DIVERGENT OPINIONS ON KASHMIR: ANALYSIS OF THOUGHT ELEMENTS INVOLVED

INTRODUCTION

Primary objective here is not to give opinion on events, but to analyze widely circulated opinions. This will involve summarizing the two main opinions, understanding categories of thought elements involved in those opinions, giving historical perspective of those thought elements, and infer wider implications.

SUMMARY OF OPINIONS

First opinion is Chetan Bhagat’s “Times of India” editorial[1], urging Kashmiri youth to give up anti-India stance on practical grounds. Better career prospects for Kashmiri youth is the practical aspect. Argument being that India is economically strong, and therefore best equipped to enable good life for the youth. It goes on to give political options like eliminating article 370 for making India integration complete and viable.

Second opinion by Barkha Dutt[2] criticizes Chetan Bhagat’s editorial for not giving sufficient space to violent events in Kashmir valley. Events like killing of a major, killing of aspiring cricketer, response of killed major’s widow and so on. It goes on to give social option of “humanism”, that is to integrate Kashmiri youth with rest of India by sympathizing with them.

MY OWN OPINION ON THE SUBJECT

My opinion here essentially extends Chetan Bhagat’s opinion, to make explicit certain terms which I think should have been articulated. Intention here is to give moral foundations to his practical suggestions.

Chetan Bhagat rightly points out that Kashmiri people have 3 options. Politically integrate with India, or integrate with Pakistan, or get independence. I think sustainable economic growth requires political foundation, and that also should have been emphasized. Politics of Pakistan widely involves Blasphemy laws[3] and Blasphemy culture[4], history of dictatorships, and state sponsor of terrorism. These socio-political attributes show that Pakistan has also rejected secularism like other Islamic societies, in letter and more so in spirit.

No doubt there have been religious riots in post-independence India. But relatively secular environment ensures that slowly we are coming out from culture that breeds riots. Kashmir however remains the only place in India where religion based violence caused permanent demographic impact, exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. Article 370 and local support for it ensures lack of accountability for government authorities. Accountability through rational processes like audit and “Right to Information”, its absence making governance implicitly dictatorial. So not to same degree as Pakistan, but still secularism eludes Kashmir.

There are some more non-secular elements in India also. ShahBano case[5], and over involvement of government executives in Hindu private schools[6] off late being the examples. However, even implicitly blasphemous laws like censorship, or clauses of National Security Act that led to the arrest of Kamalesh Tiwari for making derogatory remark against Prophet Mohammad[7]. Worse case these penalties lead to ban or jail term for few years. There is no mass movement in India asking for severe punishment of those who disagree - vilify Hindu or any non-Islamic, non-Christian religion. Government involvement is complex and more in many cases, but sufficient checks and balances from auditor to courts have ensured that society remains relatively free [8, 9].

So my opinion is that Kashmir should integrate to India not on democratic but secular grounds. Just because majority of neighbors want your wealth does not mean that they have right to forcibly take it. Political implementation of this ethical argument gives criteria for strongly integrating Kashmir to India. From secularism, separation of religion and state, going to idea of Liberty. Accepting polytheism and rejecting over involvement of Government. Removal of License Raj by P.V Narasimha Rao government and its extraordinary effects giving basic motivation for pursuing Liberty in all social spheres.

Liberty and Secularism therefore offering foundations to practical and more specific arguments of Chetan Bhagat.

THOUGHT ELEMENTS IN OPINIONS

My own opinion in previous section was a digression. Central objective is to extract two types of thought elements in diverse opinions, and then analyzing nature and history of those thought elements. Different from mainstream media, Chetan Bhagat’s opinion had some implicit conclusions. Making those conclusions explicit was a preliminary step for analyzing the thought elements.

Opinions like those on Kashmir present some facts, and then interpret those facts. “Nature of interpretation” and “nature of facts selected” offer window into the minds of opinion makers, and therefore society’s culture in political realm. Accordingly I will analyze those thought elements.

FIRST THOUGHT ELEMENT, THE NATURE OF INTERPRETATION - EPISTEMOLOGY

Nature of interpretation in Chetan Bhagat’s argument: Problem statement here is that Kashmiri youth need a good future, and there are hurdles to it. Solution offered is greater integration to India through removal of article 370. Root cause analysis leading to solution being that article 370 empowers local politicians, without making them accountable.

