Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Lesson Intellectual Rubbish Summary, Line by Line Explanation, Theme along with difficult word meanings from English Kumarbharati Book
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Intellectual Rubbish Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English
Bertrand Russell
- Intellectual Rubbish Introduction
- Theme / Central Idea Lesson Intellectual Rubbish
- Intellectual Rubbish Summary
- Intellectual Rubbish Summary in Hindi
- Intellectual Rubbish Lesson Explanation
Intellectual Rubbish Introduction
Bertrand Russell, a renowned philosopher, offers a practical guide to avoiding foolish opinions. He argues that by following a few simple rules, we can protect ourselves from errors in judgment in today’s information-rich world.
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Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson Intellectual Rubbish
The lesson explores several key themes related to critical thinking, human behavior, and the pursuit of knowledge:
Importance of Critical Thinking – The importance of firsthand observation is highlighted as a means to verify or refute claims. The lesson emphasizes the need to question authority and rely on evidence, rather than blindly accepting claims. The text warns against narrow-minded thinking and encourages open-mindedness.
The Role of Fear and Superstition – The lesson explores how fear can lead to irrational beliefs and superstitious practices.The author emphasizes the importance of courage in overcoming fear and pursuing truth.
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Intellectual Rubbish Summary
Bertrand Russell, a renowned philosopher, offers practical advice on avoiding foolish opinions. He emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and personal observation, urging readers to question authority and seek evidence. Recognizing bias, especially when emotional responses arise from contrary opinions, is crucial. Exposure to diverse perspectives, whether through travel, social interaction, or reading diverse sources, can challenge one’s assumptions and broaden understanding. Imaginary dialogues with opposing viewpoints can sharpen arguments and identify potential weaknesses. Self-deception, stemming from self-esteem, nationalism, or human conceit, must be avoided. Fear, a significant source of superstition and irrational beliefs, can be conquered through courage and rational thinking. While critical thinking is essential, maintaining a sense of humor and tolerance for diverse beliefs is equally important. Some foolish beliefs, though irrational, can add to the richness and diversity of human experience. Ultimately, Russell encourages readers to think critically, question authority, and embrace a rational and enlightened worldview.
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Intellectual Rubbish Summary in Hindi
प्रसिद्ध दार्शनिक बर्ट्रेंड रसेल मूर्खतापूर्ण विचारों से बचने के लिए व्यावहारिक सलाह देते हैं। वे आलोचनात्मक सोच और व्यक्तिगत अवलोकन के महत्व पर जोर देते हैं, पाठकों से अधिकारियों पर सवाल उठाने और सबूत खोजने का आग्रह करते हैं। पूर्वाग्रह को पहचानना महत्वपूर्ण है, खासकर जब विपरीत विचारों से भावनात्मक प्रतिक्रियाएं उत्पन्न होती हैं। यात्रा, सामाजिक संपर्क या विविध स्रोतों को पढ़ने के माध्यम से विविध दृष्टिकोणों के संपर्क में आने से किसी के मान्यताओं को चुनौती मिल सकती है और समझ बढ़ सकती है। विरोधी विचारों के साथ काल्पनिक संवाद तर्क को तेज कर सकते हैं और संभावित कमजोरियों की पहचान कर सकते हैं। आत्म-सम्मान, राष्ट्रवाद या मानवीय अहंकार से उत्पन्न आत्म-धोखे से बचना चाहिए। अंधविश्वास और तर्कहीन विश्वासों का एक महत्वपूर्ण स्रोत होने के कारण भय को साहस और तर्कसंगत सोच के माध्यम से जीता जा सकता है। जबकि आलोचनात्मक सोच आवश्यक है, विनोद की भावना और विविध मान्यताओं के प्रति सहिष्णुता बनाए रखना भी उतना ही महत्वपूर्ण है। कुछ मूर्खतापूर्ण विश्वास, हालांकि तर्कहीन हैं, मानव अनुभव की समृद्धि और विविधता में योगदान कर सकते हैं। अंततः, रसेल पाठकों को आलोचनात्मक सोचने, अधिकारियों पर सवाल उठाने और एक तर्कसंगत और प्रबुद्ध विश्वदृष्टि अपनाने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करते हैं।
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Intellectual Rubbish Lesson Explanation
Passage: To avoid the various foolish opinions to which mankind are prone, no superhuman genius is required. A few simple rules will keep you, not from all error, but from silly error.
