For the overall development of the society, our country, and the world, scientific temper plays an important role. It expedites the development process.
We can define the scientific temper is an attitude of logical and rational thinking.
TESTS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC TEMPER
1. Looking toward new learnings i.e., a new body of knowledge.
2. Applying proof or test before accepting anything.
3. Challenge pre-conceived notions (subjectivity) and bring out conclusions on the basis of observational facts (objectivity).
Scientific methods such as questioning, observing, physical reality, testing, hypothesizing, analyzing, and communication is used as the major components of scientific temper development.
Parts of Scientific Temper: Discussion, argument, and analysis are its parts. It calls upon one to ask the 'how,' the 'why,' the 'what,' and the 'why' of an object, event, or phenomenon.
IMPORTANCE OF SCIENTIFIC TEMPER FOR AN INDIVIDUAL
It helps us to make more rational and informed choices in life and not merely an application of science.
It helps us to develop our value systems like:
1. PRUDENCE: the ability to make the right decisions at the right time.
2. WISDOM: scientific temper helps us to make decisions using our knowledge and experiences.
3. TRUTHFULNESS & TRUSTWORTHINESS: it reduces the role of prejudices or stereotypes and helps us to make impartial decisions based on merit.
4. INTEGRITY: it helps us to remain mentally strong, consistent, and uncompromised.
5. TOLERANCE: it helps us to respect differences & alternate perspectives. Very much needed for a culturally, religiously diverse society like India.
6. JUSTICE: enhances rationality due to scientific temper development; a rational person seeks justice based on the established rules as well as the principle of natural justice.
7. Promotes Aristotle's Golden Mean Principle, which strives for a balance between extremes, which result in the development of temperance i.e., moderation in action, thought, or feeling.
IMPROVED DECISION-MAKING CAPABILITIES.
Social capital can also be developed by the scientific temper, which leads to a sustainable and strong social relationship.
A scientific tempered person is difficult to be manipulated by providing false facts and figures. For e.g., Hindu-Muslim communalism in India, lone-wolf attacks in the U.S. and Europe, racism against Afro-Americans viz. death of George Floyd in Minnesota, U.S.
Scientific temper challenge dogmatic beliefs that act as roadblocks in the development of society w.r.t. Want of time. Civic sense can be boosted by inculcating scientific temper such as not to throw garbage on the streets, respecting the elderly, following traffic rules, etc.
CHALLENGES IN INCULCATING SCIENTIFIC TEMPER
Although scientific temper is a must for the healthy development of a society, it is also challenged by the fundamentalism, Godmen, or mystics.
Lacking practical based school education weakens scientific temper among the young generation. Confinement of scientific temper in books and lack of promotion in the physical world is also a challenge for the scientific temper development.
So, the development of the scientific temper among the people is the need of the hour. The socialization agents such as family, media, school, colleges, peer groups, etc. must promote scientific temper, society sensitization, enacting laws would be fruitful too.
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