Nature of interpretation in Barkha Dutt’s argument: Problem statement here is that Kashmiri people are suffering, and Chetan Bhagat should have emphasized that suffering more. Solution offered is integration with Kashmiri youth through “humanism” and resulting compassion. Unlike Chetan’s argument, there is no indication of how humanism will be achieved, and how does one sympathize with rumor mongering, stone pelting culture. How humanism will normalize the situation, perhaps by giving some specific historical examples where it worked. Even for a specific case cited, the killing of young cricketer from bullet, there is no indication whether the bullet belonged to terrorist or Army. And what were the specific events surrounding the killing.

Summary of epistemological difference:  So to summarize, Barkha’s solution is abstract and floating, without concretizing how it will be actualized. Chetan Bhagat’s solution can actually be implemented by first creating a mass Kashmiri movement citing ills of Article 370, and finally repealing it.

HISTORY OF FIRST THOUGHT ELEMENT

Introduction: Final solution of Chetan Bhagat is connected to facts, and has historical basis. In politics it’s the laws, good or bad, derived from mass movements that bring the change. Further, the laws like repeal of article 370 will lead to more government accountability and institutional integrity in Kashmir. American history from 1776 to 1860 shows how idea of Liberty got organically integrated into society from American Constitution. Ultimately leading to elimination of slavery. Barkha Dutt’s idea of humanism lacks factual reference and context (mentioning that same term was used by Vajpayee before is not a reference, but an abstract echo without content). It is so abstract that unless this term is connected to historical events and implementable methods, it can mean anything to anybody.

So what is the history of these two approaches? Logically and factually connected, history based opinion of Chetan Bhagat. And what is philosophically termed as “floating abstraction”, given by Barkha Dutt?

Method of logic was discovered by Aristotle around 340BC. And father of theory of “floating abstractions” in non-theological discourse is Plato, ironically who is Aristotle’s master.

Platonic and Marxist elements in Barkha Dutt’s arguments: It was integration of ideas of Jesus to Plato’s by Augustine in 4^th century AD, which made Christianity sustainable. It gave strong supernatural foundations to the idea of sacrifice by Jesus.

Plato considered every earthly object to be a pale reflection from supernatural reality. In his opinion, things like horse, ring, man, everything and every event had a supernatural counterpart. While the earthly reflection was imperfect, the supernatural source was perfect. Most importantly according to Plato, everything and every event on earth had to be directly connected to those intuitively grasped supernatural ideas. This approach intellectually justified floating abstractions by philosophically sanctioning context dropping. Concept of Christian God, everything in general and nothing in particular, was reached after taking few more steps in Plato’s theory of pure forms.

With idea of supernatural having such strong (though still illogical) explanation, it became easy to justify idea of sacrifice by Jesus. Since heavenly dimension is superior to earthly, it is right to obey those who command sacrifice in the name of God.

From 12^th century to 18^th century however, rediscovery of Aristotle’s ideas (which I will elaborate later), started undermining Christian thought process of sacrifice, based on intuitive grasp of supernatural dimension. Christian intellectuals and their sympathizers started looking for ways to bring back their deserting “flock”. And chain of ideas from Immanuel Kant to Hegel ultimately lead to Karl Marx. He reintroduced method of thinking which was essentially floating abstractions like Plato’s forms, Augustine’s God, sacrifice by Jesus; but designed to appeal inside Industrial society.

There was and never has been comprehensive evidence as to how “Dictatorship of Proletariats, the workers” will lead to prosperity. But then, Platonic methods never demand historical context or factual connection. Only connection demanded is to intuitively grasp very abstract ideals, “humanism” and “compassion” in case of Barkha. As the following Video of young Barkha using Marxist ideology on Kasmiri Pandit massacre and mass exodus, shows she is indeed a closet Marxist.

And so the thought element, “floating abstraction” in this case, has traveled from Plato to Augustine to Marx to her.

Aristotelian and scientific elements in Chetan Bhagat’s arguments: 

Lets come back to Aristotle. Rejecting his master’s theory of forms, Aristotle further conceptualized older Greek ideas, Anaxagoras’ existence in particular, to create philosophy that developed from idea of single reality, without the supernatural dimension. Categories of different things and events we perceive, using logic for understanding concepts of what we observe, and then applying method of Posterior analytics which is very similar to using experiments for developing understanding. These methods for thinking and acting are key achievements of Aristotle. So influential were his works in later part of Middle Ages in Europe, that Christian Saint Aquinas explained God in earthly rather than supernatural terms – “The Unmoved Prime Mover”.

