teachers of the time. He realised that enlightenment was beyond objective facts. That “beyond” has always been wisdom. Wisdom is about the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement. This quality could make a person inventor, innovator and/or discoverer irrespective of his or her work domain which could be either physical or metaphysical or both. One of the best examples is Albert Einstein. He is not only best known for his theory of relativity and the equation E=MC2 but also for his wisdom quotes such as “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” Under normal conditions, anything which is true or by fact or reality is the truth. We use different expressions for it like the fact of the matter, what actually happened, the case, facts, certainty, authenticity etc., though the truth giving meaning to human life is evolutionary assertion dependent on the essence of the subject. And to acknowledge the essence of any subject, wisdom is a prerequisite. Thus searching for truth involves wisdom as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence. It is difficult to find the truth without wisdom. We, at large, know ethics of the Bhagavad Gita. It talks about the truths which are universal so they have universal application. These truths are (1) Immortality of the Soul, (2) Immanence of God, (3) Impermanence of the world, (4) Immediacy of Liberation. But how many of us really recognize the doctrine of the Immanence of God? We know, God is the Indweller of everyone. He is the witness of our thoughts. People around us watch our actions and hear our words, whereas God watches not only our actions, but the motives and intentions that prompt them. Despite this, the most common thing, anywhere and everywhere, we face is the trust deficit. Knowing the truth is not about finding it. To find the truth one has to recognize it. Recognizing truth requires realising wisdom which means a blend of experience, knowledge, and good judgement about the subject has utmost importance. To recognize the doctrine of the Immanence of God necessitates realizing wisdom related to it. That is what Lord Krishna answers in chapter three, verses 37 and 38 (Bhagavadgita). Only wisdom makes us understand that it is lust which later transformed into wrath, which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world. As fire is covered by smoke, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of lust. Greed, dishonesty and corruption are all by-products of this lust. To be happy, successful and well situated in real terms, the Gita says, one must control different degrees of different dimensions of lust. A person who understands it will try to experience it, consequently he would find the truth behind the life. Similarly ‘integrity’ is the virtue. That is its truth. However it is not that simple. This truth has no dimension unless a person doesn’t practice what one preaches. Or more importantly, practicing what one believes is right. To ascertain something right, a person needs wisdom which designates a ‘man of principle’ as not a man who understands a principle, but a man who understands, accepts, and lives by a principle. Here, too, wisdom and truth seem inseparable. Consider the most crucial part of life called stress. The prevailing truth regarding stress is misleading where mostly we believe that the environment controls events. Psychologically, the stress we feel is often based on our individual perception of a situation and this is why some people suffer more than others. The person having wisdom or quality of being wise, will suffer less, as American psychologist Julian Rotter describes this as our ‘locus of control’ or the extent to which an individual feels that they have control over a situation. Wisdom can make locus of control internal, in that we believe we have control over our lives, so could manage our stress. Even this is the very idea reflecting through the Pillars of Indian Culture: Ṛta, Ṛṇa, Dharma. The awareness of ṛta (cosmic law: when we realize ṛta, the value of the whole of creation, we are humbled and naturally become more caring towards the universe) leads to the realization of ṛṇa (the word ṛṇa refers to ‘being in debt’ – of a physical, monetary kind, every human being by birth carries this baggage of ṛṇa), which in turn motivates one to pursue dharma. The way to clear ṛṇa is by adhering to dharma. Knowledge of Ṛta and Ṛṇa is wisdom, whereas Dharma is truth to be sought. Together they make us feel the Purushartha which is the “object of human pursuit” and the blueprint for human fulfilment. Its “Dharma” component is about true purpose in life and the ethical basis on which one lives one’s life at the same time one accepts his conscienced decision making. Abovementioned notions of reasoning show where there is truth, there is wisdom. Where there is wisdom, there is truth. They mirror each other and seem to be indivisible, indissoluble and inextricable. This is well reflected in the great people’s philosophies or their way of living, for instance, for Mahatma Gandhi the quest for “Truth” largely depended upon the truth about the self. And his wisdom stated that an individual’s “highest duty in life is to serve mankind and take his share in bettering its condition”, which could not be done unless one understands and respects the self. Likewise, ‘good’ to G.E.Moore means the word ‘Good’ is indefinable because the quality ‘goodness’ is a simple, unanalysable and non – complex property. Hedonists commit this fallacy because they explain the meaning of ‘good’ by reference to pleasure which is a particular mode of experience. Pleasure may be more or less good, but it does not enable one to know what is really meant by good, and hence the truth. Plato recognised wisdom as one of his four cardinal virtues and defined it as the rational part of the soul. It is an all-embracing virtue. It is moral insight into the duties in a concrete situation and performing them. It is practical wisdom which is implied in all moral actions. The same case is with Kant’s Categorical Imperative, explicitly asserted that actions are right only when they are done for the sake of duty – only in so far as they are performed for the sake of their rightness. More so than anything else, the journey from Prince Siddhartha, the son of the king of the Sakya people, to Gautama Buddha was all about “the dynamics of wisdom-truth relations” which concluded with “four noble truths”: (1) existence is suffering; (2) this suffering is caused by human craving; (3) there is a cessation of the suffering, which is nirvana; and (4) nirvana can be achieved, in this or future lives, through the “eightfold path” of right views, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The above postulations have empirical realizations experienced in the form of a dignified human life which confirms that truth and wisdom are “conjoint, covalent and reciprocal”.

sir, your essay is more valuable not only from exam points of view but also to the others , who are doing the job of nation builder.at last i thanks t...

sir this essay is in 1000-1200 words or notand very much thanks to give this essay

very much enlightening and insightful sir. thank you for such worth creation. ð

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