Word Meaning
prone: inclined to do something; likely to
silly error: a mistake that is foolish or unreasonable
Explanation: You don’t need to be a genius to avoid making silly mistakes. Just follow a few easy rules to keep yourself from making foolish choices. While these rules won’t prevent all mistakes, they can help you avoid the really silly ones.
Passage: If the matter is one that can be settled by observation, make the observation yourself. Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men, by the simple device of asking Mrs Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted. He did not do so because he thought he knew. Thinking that you know when in fact you don’t is a fatal mistake, to which we are all prone. I believe myself that hedgehogs eat black beetles, because I have been told that they do; but if I were writing a book on the habits of hedgehogs, I should not commit myself until I had seen one enjoying this unappetizing diet. Aristotle, however, was less cautious….
Word Meaning
cautious: Careful and avoiding risks.
hedgehogs: Hedgehogs are small, spiny mammals.
Explanation: If you can check something yourself, do it. Aristotle thought women had fewer teeth than men without actually counting them. He should have asked his wife to open her mouth so he could count and be confirmed about it. He didn’t because he thought he already knew.
Thinking you know something when you don’t is a big mistake. We all do it. The author thinks hedgehogs eat beetles because someone told him, but the author wouldn’t write about it until he saw one eating a beetle. Aristotle wasn’t as careful in this regard.
Passage: Many matters, however, are less easily brought to the test of experience. If, like most of mankind, you have passionate convictions on many such matters, there are ways in which you can make yourself aware of your own bias. If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If someone maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way… so whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.
Word Meaning
passionate convictions: Strong beliefs or opinions held with great intensity.
bias: A tendency to favor one side over another, often unfairly.
contrary: Opposite or different.
subconsciously: Without conscious awareness.
savage controversies: Fierce, intense, and often violent arguments or debates.
warrants: Justifies or supports.
be on your guard: to be on your guard means to be alert and cautious
evidence: factual information or proof
Explanation: Many things are hard to prove or disprove. If you strongly believe in something without good evidence, you might be biased. When someone disagrees with you and it makes you angry, it’s a sign that you might not have a good reason for believing what you do.
If someone says 2+2=5 or Iceland is on the equator, you’ll feel pity, not anger. You know they’re wrong. But when people argue fiercely about things without clear evidence, that’s when you should be careful. It’s possible that one’s belief is based on limited evidence or personal biases, rather than on objective facts.To put it simply, one might be getting too confident in something without having enough facts to back it up.
Passage: A good way of ridding yourself of certain kinds of dogmatism is to become aware of opinions held in social circles different from your own. When I was young, I lived much outside my own country-in France, Germany, Italy and the United States.
Word Meaning
dogmatism: The tendency to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.
social circles: Groups of people with similar interests or backgrounds.
Explanation: A good way to stop being too sure of your own beliefs is to learn about the opinions of people who are different from you. When the author was young, he lived in many different countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and the United States.
Passage: I found this very profitable in diminishing the intensity of insular prejudice. If you cannot travel, seek out people with whom you disagree, and read a newspaper belonging to a party that is not yours. If the people and the newspaper seem mad, perverse and wicked, remind yourself that you seem so to them. In this opinion both parties may be right, but they cannot both be wrong. This reflection should generate a certain caution.
Word Meaning
profitable: Beneficial or advantageous.
diminishing: Reducing or lessening.
insular prejudice: Narrow-minded or provincial prejudice.
perverse: Strange and abnormal.
wicked: Immoral or evil.
generate: Produce or create.