Rediscovery of Aristotle through Aquinas led to Renaissance and Enlightenment in Europe. Scientific revolution started by Galileo and Newton, Industrial revolution started by James Watt, Electrical revolution by Edison and Tesla, Electronics and software revolution through Turing’s machine. Also Aristotle’s rediscovery in Europe led to American Revolution, and Adam Smith’s revolutionary ideas creating subject of Economics. “Never again in history have so many owed so much to one man”, this is what Ayn Rand wrote about Aristotle.

So brief adaptations and transmission of Aristotle’s ideas are as follows – Rediscovery through Aquinas in 12^th century, Renaissance involving Galileo, enlightenment starting with Newton, distortion of his ideas by Immanuel Kant in 18^th century, distortion of Logical Method by Hegel in 19^th century, rediscovery and improvement of Aristotle’s ideas by Ayn Rand in 20^th century, Libertarian movement partially adopting Ayn Rand’s ideas through John Hospers[10], India’s Liberalization of 1990 due to growing influence of Libertarian movement, and Chetan Bhagat becoming first purely market driven intellectual post Liberalization.

Like Aristotle, in his editorial Chetan Bhagat looks for facts, categorizes them, explains the relevant attributes, connects those facts using key concepts, and is therefore able to give practical solution. Unlike Barkha his abstractions are not floating, but they are not completely comprehensive either. Just as Libertarian movement is handicapped by distortions originating from Kant and Hegel, Chetan Bhagat is not able to rise one more notch to connect using concepts of Liberty and Secularism. But overall his opinion is breath of fresh air, in a way taking forward solution gropings of past intellectuals like Shekhar Gupta’s argument[11], to their logical conclusion.

SECOND THOUGHT ELEMENT, NATURE OF THE SELECTED FACTS – SENSIBILITY

Prior to interpreting facts for forming opinion, one has to select some facts from array of events. Here I analyze the kind of facts two opinion makers regard as primary.

Sensibility of Chetan Bhagat: The primary focus here is to build one’s life, career being the main aspect. The most suitable representatives are selected in the context, Engineers. Negative events like antagonism of Kashmiri public comes up, because it leads to situation like that in NIT Srinagar. And such events act as hindrance to the student aspirations. So in the nutshell, achievements of values involving positive life goals is a primary. Elimination of negative forces is the means to enable and accelerate the positive achievements.

Sensibility of Barkha Dutt: The primary focus here is negative, death and misery. The violence, the recent protests against army, the killings, these are the facts that concretize negative elements. In overall context, person striving to be a cricketer is token fact at best, because he is selected for his misery and not talent. Floating abstraction “humanism” is the only positive piece offered. So in nutshell, death and misery is the focal point, particular positive aspect is non-essential to the argument, and abstract ideal is disconnected from reality.

History of ideas behind Barkha’s sensibilities – ideas that enabled her to select certain facts for the opinion: Here too we go back to Plato. Plato’s justification of most ideas is rooted in his conception of two realities. The earthly reality is imperfect, and supernatural world of forms is perfect. Idea of circle is perfect, the circles in world like ring and round stone are imperfect circles derived from perfect circle.

Augustine came up with his view of man’s nature from this Platonic premise, the view that was later accepted by Christian intellectuals. He identified man’s essential attribute, his knowledge as his original sin. Adam, Eve, and humans being earthly are depraved, because they refuse to obey their creator consistently. The depravity of man is not limited to some of his actions, it’s in his nature, making it his original sin. So intellectuals with Platonic premise who focus on earth, most of the times they focus on the human imperfections like death and misery. For Marx focus was on class struggle and resulting violence, and so is for Barkha. Her floating abstraction echoes Plato’s “pure forms”, Augustine’s God, Marxist utopia – cut off from reality.

History of ideas behind Chetan’s sensibilities – ideas that enabled him to select certain facts for the opinion: Aristotle is the man of this world who rejected his master’s supernatural. Desire to understand this world lead to discovery of categories, logic, and analytics. His ethics of golden mean, though deficient, always looked up to best and wisest Greek people for guidance on the right and good. For him man was a magnanimous being capable of heroic deeds, and literature should motivate him by projecting “as he ought to be” (rather than what he is). Similar view of man was the premise of John Locke when he wrote treatise on government around 17^th century. And this view got transmitted to America’s founding fathers and constitution.

Most of the corporate structures we see today are implicitly derived from this American view, though even in corporations this view is somewhat undermined by Marxist and Kantian ideologues. So when Chetan Bhagat with his corporate background urges youth to focus on their careers, their life goals deriving political choices. He is echoing Aristotle’s love for life on earth. A man capable of building his life by applying reason, and if needed by creating the right political environment that enables him to exercise reason.

