by Fayyaz Khan

Created on: November 24, 2009

The greatest ideas developed in the history of mankind were not spontaneous emanations from the minds of individual geniuses. Rather, these ideas progressed over the course of years, even eons, to finally reach the stage they are in today. We will discuss here four of the greatest ideas Man has ever deveoped.

1. RELIGION

Some people flinch at the mere mention of the word 'religion'. To them, religion is an anathema to mankind. They equate religion with superstition, myth, and irrationality. While it might be argued that there is SOME element of superstition and/or myth in SOME religions, it is grossly unjust to simply brush away the whole concept of religion as a superfluous and counterproductive human enterprise. The truth is that religion has been phenomenally successful in providing Man with meaning and direction in life. Organized religion, in particular, provides Man with a workable set of ethics, moral codes, values, norms, practices, traditions, and rituals. It may bring this about through either viable institutions (e.g. Church) or scripture or both. Religion is a great social, political, and moral force and is certainly one of the greatest ideas developed by humankind.

2. MEDICINE

Imagine the following scenario. Mr X was in his usual state of excellent health when a few days back, he suddenly developed a high fever that has been waxing and waning like the tide of the moon. He has also been having headaches, body pains, and shivering. He feels nauseous and does not feel like eating anything. He decides to pay a visit to Dr Y, who gives him a few grams of a certain chemical to swallow. Mr X swallows those few grams of chemical and his health returns to normal in a few hours.

Remarkable, isn't it? Who was the first person to have realized that a few grams or milligrams of a specific chemical or drug could treat a person suffering from a physical or mental illness? We do not know the answer to this question, but the very idea that a few grams of a substance can treat a whole disease is a revolutionary idea that has enabled Man to overcome the most debilitating and fatal of diseases. This idea has spurred Man to develop a whole branch of knowledge known as the art of medicine.

3. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Science has allowed us to understand the world around us and, indeed, our own selves in a way that we have never understood before. It has been instrumental in bringing forth technological advancements that have revolutionized every branch of human endeavor.

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