ESSAY

Philosophical Essays

[Note: The approach discussed below would become clearer once this is perused
along with sample skeleton of essay on pages that follow]

à How do you dissect an idea: what is the idea, benefits and also flaws, how do
humans make it good or corrupt the idea, what if idea is not there or there but exists
partially (is it dangerous) – In this context, say election fair but not free or free but
not fair. Thus, “the core argument advanced is …”; that’s how thesis statement is to
be put across; Always relevant is to ask How? What? When?
à Do not overdo examples. Ideally, ½ - 2/3 of the essay should discuss the
philosophical aspects / or the core essence of the topic. Examples, at best,
substantiate the idea and do not discuss the idea per se
à Keyword Approach: The words mentioned in the Essay topic must find their
place in Essay. Use them to expand. To ensure that this is adhered to, underline each
keyword in the question paper, make a list of this and then expand.
à You can use antonym / synonym of the word used in Essay topic, e.g.,
Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination. Here, one can use real in
opposition to ideal
à Try and see why the idea/ theme of the essay is relevant to humans. E.g., Is man
merely a mistake of God’s? Or God merely a mistake of man?
- Friedrich Nietzsche

The above philosophical conundrum is particularly relevant because it has always

intrigued humans to find out about their origin, causes and associated things.

à Is there an inherent contradiction with the idea / problems associated with the
idea, i.e., criticism associated with the idea. If there is any criticism, deal with it.
This serves to present a better view on the idea. We may not always take the idea,
i.e., topic of essay to be correct. In the event there is a contradiction in the idea,
devote around 20 % of the body of the essay to discuss the contradiction.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

à The idea of contrasts in an essay: compare and contrast convey the point better;
two extremes make a discernible impact
à Components of the essay: Introduction, body, and conclusion. The headings
(barring introduction and conclusion) can be labelled. There is no specific length to
write an introduction or conclusion but generally 1-2 pages for introduction and
around 1 page for conclusion is considered ideal. Ensure that there are at least two
paragraphs on a page. This facilitates smooth reading experience which may then
translate to better marks.

1. An unexamined life is not worth living

- Socrates
à Throughout the generations, human has been asking themselves what is the
purpose of life
à If the life is meaningless, it is monotonous and boring whereas it is not
monotonous if it has a target. Thus, the fundamental question is how does one know
if the life is worth living or not
à Socrates becomes relevant here.
à Here, Socrates is exhorting humans to explore the meaning of their life
à Examine yourself first and thereafter others in the society to find the meaning
and happiness of life
à Benefits: By evaluating ourselves, we can think back on our mistakes and gain
from them. Reflection of one’s life would enable them to find their actual reason
and these virtues would help him live a gratifying life
à Unexamined life does not enrich the soul whereas an examined life does
à Socrates developed the Socratic Method, which involved taking someone’s basic
idea and asking a series of questions to expose any contradictions or flaws. This
inductive examination didn’t always go down well, and Socrates was accused of
corrupting the youth of Athens. During his trial, Socrates accepted the guilty charge
rather than embracing ignorance. He declared that “the life which is unexamined is not
worth living” before drinking hemlock poison.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

 Difference between Existence and Living
There exists a difference between existence and living. Existence simply involves
existing and going forward in life without any self-reflection or analysis.
à Resultantly, one is prone to repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
à Additionally, the life is insignificant as it neither excels nor is anyway near the
purpose of life.
à Notably, not only are the same mistakes repeated but also, we do new errors.
This is because our mistakes accumulate and cause a new error. To make this point
clear, an example is necessary.
à Less fulfilling life, full of frustrations, decrease in productivity [Can be extended
to say that family, society, state would also suffer. As a better measure, one may draw
comparison vis-à-vis Japanese]
à The outcomes from realization would be extraordinary
à One who does not realize is simply a blind individual. He can go in any direction
à There may be a change in surrounding, e.g., ICT revolution, and in that case an
examined life certainly helps [An examination of society allows us to correct societal
wrongs, otherwise they are taken as order of the day / nature and allowing them to
perpetuate with time].
à The examination is not limited to individual himself. He should examine society,
nation, world as well. Society – correct wrongs; Nation – economy, politics etc.;
World – world peace, global order, world as one entity can then be achieved.
à It is important to realize than an individual stands on his own footing, also in
relation to society; the society also has a separate existence
Examined life can become unexamined life
à There is a need to be vigilant as a person who is doing good in life may
subsequently become blind. This is because he may begin to think that nobody is
better than him and what he does is best. This is particularly relevant in political
leadership of a country [Hence, need for external examination]
Thus, there is a need for continuous vigilance.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