CONCLUSION

So here we have our material. The problem of Kashmir, opinions from two influential opinion makers, their epistemology and their sensibility. The choices we make, like the followers of Plato and Aristotle, will determine the destiny our lives and civilizations take.

We can focus on the greatness our lives are capable of. Or we can stretch bad and miserable beyond necessary. We can either choose method of thinking that connects to floating abstractions using intuition. Or we can develop abstractions from facts using categories, logic, and analytics. Applying the right principles to act purposefully.

I have made my choice…. Have you?

REFERENCES

[1] http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-underage-optimist/letter-to-kashmiri-youth-even-if-you-dont-like-india-heres-why-your-best-bet-is-to-integrate-jk-with-it/

[2] http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/open-letter-to-chetan-bhagat-on-kashmir-from-barkha-dutt-1397145

Copy - http://roarkedforgood.blogspot.in/2016/05/copy-of-barkha-dutts-column-on-response.html

[3] Blasphemy laws in Pakistan - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12621225

[4] Pakistani teenager cuts his hand for accidental blasphemy - https://www.rt.com/news/329180-pakistan-boy-cuts-hand/

[5] Shah Bano case - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohd._Ahmed_Khan_v._Shah_Bano_Begum

[6] How Sonia’s UPA Communalised India’s Education System - http://swarajyamag.com/ideas/how-sonias-upa-communalised-indias-education-system

[7] http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-here-s-why-1-lakh-muslims-are-demanding-death-penalty-for-kamlesh-tiwari-2154898

[8] Striking down of Internet censorship by courts http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-strikes-down-section-66-a-of-the-it-act-finds-it-unconstitutional/article7027375.ece

[9] CAG Report on Coalgate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_coal_allocation_scam#March_2012._Draft_CAG_Report_on_Coalgate

[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hospers#Friendship_with_Ayn_Rand

[11] http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/national-interest-disarming-kashmir/1204466/5

Study-Group on How iPhone was conceptualized and developed

Look at your mobile phone, and the mobile phone of people around you. Chances are that these devices will either be iPhone by Apple, or Android based phones from Samsung, Xiomi, Lenovo, or Sony. Small differences between the two types apart, they are overwhelmingly similar in overall look, use and feel. Just ten years back, smart phone market was filled with very different devices. Ranging from Nokia N series phones dominating the product category, to Motorola devices, to Blackberry by RIM. What was that which transformed the mobile devices landscape in a short span of 10 years?

Multi-touch technology and software innovations like virtual keyboard were the primary drivers of this world altering change. Taking keyboard hardware out of the picture, and allowing the extra space to be used for better display experience while using the phone. How did these ideas originate? Who were the key people behind these ideas? What were the motivations of these people? What was their background and work experience? How these ideas then transformed into a delightful product?

Study-Group is a powerful medium to get in-depth knowledge of subject, and I invite you to study How iPhone was conceptualized and developed. Having spent almost 5 years in various study-groups, I now move on to understand something that deeply impacts many or all of us. Check out following link to understand how exactly the journey will begin, proceed, and conclude.

http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?/topic/29186-study-group-on-how-iphone-was-conceptualized-and-developed/&do=findComment&comment=340882

OR (if above doesn't work)

http://forum.objectivismonline.com/ -> Browse -> Forums -> The Laboratory -> The Objectivist Study Groups -> BECOMING STEVE JOBS: HOW A RECKLESS UPSTART BECAME A VISIONARY LEADER

Steps are as follows :
1. Signup in objectivismonline.com forum
2. Login
3. Goto the following forum
-------------------
http://forum.objectivismonline.com/ -> Browse -> Forums -> Science and the Humanities -> Engineering & Technology -> STUDY GROUP ON HOW iPHONE WAS CONCEPTUALIZED AND DEVELOPED
--------------------

4. Convey your intent by posting in this thread. The post can be as small as containing the text “I will participate”. However I think if you post your work, education, and personal information (like Hobbies and activism related activities), it will lead to better collaboration with other Study-Group members.

5. Actual Study-Group will take place in this thread starting 11th July for 5 weeks

Please message me if you face any problem in understanding or implementing the steps mentioned.

This is my facebook profile - https://www.facebook.com/rohin.gupta.18

Net Neutrality wins, India and "true entrepreneurs" lose.