Explanation: The author found it really helpful to reduce narrow-mindedness by doing two things. First, if he couldn’t travel to different places, he would talk to people who had different opinions than what he had. Second, he would read a newspaper that supported a political party that he didn’t agree with.
If these people and their newspaper seemed crazy, strange, and evil to the author, he would remember that he probably seemed the same way to them. It’s possible that both sides could be partly right, but they can’t both be completely wrong. Thinking about this made me more careful about his own beliefs.
Passage: Becoming aware of foreign customs, however, does not always have a beneficial effect. In the seventeenth century, when the Manchus conquered China, it was the custom among the Chinese for the woman to have small feet, and among the Manchus for the men to wear pigtails. Instead of each dropping their own foolish custom, they each adopted the foolish custom of the other, and the Chinese continued to wear pigtails until they shook off the dominion of the Manchus in the revolution of 1911.
Word Meaning
custom: A traditional practice or belief of a particular group or people.
pigtails: In this context, “pigtails” refers to a specific hairstyle popular among Manchu men during the Qing Dynasty in China. It involved shaving the head except for a patch of hair on the front and sides, which was then braided into a queue that hung down the back.
dominion: Control or power over a territory or people.
revolution: A forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.
Explanation: Knowing about other cultures doesn’t always lead to good things. For example, when the Manchus took over China in the 1600s, Chinese women had small feet, and Manchu men wore pigtails. Instead of stopping their own strange customs, they started doing each other’s strange customs. The Chinese kept wearing pigtails until they got rid of Manchu rule in 1911.
Passage: For those who have enough psychological imagination, it is a good plan to imagine an argument with a person having a different bias. This has one advantage, and only one, as compared with actual conversation with opponents; this one advantage is that the method is not subject to the same limitations of time and space. Mahatma Gandhi deplored railways and steamboats and machinery; he would have liked to undo the whole of the industrial revolution.
Word Meaning
bias: bias refers to a person’s particular inclination or prejudice towards a certain idea or viewpoint.
deplored: Strongly disapproved of.
Explanation: If you can think deeply about things, it’s a good idea to imagine having an argument with someone who thinks differently than you. This is better than actually arguing with them in person because you don’t have to worry about time or distance as you are not travelling to meet them for the discussion.
Mahatma Gandhi didn’t like trains, boats, and machines. He wanted that the invention of machines and the onset of the Industrial Revolution should not have happened.
Passage: You may never have an opportunity of actually meeting any one who holds this opinion, because in Western countries most people take the advantage of modern technique for granted. But if you want to make sure that you are right in agreeing with the prevailing opinion, you will find it a good plan to test the arguments that occur to you by considering what Gandhi might have said in refutation of them. I have sometimes been led actually to change my mind as a result of this kind of imaginary dialogue, and, short of this, I have frequently found myself growing less dogmatic and cocksure through realising the possible reasonableness of a hypothetical opponent.
Word Meaning
refutation: The act of proving a statement or theory to be wrong or false.
cocksure: Overconfident and arrogant.
hypothetical: Based on supposition or theory rather than fact.
Explanation: You might never meet someone who disagrees with the common belief in Western countries that modern technology is great. But if you want to be sure that you’re right in agreeing with this popular opinion, you should think about what Gandhi might say against it. Sometimes, imagining this debate can make one change one’s mind. Even if it doesn’t, it helps be less stubborn and more open to other viewpoints.
Passage: Be very wary of opinions that flatter your selfesteem. Both men and women, nine times out of ten, are firmly convinced of the superior excellence of their own sex. There is abundant evidence on both sides. If you are a man, you can point out that most poets and men of science are male; if you are a woman, you can retort that so are most criminals. The question is inherently insoluble, but self- esteem conceals this from most people.
Word Meaning
wary: to be cautious or alert
abundant evidence: Plenty of proof or support.
retort: To reply quickly, often in a sharp or angry way.
inherently insoluble: Impossible to solve or explain.
self-esteem: Confidence in one’s own worth or abilities.
conceals: Hides or keeps something secret.
