New novel explores nature of science, religion, god

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : May 12 2017 | 2:42 PM IST
Can reality be known to us as it is? Is modern science against religion and faith? Is atheism based on evidence? A new book seeks to find answers to these questions.
Penned by Haulianlal Guite, an IAS officer, "Confessions Of A Dying Mind: The Blind Faith Of Atheism" is a non-fiction book and references philosophical conversations to ascertain whether modern science shows god's non-existence, or the blindness of atheism instead.
The book is slated for release by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on May 19 here.
A 2011 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Guite at present is posted as the Officer on Special Duty in the State Finance Commission.
29-year-old Guite, who belongs to the north-eastern state of Manipur, narrates various stories woven into the plotline of the novel itself, as he explores the nature of science, religion, evidence, and even love.
On the need for "another book" on god, when thousands are already written, Guite, in an email interaction, said, "No author I know of has used the arguments presented herein the way I do."
"For example, the appropriation of the atheistic philosopher Quine in defence of the religious worldview. Indeed, I can confidently assert that most of the thoughts - experiments formulated, the analogies used, and the adaptation of some of the most influential ideas in philosophy, are completely new, and can be found nowhere else," he added.
He argues that because most books on god are written in a way that they end up being either "too shallow to be taken seriously or too deep" to be comprehended for the lay thinker.
"I believe the novel format gives a rather unique platform where a balance can be found. This is therefore an attempt to present arguments in the broadest manner possible, without having to sacrifice much in the way of philosophical depth," said Guite, a philosophy graduate from St Stephens College of Delhi University.
Published by Bloomsbury, the book is priced at Rs 599 and is available for pre-release order.

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First Published: May 12 2017 | 2:42 PM IST

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