 Some notes of caution
à Examined life is not necessarily a worthy life. One may examine life for doing
bad to others. Therefore, there is a need for virtuous examination, especially to
enrich the soul [So far as soul is concerned, use Indian philosophy of Buddhism,
Jainism etc.]

2. The life of man (in a state of nature) is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short
- Thomas Hobbes
à Hobbes famously argued in his book Leviathan that, without government, life
would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”
à This is, thus, an argument in the favor of creation of a government [Hobbes
argues for an unlimited government].
à In the state of nature, the ability to kill each other leads to mistrust. There is also
a constant threat to property (i.e., one’s possessions).
à Why would people attack you: they need your resources, afraid of your power,
want to be more powerful than you etc.
à The life, thus, is a constant struggle to protect yourself. Productive activities like
agriculture, engineering, innovation etc. cannot take place and it is simply worthless
to pursue such activities.
à Let’s think of it this way. Do you lock your doors when you sleep at night? We do! When we
can’t trust our neighbors and the world at large while there are laws against theft and assault,
imagine how much worse it would be in the state of nature
à People may agree among themselves, as a rational creature, to not do these acts.
But who is there to enforce it?
Thus, the argument is that sovereign must have control over everything to prevent
the state of nature
Some misc. points for essay
à Social discourse is increasingly shifting to social media. It has made us more
exposed to opinions. We are no longer passive recipients of information as is the

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

case with newspapers etc., but now can receive and produce information. Social
media has had good impacts like awareness about mental health issues, women and
caste etc.
à Kabir’s doha, “Kaal Kare So Aaj Kar, Aaj karai So Ab | Pal Mein Paralay
Hoyagee, Bahuree Karega Kab” (live in the present, do it immediately than
procrastination)
à According to John Locke, the human mind at birth is like a blank slate (theory of
tabula rasa) and hence we are equally ignorant and helpless as newborns. Arrogance
however is most often seen in older humans who have lost their childlike innocence
à What makes people arrogant? An inflated sense of oneself, when they are not
held accountable by others for their actions in society etc. A society in some cases,
like a political leader e.g., Trump, may permit arrogant behavior if it perceives it to
be necessary for strange acting.
à CBDR should apply to all global issues and not just the issues of environment
and climate change
à India’s leadership, e.g., International Solar Alliance
à “All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others” ~ George Orwell
à Bangladesh through its massive increase in solar-powered houses is accounting
for the world’s fastest expansion of solar energy [Often the change is led by an
emerging entity]
à IR 4.0 is unfolding and it is expected to take away many jobs involving simple
labour
à The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics
Code) Rules, 2021 is meant to foster human use of technology so that no digital
citizen is harassed, wronged
à IMF has hailed India’s JAM trinity-enabled massive DBT programme
à Paul Romer, a Nobel laureate and former World Bank Chief Economist, has
described what 135 crore citizens of India, which is 94 per cent of the population