I disagree with TRAI guidelines because its NOT the job of government to enforce what it thinks are right actions in market, or classify individual actions as charitable or profit driven. Government is instituted to protect rights of those who choose to deploy resources. As long as businessmen deploying resources are working voluntarily with stakeholders, and none of these stakeholders are complaining of any breach of promised terms, government has no right to ban anything. In fact, in case of free basics, at best government should impose fine IF TERMS OF CONTRACT ARE VIOLATED, and that too through courts, when the stakeholders approach it.

Petitioning government to stop private individuals from collaborating is an assault on Liberty. Fullstop, no but.

I don't consider other ISPs or web platforms as stakeholders, because neither they are providing resources for free basics, or are consumers of free basics. If they think free basics will make them noncompetitive, then like any business they should innovate or sell their assets. Thats what Apple did when it faced existential crisis while competing with Microsoft, which also was market driven(rather than government driven) monopoly.

Multiple alternatives are not the essence of Liberty, but its consequence. Essence of Liberty is to act according to one's rational conclusions. There is no guarantee that these conclusions are full proof. But nobody has right to force you to not act. But this is precisely whats happening. Facebook is being forced not to act according to what its stakeholders think is right.

Possible refutations

>In this case who gets to decide what's good >for the public and what gets to be included in >the free basics:

>1) Is it the public by some up voting mechanism?

>2) Is it the government?

>3) Or is it the businesses?

None. Its the market that decides. Market here referring to complete set. If free basics is pushing useless ads or not offering whats required, then its consumers will either spend less time or switch to paid carriers if they find value.

>Or the next innovative service born out of a >garage project by the next Mark Zuckerberg? >Who may probably not have resources to >compete with the Facebook!

>Would Facebook have even existed today if >the free basics was launched (by Microsoft or >google) before it's inception in 2004, and told >facebook "Resistance is futile. You will be >assimilated"?

Let me give you an example from evolutionary biology. Mammals did not evolve from Dinosaurs, birds did. The ancestors of mammals struggled till asteroid wiped out Dinosaurs. If nature had decided to give equal space to both mammals ancestors and Dinosaurs, then I don't think mammals would have developed such sophisticated skills as perception mechanism or neuro mechanism, which ultimately lead to Humans.

True, if there was free basics at the time of facebook, it would have taken more time. But I think it would then have been even better. Perhaps incorporating features of Quora, twitter, and reddit. An example is Disney. For long it had monopoly over animation films. But once its quality deteriorated, it was forced to collaborate with Pixar for Toy Story. Rest is history. Pixar didn't knock "Department of Justice" saying it wants equal distribution for animation. It improved its story telling, and its technology.

Similarly, if poor do not gain sufficient value, they will opt out or move on, leaving facebook's investments in soup. And here, there still are other carriers, and potential last mile internet innovations like set top box to compete for.

So "survival of the fittest" has to be determined by market. Which is a place where government only protects breaches of contracts. And the players collaborate based on what they think is right.

GENESIS by QUENT CORDAIR

BOOK REVIEW

GENESIS

(IDOLATORY BOOK 1)

INTRODUCTION

Genesis is a novel written by Quent Cordair. It shows struggles of a sculptor and his loved ones, in early Byzantine culture. At a more abstract level, the novel indirectly touches a very important subject. Role of art in development of cognitive methods.

Epistemological and aesthetic literature which we know of, this role of art is not very clear. At best we have philosophical treatises in aesthetics like Ayn Rand's The Romantic Manifesto, or Artistotle's Poetics, or more recently portions of The DIM Hypothesis by Dr. Leonard Peikoff. There is also a book which I have not read, Metaphysics in Marble by Mary Ann Sures, which looks to be more relevant in the context of this novel.

There are clues in these books, and it should be possible to develop more comprehensive theories by also including material from Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology and Objectivism : The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. "Concepts of Consciousness" chapter from the former, and section on emotions from the latter. Overall, answer to the question "How exactly do artistic creations inspire men to think?"; the answer is a greenfield with lots of potential.

The book can play an important part in actualizing this potentiality. Digression on deeper philosophical meaning apart, let me now move on to primary purpose of this review, the synthesis and analysis of important aspects in this work of fiction.

THEME

“Pursuit of Happiness” is no longer just a narrow slogan. It is the phrase that has built a nation, and America has transformed the world. The subset of this phrase can be “role of art in pursuit of happiness”. From readings of the book, and also Idolatory Book 2, this role of art is the emphasis that stands out.

What differentiates Book 1 from Book 2 is the subject. While in Book 2 we have Businessmen, Journalist, Philosophers, and other people, using art to gain joy. In Book 1 the connection is more direct. Here we have mainly artists, using their artworks to gain emotional fuel for their life.

