Category:Modern Thinkers
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda characterizes modern thinkers—including scientists, philosophers, and the general public—as being trapped in the "I think" delusion. Instead of accepting authorized knowledge from the Vedas, they rely on their own imperfect mental speculation, saying "I think, I think," which Śrīla Prabhupāda dismisses as valueless. This speculative approach leads to the false conclusion that life is merely a combination of chemicals and that the universe is devoid of a Creator. Consequently, modern thought is obsessed with material advancement—skyscrapers, cars, and industry—while completely ignoring the unavoidable realities of birth, death, old age, and disease. This "gross ignorance" results in a risky civilization that has no plan for the soul's future.
- The "I Think" Syndrome: Modern thinkers rely on their own limited speculation rather than descending authority.
- Material Obsession: Success is defined by skyscrapers and cars ("worshiping matter") rather than spiritual realization.
- Chemical Delusion: The belief that life comes from matter (chemicals) is a fundamental error; matter actually grows from life.
- Cosmic Ignorance: They view the universe as empty rocks and sand, denying the Vedic conclusion that every planet is inhabited.
- No Future Plan: They focus on temporary enjoyment and set aside the crucial problems of death and the next life.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Modern Thinkers: The "I Think" Delusion.
Pages in category "Modern Thinkers"
The following 27 pages are in this category, out of 27 total.
I
- In modern civilization one thinks that if he has a nice home and a nice car his life is perfect
- In modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, they do not live very long. In this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali-yuga
- In the modern age a certain class of fools think that they can vote anyone into the position of God, as they can vote a man into the position of a political executive head. But the transcendental SPG is perfectly described in the authentic scriptures
- In the modern society, even a boy thinks himself self-sufficient and pays no respect to elderly men. Due to the wrong type of education being imparted in our universities, boys all over the world are giving their elders headaches
- Instead of worshiping Lord Visnu, people have been educated to worship matter. According to the direction of modern society, men think they can advance in civilization by manipulating matter to build skyscrapers, big roads, automobiles and so on
- It is very interesting to note how this verse (in SB 7.13.29) points to the body's growth from the spirit soul. The modern materialistic scientist thinks that life grows from matter, but actually the fact is that matter grows from life
M
- Modern advanced in science people, they think: "Oh, what is the use of asking bread in the church? Why not take to industry?" That is their aim. In India, especially, this is the situation
- Modern demons think that there was no life in the beginning of creation, but from Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that the first living creature created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead was Lord Brahma, who is full of Vedic understanding
- Modern scientists and philosophers do not think about these four things: birth, death, disease, and old age. They set them aside. - Oh, let us be happy. Let us enjoy this life
- Modern scientists are proud of their knowledge because they are discovering new methods to dominate the laws of material nature. They think that this is the advancement of human civilization
- Modern scientists mistakenly think that material nature is working independently and that things evolve by some chemical process only. However, life does not merely come from life or some chemical evolution
- Modern-day thinkers and philosophers are desperately trying to bring purity and unity into society
- Mucukunda knew well that every higher planetary system has a predominating deity. He was not ignorant like modern men who think that this planet earth is full of living entities and all others are vacant
T
- The Absolute Truth means, the origin of everything. Now the next question would be that "What is that origin?" The modern scientists, they think the origin is chemicals. But we say, "No. It cannot be chemicals."
- The Gosvamis' esoteric logic and profound analytical philosophy have not yet caught the attention of modern thinkers, and the burden of guilt for this discrepancy must indeed fall on us
- The modern civilization, everyone is thinking, "If I get a good wife and nice motorcar and a nice apartment, that is success." That is not success. That is temporary
- The modern philosophers think that without discriminating one cannot have pure knowledge. For them this answer is given by the Supreme Lord. BG 1972 purports
- The modern scientist, they can simply think of "conservation of energy" But where is that conservation, that they do not know. That is the missing point
- The modern so-called philosophers, scientists, scholars, they say: "I think. I think." What is your value? The great personality, they will not say like that. Never they will say
- The word uraga indicates that there are planets of enormous serpents. Such a description of the various planets of the universe may challenge modern scientists who think that all planets but this earth are vacant
- These modern philosophers or scientists may go on thinking that they can improve the world situation in their own way, but that is not possible. We are unhappy on account of being separated from Krsna
- This universe is full of living entities from top to bottom, on every planet (jiva-rasibhir akirnah). Modern scientists and so-called scholars think that there are no living entities on planets other than this one