Explanation: Don’t believe everything that makes you feel good about yourself. People, both men and women, often think their own gender is better. There’s proof for both sides. Men can say most poets and scientists are men, while women can say most criminals are men. We can’t really decide who’s right, but most people don’t see this because they feel good about themselves.
Passage: We are all, whatever part of the world we come from, persuaded that our own nation is superior to all others. Seeing that each nation has its characteristic merits and demerits, we adjust our standard of values so as to make out that the merits possessed by our nation are the really important ones, while its demerits are comparatively trivial.
Word Meaning
persuaded: convinced
superior: better than others
characteristic: typical
trivial: unimportant
Explanation: People around the world often think their own country is the best. To make this belief stronger, they focus on their country’s good qualities and downplay its bad ones.
Passage: Here, again, the rational man will admit that the question is one to which there is no demonstrably right answer. It is more difficult to deal with the self- esteem of man as man, because we cannot argue out the matter with some non- human mind. The only way I know of dealing with this general human conceit is to remind ourselves that man is a brief episode in the life of a small planet in a little corner of the universe, and that for aught we know, other parts of the cosmos may contain beings as superior to ourselves as we are to jelly-fish.
Word Meaning
demonstrably: In a way that can be clearly shown or proved.
conceit: Excessive pride or self-love.
Brief: short
Episode: a part of something
cosmos: The universe considered as an orderly system.
aught we know: For all we know.
Explanation: The smart person will agree that there’s no single, correct answer to this question. It’s tough to discuss human pride because we can’t talk to beings from other planets. The only way to deal with this is to remember that humans are just a tiny part of a small planet in a vast universe. The author says that there could be beings far more advanced and intelligent than humans, just like humans are more advanced than jellyfishes (for instance).
Passage: Other passions besides self- esteem are common sources of error. Of these perhaps the most important is fear. Fear sometimes operates directly, by inventing rumours of disaster in war-time, or by imagining objects of terror, such as ghosts; sometimes it operates indirectly, by creating belief in something comforting, such as the elixir of life, or heaven for ourselves and hell for our enemies.
Word Meaning
elixir of life: A magical potion believed to give eternal life.
Explanation: Other strong feelings, like wanting to feel good about ourselves, can often lead us to make mistakes. But the strongest feeling that can lead us astray is fear. Fear can directly make us believe false things, like spreading rumors of danger during war or believing in scary things like ghosts. Sometimes fear makes us believe in things that make us feel safe, like a magic potion that gives eternal life or a good afterlife for ourselves and a bad one for those we don’t like.
Passage: Fear has many forms-fear of death, fear of the dark, fear of the unknown, and that vague generalised fear that comes to those who conceal from themselves their more specific terrors. Until you have admitted your own fears to yourself, and have guarded yourself by a difficult effort of will against their myth-making power, you cannot hope to think truly about many matters of great importance, especially those with which religious beliefs are concerned. Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the begining of wisdom, in the pursuit of truth as in the endeavour after a worthy manner of life.
Word Meaning
vague: unclear, indefinite, or hazy
endeavour: a serious attempt to do something
Explanation: Fear can show up in many ways. We might fear death, darkness, the unknown, or even have a general sense of unease without knowing why. Until we face our fears and learn to control them, we can’t truly think about important things, especially those related to religion.
Fear often leads to superstitions and can make us cruel. Overcoming fear is the first step to wisdom, whether we’re seeking truth or trying to live a good life.
Passage: There are two ways of avoiding fear: one is by persuading ourselves that we are immune from disaster, and the other is by the practice of sheer courage. The latter is difficult, and to everybody becomes impossible at a certain point. The former has, therefore, always been more popular. Primitive magic has the purpose of securing safety, either by injuring enemies or by protecting oneself by talismans, spells, or incantations. Without any essential change, belief in such ways of avoiding danger survived throughout the many centuries of civilisation….Science has now lessened the belief in magic, but many people place more faith in mascots than they are willing to avow… Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear. And for this reason poltroons are more prone to cruelty than brave men, and are also more prone to superstition…
Word Meaning
talismans, spells, or incantations: Objects, words, or phrases believed to have magical power.
primitive magic: Magic practices of ancient cultures.