In short, the theme of this novel is – Role of art in the pursuit of happiness, mainly for artists.

PLOT-THEME

Quent Cordair has chosen sculpting as the art form to convey theme. Medieval age, just after the fall of Roman Empire forms timeline. A small town in Byzantine Empire forms the primary location. Alexandria and Thebes in Egypt, and a southern Greek town very briefly, are secondary locations where the plot moves.

True to theme, main emphasis is the pursuit of positive goal, to complete ideal sculpture. This involves internal as well as external struggles. Internal struggles are for gaining artistic clarity, and span across decades. Courage to pursue sculpting, despite the growing influence of Christian fanatics, constitutes the external struggles of the main sculptor.

So the plot theme can be summarized as - Pursuit of sculptor to gain artistic clarity and then build great idols, amidst Christian culture increasingly hostile to such creations.

PLOT

The plot-theme connects various plot elements, unified to convey how sculpting impacted the lives of key characters. Various plot elements are as follows:

1.)    Development of sculpting sensibilities: This involves artistic growth of main sculptor Apollonius, and his adopted son Myron. While primarily self-driven, the growth secondarily also includes various sources, which form remaining plot elements.

For Apollonius, trajectory includes surveying existing artifacts like Egyptian statues and the Greek modello, making prototypes using clay, studying history of sculpting, reading philosophy and literature in general, building relationships with toolmakers and potential clients, and collecting suitable raw material. Most importantly, it includes time spent with Kheimon, and time spent in her recollections, to develop inspiration for magnum opus.

For Myron, learning curve involves watching Apollonius work, practicing with first old and then new tools, observing animals and artifacts in Constantinople trip, helping Apollonius in his commissions, talking to the modello etc. Like Apollonius with Kheimon, Myron also finds his inspiration in Sira.

Considering his age, the conflict Myron faces is significant. This involves pursuing sculpting with limited access to tools and materials, and not having sufficient verbal ability to convey his interest to Apollonius.

2.)    Struggles of Apollonius in increasingly antagonistic Christian culture: Struggles range from intellectual and material, to outright violence. Intellectually in this culture, artistic highlighting of human attributes is discouraged. Idol creation is considered bad, because it elevates man to the level which Christians reserve for God.

This intellectual rebellion against the pagans has material implications for Apollonius. He is not able to find enough clients, or suitable material like bronze. So at times he has to do masonry to make ends meet. He is able to overcome intellectual challenge by studying ancient Greek literature, and material challenge by persisting for decades.

Apollonius faces violence multiple times for being a sculptor. In his native of Southern Greece, in his travails to Alexandria, in Alexandria itself, and in the Byzantine town he settles for later on. In Alexandria and the town, he spends years to build a career and business. But while the process is mostly enjoyable despite material and intellectual struggles, each time he faces a bitter end. The escape from violence of Alexandria has a big emotional cost. And it takes lively spirit of Myron for Apollonius to recreate his aesthetic sensibilities.  

Myron witnesses this aspect of struggle only in the climax.

3.)    Development of Apollonius-Myron relationship: When Apollonius discovers sculpting genius of Myron, he takes him to Constantinople for seeing variety of sculptors. He also starts involving him in commissions like the Fountain.

Apart from the fact that Myron learns sculpting from Apollonius, there is parent-child relationship. Apollonius gives sensible lessons to Myron. Like teaching him what to do in emergency situation, or how to deal with the conflict involving possibility of separation with Sira. Apollonius deeply thinking about Myron’s future in sculpting and his probable struggles, this shows how highly the boy is valued.

Master’s goal being made his own reflects Myron’s immense respect for Apollonius, the reciprocity in professional and personal reverence.

4.)    Development of Apollonius-Kheimon relationship: Their actual interactions mainly involve discussing disagreements in philosophy. Apollonius being Aristotelian looks at greatness in man, but Platonism of Kheimon stops her from focusing too much on earthly attributes. In their second close interaction, they also open up about their troubled past.

Kheimon starts off as a knowledgeable teacher to Apollonius, of various sciences. After the time spent in Thebes, she becomes love interest of Apollonius. When she is killed and Apollonius has to flee Alexandria, her memory remains constant source of inspiration for Apollonius. Whether it’s her pagan sensibilities, her intelligence, or her body structure; Apollonius thinks about each aspect very often.

Apollonius actualizing his vision of hers in Fountain sculpture forms the climax of relationship. The depth of his love is realized when he bids final goodbye to her sculpture.