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

and 100 per cent of the adult (>18 years), have as “the most sophisticated ID
programme in the world.
à Bottom-up approach in disaster management as per the Sendai Framework by
involving local bodies and communities, e.g., women SHGs in Sundarbans planting
local mangroves to mitigate the impact of coastal flooding during cyclones
War is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrow
à “War does not determine who is right, only who is left”. ~ Bertrand Russell
à In context of war, we may quote Ashoka the Great to show the right path.
Bherighosh to Dhammghosh
à New frontiers of war: cyber space, global space
à When war becomes necessary: just cause, e.g., 1857 Revolution, Paika Rebellion,
Santhal Rebellion etc.
à Human mind has a tendency to be consumed by one’s own concerns and
challenges. Giving as a deed allows one an opportunity to look beyond one’s own
world and see the big picture.
à Giving is not limited to wealth. It can be in form of actions / deeds, moral /
emotional support
à Non-giving nature in a person keeps him glued to never ending lust for
materialism. Per contra, giving nature keeps us grounded and focused towards
achieving a true purpose of our lives.
à Importance of Tough times in life: “It is often in the darkest skies that we see the
brightest stars.” ~ Richard Evans. Tough time brings out the best in us.
Additionally, it helps us in identifying the brightest / best of persons as it is only in
testing times that we see the best of a person. It is commonly said that without the
darker skies any brighter star would go unnoticed
à The idea of ‘best’ must not deter us from giving our best. Incremental &
consistent ‘good’ is often better than the ‘best’.
In the words of Martin Luther King Jr.,
“If you can’t fly, run

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

 If you can’t run, walk
If you can’t walk, crawl
By all means, keep moving”
à Matin Luther King Jr.,
“Be a brush, if you can’t be a tree
If you can’t be a highway,
Just be atrial
For it isn’t the size that you win or fail,
Be the best of whatever you are.”
à Changing, refining and evolving is the secret of ideas that are immortal. For
instance, changes during independence struggle – from moderates to extremists to
revolutionaries to Satyagrahis of Mahatma Gandhi; liberalism (invisible hand of the
market) to Great Depression of 1929 to modern liberalism (advocating welfare
expenditure by the government to revive economies).

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

à Discussion of philosophical essays
Man is a rational entity and hence, it is natural that we ask the existential
questions. In fact, the origin of philosophy starts with the search for the answer of
this very question, i.e., who am I? What is my place in this universe? What is the
nature of the world in which we live? What is the right way of living? Thus, these are
some fundamental questions of philosophy as well as all other streams of knowledge.
We can see the attempt by the intellectuals across civilizations, cultures, and regions.
For e.g., if we talk about Socrates, who is known in the West as the wisest man, held
that knowledge is virtue and to gain knowledge one should know oneself, i.e., know
thyself. Similarly, in Indian philosophy whether we talk about Gita or Buddhist
philosophy, they all aim at unravelling the mysteries of human life and providing the
guidance as to how we should make sense of our life.
For e.g., in Chandogya Upanishad, an attempt has been made to give
explanation behind the origin of this world and the purpose of human life. It explains
that initially there was only the existence of Brahma/ mind/ soul. Brahma thought
of creating his reflections and thus, this physical world comes into existence. Since
it is a creation of Brahma, the physical objects also include the element of Brahma
or soul. This soul is in most evolved form in humans. That is why humans are the
highest creation of Brahma or mind.
In Indian thinking a teleological view is the common theme where the purpose
of human life is being defined with a sense of definiteness. Whether we talk about
Upanishads or we talk about Gita which is known as one of the most revered texts
containing the ultimate wisdom not just by Indians, e.g., Aurobindo Ghosh, Tilak,
Gandhi considered Gita as a text not just for the spiritual growth of the individual
but also society at large. Similarly in the West there are many scholars and even
scientists who have recognized the wisdom. This includes Oppenheimer, scientist
associated with invention of nuclear bomb. Gita gives the message that this life is
not permanent and ultimately everything in this physical world goes back to the God.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