Explanation: There are two ways to stop being scared:
- Pretending we’re safe: This means thinking we won’t get hurt or that bad things won’t happen to us.
- Being brave: This is harder and sometimes impossible, especially when we’re really scared.
Most people choose the first way, which is why people have always believed in magic and lucky charms. Even though science has shown that magic isn’t real, many people still believe in lucky things.
When people are really scared, they can do bad things. Brave people are less likely to do bad things, while scared people are more likely to do bad things and believe in superstitions.
Passage: But we have been getting too solemn. Superstitions are not always dark and cruel; often they add to the gaiety of life. I received once a communication from the god Osiris, giving me his telephone number; he lived, at that time, in a suburb of Boston. Although I did not enroll myself among his worshippers, his letter gave me pleasure. I have frequently received letters from men announcing themselves as the Messiah, and urging me not to omit to mention this important fact in my lectures.
Word Meaning
God Osiris: Osiris is an ancient Egyptian god, often associated with the afterlife, resurrection, fertility, and the vegetation of the Nile.
solemn: Serious, formal, and dignified.
gaiety: Cheerfulness and fun.
enroll: To register or sign up for something.
Messiah: A religious leader, especially Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the savior of humanity.
omit: To leave out or exclude.
Explanation: We’ve been too serious. Superstitions aren’t always bad or scary; they can actually make life more fun. Osiris is an ancient Egyptian deity often associated with the afterlife, resurrection, and fertility. When the author lived near Boston, he once got a letter from the god Osiris with his phone number. By jokingly claiming to have received a communication from Osiris, the author is emphasizing that superstitions, while often seen as irrational or harmful, can also bring joy and levity to life. Even though the author didn’t become one of his followers, his letter made him happy. He had also gotten letters from people saying they’re the Messiah and telling him to mention it in his talks.
Passage: I admire especially a certain prophetess who lived beside a lake in Northern New York State about the year 1820. She announced to her numerous followers that she possessed the power of walking on water, and that she proposed to do so at 11 o’clock on a certain morning. At the stated time, the faithful assembled in their thousands beside the lake. She spoke to them saying: ‘Are you all entirely persuaded that I can walk on water?’ with one voice they replied: ‘We are’. ‘In that case’, she announced, ‘there is no need for me to do so.’ And they all went home much edified.
Word Meaning
prophetess: A female prophet, someone who claims to receive divine inspiration.
faithful: Devoted followers.
assembled: Gathered together.
persuaded: Convinced or certain.
edified: Enlightened or spiritually uplifted.
Explanation: A long time ago, around 1820, there was a woman in Northern New York State who claimed to have divine powers. She told her followers that she could walk on water. One day, she said she would prove it by walking on a nearby lake at 11 am. Thousands of people gathered to watch. Before she started, she asked them if they all believed she could walk on water. They all shouted that yes, they did. Then she told them that if they believed, there was no need for her to show them and that they could go home now. And that’s what they did.
Passage: Perhaps the world would lose some of its interest and variety if such beliefs were wholly replaced by cold science…
Word Meaning
cold science: a reference to science as a purely rational and unemotional pursuit.
Explanation: The world might become less interesting and diverse if we only relied on cold, hard facts and didn’t believe in things that can’t be proven scientifically.
Passage: A wise man will enjoy the goods of which there is a plentiful supply, and of intellectual rubbish he will find an abundant diet, in our own age as in every other.
Word Meaning
abundant diet: A large quantity of something, especially food or drink
plentiful supply: A large amount of something
Explanation: Smart people will always find plenty of good things and silly ideas around them, no matter what time period they live in.