5.)    Development of Myron-Sira relationship: It’s the case of love at first few sights. In the initial glimpses itself they realize how joyous and mutually compatible each other’s sensibilities are. Given the constant proximity of Sira’s family, they get very little time alone. But they make the most of those lonely moments, and their courtship progresses swiftly.

The extent of their affection is realized when Myron worries about probability of separation, and Sira in turn agrees to elope. If they had ended up together, it’s clear that Sira would have been perfect spouse for Myron. Motivating him to sculpt and also handling business aspect of sculpting…!

6.)    Climax: All these five plot elements converge in the climactic scene, which takes place near the Fountain and in the Workshop of Apollonius. Apollonius’ and Myron’s primary motivation for sculpting, former’s reverence towards Kheimon, latter’s desire to pay tribute to master by actualizing the full version of Modello, and how much they value modello is depicted. These and few more value judgments form emotions that drive action in the climax. Rationalizations and brutalities of Christianity, which are used for crushing Idols and Apollonius are also vividly demonstrated.

Under siege from Bishop, prefect, soldiers, and even his neighbors, moral certainty and courage of Apollonius are the main highlight of this climatic scene. Rational actions of Myron, derived from lessons learnt from Apollonius form final part of the closing chapter. Sira’s passion for Myron and what he stands for is also dramatized in this final act.

CHARACTERS

1.)    Apollonius: Very gifted in his craft, extremely focused, and hard working. Strong willed to the extent of making his profession the “central purpose of his life”, against all odds dominating the culture. Purposefulness reflected in all his actions, big or small.

He buys and transports good quality marble stones at high cost. Preserves deeply aesthetic model from ancient Greece along with those marble stones, until he is able to clearly visualize what he wants to create. He makes Myron his apprentice when he realizes that Myron has cultivated exceptional talent for sculpting.

He deeply values Myron even though adopted. These value judgments are also reflected in his concerns when Myron is in his teenage. And also how he prepares him for contingencies.

Though emotionally he becomes bitter over time, due to traumatic memories of violent experiences. But his intellectual and artistic aspects remain intact till the very end. This bitterness still had an impact on his artistic goals. And only after many years, when Myron starts showing promise, does he regain benevolent sense of life completely.

Another aspect of Apollonius is visible in his conversations with Kheimon, when he was sculptor in Alexandria. These show deep influence of Aristotle, resulting consequence being love for this-worldly. His admiration and love for Kheimon also shows deep respect for rational and philosophical thinking, even if the thoughts and their products are sometimes flawed (Platonic in Kheimon’s case).

To conclude, all his actions are determined by centrality of purpose, and central purpose of life comes from being a deeply rational valuer.  

2.)    Myron: He has very joyous sensibilities and extraordinary gift for sculpting. He developed the talent, initially by observing Apollonius work, and then by experimenting secretly. The dexterity in craft can be inferred from the rabbit and hunting fox he secretly created, which Apollonius mistakes for being real. Plus his creation of Antelopes and Elephants, based on very little observation.

His love for Sira shows different aspect of his joyous sensibilities. He is attracted to her beauty filled with innocent exuberance. And like in sculpting, he acts decisively once his passion is confirmed. He pursues courtship, and later elopement, with great clarity of purpose to pursue values.

3.)    Sira or Siranush: Deep Romanticism, depicted when the novel begins, forms her essence. Like Apollonius and Myron, she too has Aristotelian sensibilities. It is clear from her dealings with Aristocratic lady, that she is quite energetic and extremely good in selling various household items.

On seeing Myron and the Fountain, her romantic sensibilities are objectified. She falls in love with Myron from the beginning. Like Myron, she too is committed to pursue her values (realized only as passions at her age). Clarity on importance of various relationships motivates her to elope, even though she has just met Myron.

There is an element of tragedy in where she ends up, but that is negligible compared to the attraction one feels every time she enters the scene.

4.)    Kheimon or Hypatia: Kheimon is the nickname with which Apollonius calls her. Real name is Hypatia, and her fictional character is derived from the actual historical figure of Alexandria. She comes off as a conflicted intellectual. Her philosophy is Platonism, but it is in conflict with her pagan sensibilities and interests.

Unlike Apollonius who studies the details of Thebian statues, she is studying their location with respect to sun. She has good knowledge of history of sculpting, as is clear from her conversations about ancient sculptor Phidas. Her knowledge of philosophy of Ancient Greeks is also demonstrated from her conversations. She often co-relates her view of God and man to the sculptures she sees.