 Similarly, Buddhism which is known as India’s rationalist tradition may not
acknowledge the existence of God but it also gives a teleological view of life and
suggests to follow the eight-fold path (Astangika Marg) to lead a life of virtue.
The moment we think about purpose of life, it is very natural to think about
the nature of the world in which we live. Whether it is West or East, intellectuals
have tried to understand the tendency of the world in which we live. It is quite natural
to think about the ecosystem in which we live. Hence, the scholars in the Western
world like Heraclitus held that this world is a world of change. Similarly, the most
renowned enlightenment philosopher Emmanuel Kant held that this world is a
world of phenomenon where events keep on happening. Similarly, Einstein through
his theory of relativity has tried to convey that this world is a world of time and
space. Most of the intellectual traditions in the eastern world, be it Hinduism,
Buddhism or Jainism also talk about the lack of permanence in the world of matter
and always inspire to look for the world of permanence [You have now come to the
philosophy of time]. Hence one general consensus that can be inferred is that this
world is a world of time.
The very idea of time involves the idea of change. The nature of characteristic
of time is often expressed through philosophical statements like we do not step in
the same river twice. Similarly, the English proverb is time and tide wait for none.
The philosophic wisdom goes to the extent of suggesting that time is money. One
who does not value time will end up losing what best that person could have
achieved. Philosophy of time is such a central question of intellectual endeavor that
we can talk endlessly about its implications, its tendencies, the inherent messages.
Out of multitudes of meanings, interpretations, messages which the philosophy of
time gives, one very motivating message is from the Italian intellectual known for
his statecraft that is Machiavelli who held that prince should know the movement.
Hence, we should understand the time. Hence, in our quest for good life and the
various dictums associated with it, Machiavelli’s saying appears to be quite
motivating.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

 Above discussion shows that the question of good life is linked to person’s
understanding of time as well as the changing nature of this world. It is said that time
to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. If we deconstruct the statement, we can
reach to the hidden message. The word of wisdom here is any wise person
understands the unpredictability as inevitable feature of this world. As a human
being, we develop comfort zones, we have inherent tendency to look for stability as
well as order. However, it is said that man proposes, God disposes. It means that life does not
always move on predictable lines. It is not necessary that unpredictability always comes
with the challenges or adversities. Unpredictability and changes can also carry many
times pleasant surprises. At times, we may also be rewarded more than what we have
expected. Still the predominant human tendency is to look towards the darker
aspects of uncertainties of life. Hence, since childhood we have been made
accustomed to many such advices that how we should be handling the difficult times.
One pragmatic advise is preparedness. It is said that time may change and especially
when we are having a good time, we should not get complacent. While enjoying the
good times, it makes sense to prepare for any unwanted eventualities. Across
disciplines we see the advices or institutions based on the idea. Before understanding
further, the importance of taking preventive and timely steps, it is worthwhile to
understand the meanings of the terms used in the statement. Here the term ‘sun is
shining’ gives us the message of good times, roof gives the message of shelter, and
time to repair tells the importance of taking the proactive approach. The idea of
repairing in time is evident in almost all walks of life. The very idea of insurance in
modern economies, the idea of being prepared in handling the emergency, disasters
is now a very well-established principle of good governance. We can give numerous
examples across sectors where the idea is in operation. For e.g., the climate change
talks are aiming at to take preventive measures to deal with the climate changes
before it becomes unmanageable. Similarly, if we give example from India, the recent
steps by government to strengthen the border infrastructure, developing indigenous
capacity in the field of defence, the active diplomacy is to avoid any unwanted

