Dr. S. Radhakrishnan's Religious Philosophy and Humanism

Abstract

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan's  basic philosophical position is a kind of synthesis of advaita vedanta and the philosophy of absolute idealism. He takes up the monistic character of the vedantic reality and combines it with some of the important aspects of   absolute idealism.  Like a vedantin he believes that the reality is one, like an absolute idealist he shows that everything is a necessary aspect of one. He is not only idealist. He was an great Humanist and Universalist.  His Philosophy describes spiritualistic Humanism. This article is argument of Radhakrishnan on the relation between humanism and religion.  Humanism assumes that man is by nature good and that evil rests in society, in the conditions which surround man, and if these are removed, man's goodness will emerge and progress will be achieved.  As against religion, humanism argues that this world is our chief interest and perfection of humanity is our ideal. The ultimate harmonious interrelation of all individuals with one another is the aim of humanism. Humanism admits these ultimate values and in this respect it implicitly accepts the spiritual view of the world, advocated by religion. Radhakrishnan opines that humanism overlooks the immortal longings, the intimations of sanctity, the hunger and thirst for holiness, the readiness to suffer persecution and martyrdom. Without the postulation of such a  spiritual centre, which will help us to co-ordinate the variety of unlike elements of which human nature consists, our life will have no integrity. Radhakrishnan analyzed the concept of humanism with his philosophical insights. Radhakrishnan argues that there is no conflict between religion and humanism because the inner feeling of the relation between God and man is bound to issue in the service of humanity.