      Her political leanings against the rising tide of       Christian cult leads to her violent death.

5.)    Peter: Villain in the novel, he comes across as manipulative demagogue. Using Christian scriptures to justify his destructive agendas. Glorifying original sin and suffering to crush the joyous in man. Joyous here symbolized by Apollonius, Myron, and their masterpiece sculpture.

As is clear from his violence driving past, scriptures for him are just a means to justify malicious actions.

6.)    Valerius, patron of Apollonius: Valerius was a retired governor from Roman province. He discovered talent of Apollonius, when restoration of his villa was being done. He funded the Fountain, because he wanted the lasting legacy. Most importantly, he gave free reign to Apollonius for choosing subject.

STYLE

Primary challenge here was recreating details of people and cities almost 2000 years old. Getting into the depth of sculpting methods and its logistics was another challenge. Connecting sculpting artifacts to wider philosophy and history was the third challenge.

Description of tools, materials, and processes show the hard work of sculptors we rarely realize. Integration of craftsmanship to heroism is done through philosophical conversations, and demonstrates aesthetic professionalism.

The sculpture of Fountain is described in a very tender way, creating a perfect image in reader’s mind. Quent Cordair shows deep knowledge of motivations, methodologies, art, and philosophy in general. Whether it’s in introduction of Apollonius through Sira, his conversations with Kheimon, in development of his ideas and sculptures, or in discovery and training of Myron in sculpting; in each of these parts the depth of knowledge of sculpting is clearly visible.

The Byzantine, Egyptian, and Greek towns are described with sufficient details. This gives good imagery of era we are not very familiar with. Author’s understanding of Christian scriptures, and understanding of psychology of Christian fanatics is also very comprehensive. The quotations of Peter show how supernatural worldview in essence is antithesis of earthly and joyous.

CONCLUSION

Evils mentioned in the novel are not just ancient history, but are coming back in different form. It is important to understand these and their essence, in order to fight them. Concretization of Medieval Christianity and Platonism gives this understanding.

However, primary takeaway should still be positive. As I mentioned in the beginning, role of art in building cognitive methods is not very clear. What is quite clear is one fact. Across history art has acted as ante-room for philosophical theories which impact our lifestyle today. Old Testament, mainly a collection of stories, led to more philosophical New Testament. While Quran is considered to be dominant influence in Islamic culture, methods of interpreting it have changed across ages. Al-Ghazali’s 11^th century philosophical treatise gives faith based interpretation, which is very dominant. So powerful is his influence, that educators in current Pakistan interpret even Chemistry texts using his faith based techniques. The stories of Quran and Hadith acted as aesthetic motivation for Al-Ghazali.

Like Quent Cordair, Apollonius, and Myron, the New Intellectuals should always look for the Best within us. Study of evil should be limited, just enough to keep it away from hindering pursuit of goodness and greatness. Aristotle’s and Ancient Greek thought process in general was inspired by Homer’s Illiad, sculptures like those in Parthenon, and plays like those by Sophocles. Foundations of Ayn Rand’s own thought process are also artistic. She was deeply inspired by works of Victor Hugo. As she gained clarity of her heroic vision, her philosophical ideas also matured. Development process of Howard Roark and John Galt in that sense is not very different from the approach of Apollonius and Myron. One can imagine her talking to Galt while writing the speech, the way Myron talked to Modello.

Aesthetics as ante-room for Epistemology, I think is some steps away from role of art in pursuit of happiness. In contemporary world best illustration is provided by two individuals. Both very intelligent and extremely hard working for decades. Only major difference between the two being that one person was deeply moved by art in particular and philosophy in general, the second was too focused on engineering and did not give sufficient attention to art or philosophy. First ended up becoming greatest innovator of all times, building pioneering products like Macintosh, iPhone, iPod, and iPad. The best achievements of Bill Gates are Windows, a more open variation of Macintosh. Xbox, a reengineered playstation. Lotus Notes and eDirectory inspiring Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Active Directory respectively. All his innovations are incremental in bigger scheme of things, compared to The Fountainhead nature of Steve Job’s achievements.

Intellectuals and artists can become what they ought to be, if likes of Quent Cordair keep developing such astonishing works. From what I have read of Idolatory Book 2 ”The New Eden”, political, legal, and economic elements are added to the theme. Plus the events are mostly contemporary. I will be really interested to know how this new book ends, and how ambiguous ending of Book 1 turns out to be.

Four stars reflect my slight disappointment with incomplete ending, in what is otherwise a consummate piece of literature. 

(Complete book available here.)