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

development on the borders and not to repeat the mistake of 1962 when India was
caught unprepared giving opportunity to China to take the advantage.
None of the theories of modern-day governance or management practices can
ignore the importance of proactive preparedness, it is said that a stitch in time saves
nine. Though it is wise to take necessary steps to prepare for bad times when the
sun is shining because in good times it will be much easier for us to plan calmly. We
can reduce uncertainties, think more deeply and can take better decisions. Still there
is no guarantee that whatever we have prepared will work. Shakespeare has
expressed this dilemma of life in his famous play Macbeth when he says that this life
is a stage and we are actors… life is a tale told by an idiot. Hence there is no guarantee
that the preparations that we have done will work in the way we have planned. This
itself reminds us that challenge time throws. In fact, the lack of certainty is a test of
our personality. It is a test of our courage, endurance, perseverance, optimism and
above all, belief in oneself. The ancient Indian wisdom suggests Aham Brahasmi.
It is also worth mentioning how our forefathers have advised to deal with
challenges life throws at us. We can give reference to Krishna while addressing the
dilemma of Arjun who was fearful before the war where Krishna inspired for
Nishkama Karma. Similarly, Buddha who is known as light of Asia has proposed
Madhyam Marg to deal with uncertainties of life. We also take inspiration from
Nietzsche who held that man’s will to power can take him to become superman.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

 [Some philosophy on essay of democracy, dissent etc.]
à Amartya Sen in his book, ‘Argumentative Indian’ talks about India’s democratic
roots: from the debates between Gargi and Yajnavalkya in Chandogya Upanishad,
to Buddhist Sabhas and Samitis.
à “If all but one has a difference
Of opinion, we must listen…
For the truth can emerge from anywhere”
~ JS Mill, On Democracy

à It was rightly held by McIver that, “Every think is a child of his times” as the
prevailing situations shape the conclusions derived by one.
à Gandhiji, “Education without values is no education at all”.
à “Where the mind is without fear
and the head is held high
Where the knowledge is free …
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake”
~ Rabindranath Tagore
à Change begins from within
It is often said that when an egg breaks from outside, life ends. But when it breaks
from inside, life begins.
à Fake news is termed as ‘Infodemic’ by Somya Swaminathan, a WHO scientist
à “The thing about great people is that they do not sit back & let things happen to
them, they go out and happen to things” ~ Leonardo da Vinci
à India neither followed capitalism nor communism, it adopted a golden mean: a
Mixed Economy.
=== ==== ===
à I count him braver who overcomes his desires rather his enemies.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

à Death is the ultimate truth: As Buddha told weeping Kisa Gotami, who asked
him to resurrect her dead son, “Get me grains from a house without any dead”.
Unlike death, truth is not universal. The very fact that the Earth revolves around the
sun, was once considered blasphemy in Europe.
à Mahatma Gandhi, the ultimate champion of truth / satya, once said, “There are
many causes I would die for, but none I would kill for.” Thus, killing is morally
inferior to truth, even if it is based on call for justice such as capital punishment.
Such deaths need to be justified on high pedestal of morality, rather than being
presumed as truth.
Self-preservation being the ultimate human instinct, any cause for which a
human would die deserves our attention. The worth of human life is so high, that
we must treat such causes with difference.
IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE
à Auguste Rodin’s famous sculpture, The Thinker represents a man in deep
contemplation. It embodies the evolutionary divide between man and animal: the
ability to think, imagine and contemplate.
à If imagination is the canvas, knowledge is the paint. Imagination without
knowledge is useless, knowledge without imagination is mediocre, and knowledge
with imagination brings greatness.
à Today’s world is abundant with knowledge but imagination is scarce: Rodin’s
‘Thinking Man’ is nowhere to been seen while “Library of Alexandria” has
mushroomed everywhere.
à Imagination and knowledge go hand-in-hand: When Guru Dronacharya asked
his pupils to aim at the bird, it was only Arjun who saw the bird, while others were
distracted by their imagination.
à Scientists are known for their hunger for knowledge while artists seek
imagination.
à IBM developed a machine that could beat Gary Kasparov in a game of chess but
it could not outdo a high school student in a poetry competition.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh

à Ronald Reagan said, “Trust, but verify”.
à Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change
the world”.
à Rabindranath Tagore, “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at
the water”.

© Snehil Kunwar Singh