RNDr. Vojtěch Ullmann
- philosophical and social issues -

This section of "AstroNuclPhysics" contains some of the author's observations and opinions philosophical and spiritual views, social attitudes, as well as comments on some political events (from an ethical point of view).......

   This thematic area is included only marginally in the professionally focused pages of AstroNuclPhysics and expresses my personal opinions and attitudes. I always strive for an objective view and evaluation, without any personal interests and ambitions, regardless of the current ruling ideology and trends imposed by the mass media. Therefore, perhaps this view may seem nonconforming and controversial to some. Nevertheless, I will be happy if readers think about these topics as well. If any of you, dear readers, have a different opinion and these attitudes make him angry and angry, believe that it is a misunderstanding : as people of good will *) we are " on the same boat " and in my opinions I speak for you, only maybe from another angle .
*) I do not assume that these pages will be read by people of will other than good ...
   I will only side with everything that serves the benefit of good and decent people , their mutual equality, freedom, tolerance, cooperation, justice, equal opportunities for education and all-round development. I then denounce the opposite phenomena and trends and call them by their real names . I believe in the prevailing human wisdom , goodness and nobility that need to be cultivated and protected from the will of selfish, proud and arbitrary people. This should be the main task of leftist movements.
  If some of the readers do not know that this is a well-meaning view from another angle and do not want to think about it soberly and without emotion, then I would like to ask that instead of anger and negative attitude, they ignore this whole topic and not connect it with others. professional topics on this site. I always emphasize what unites people and not what divides them! I ask for kind tolerance for different opinions and attitudes, as manifestations of the diversity and diversity of our beautiful world .
May all beings be happy !

Author's personal notes:

The lines below are not directly related to the issues discussed on this site. In them, I tried to briefly capture the paths of search that I took in my orientation in philosophical and social issues. I would like to ask that these certainly uninteresting and boring remarks not be read by ordinary visitors to this site, but only by those in whom the opinions and attitudes on the left arouse more lively interest (especially any negative interest - before condemning or labeling the author).

My interest in fundamental natural laws, which resulted in my study of physics and the choice of this field as a lifelong profession, always forced me to think about related philosophical issues and subsequently also social and political issues .

Since school years, I have been particularly interested in questions of the philosophy of knowledge (gnoseology, noetics), especially the knowledge of science - what is matter, space, time, what is their relationship to our consciousness; how life came into being, whether there is life elsewhere in the universe; whether God exists and how to understand him, etc. Since my school years, I have been interested in not only local ("Western", Christian) but also Eastern philosophy and theology ; Buddhism in particular appealed to me , which, with its tolerance, the proclamation of non-harm and bliss for all creatures, resonated very closely with my heart. Later I also got acquainted with some directions of Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism. Even in these philosophical and spiritual directions, I found many beautiful and inspiring ideas, especially about the unity of all being., harmony with nature, belief in the possibility of a humanistic human society. The search for God in me eventually resulted in what might be called " soulful atheism " or pantheism - God as a spiritual principle contained in the very essence of things and events. This concept seems to me to be fully compatible with scientific materialism , which is a natural professional platform for every physicist (and natural scientists in general).

As for attitudes towards different religions, churches, sects and denominations, I consistently profess religious relativism . Only limited people can believe in the self- salvation of a particular church or sect - that membership and the precise performance of certain prescribed rites will lead to "salvation," while all others will be "damned." Temples, ceremonies, rituals, ancient traditions, etc., can really play a positive role - they detach the mind from everyday influences and mentally evoke states of consciousness that are more open to spiritual inspiration . However, I say about religion understood in the usual dogmatic sense: religion belongs to a museum ! For two reasons:
1. In order to protect human society from the negative influence of dogmas that divide people and incite intolerance and hatred, which can result in crimes.
2. In order to keep the positive ethical and cultural message of the respective religions, it is protected from liquidation by a secularized consumer society.
And already completely untrustworthy, even repulsive, the churches affect me when they accumulate wealth and flatter the rich and powerful.

My ethical and social orientation was (in addition to the genetic dispositions, which we all have somewhat different) shaped primarily by the family environment in which I grew up. My parents and my aunt, who lived with us, were ordinary people, very modest and absolutely honest , without ambitions and ambition to exalt themselves above others. They practiced what is called "Christian love," but without idolatry and bygiveness, they did not force me or my brother into religion or church. They were never on either side, as I was then. My father also experienced the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, oppression on a large farm and German occupation. From his narration I learned about the arrogance and characterlessness of the rich and powerful , about the hypocrisy of idolaters and "heavenly goats," but on the other hand also aboutgoodness and honesty of many ordinary people and some teachers, priests, doctors (such a doctor whom his father knew well was Dr. Carnation).

At school, my ethical and social attitudes were influenced by some excellent teachers , especially Mr. František Jáchym - a type of wise and educated teacher, as if combining the noble efforts of the former national revival with the exact thinking of modern times.

All these influences, together with my inner foundation, resulted in my unequivocally leftist orientation , in respect for all decent people regardless of their property and status (on the contrary - I feel instinctive distrust of the rich and influential, especially when it comes to their behavior "see"). I evaluate people by what they are willing to do for others and for a good cause , not by what they are able to get (or more precisely " grab ") for themselves.
From our national point of view, I am a supporter of pan-independence : efforts to unite and cooperate with all Slavs. Not to exercise power and domination, but to set an example for other nations in innate peaceand goodness of heart *) - to be better in the world! In more detail " Czechoslovakia - our homeland ", passage " Historical roots - national revival, Pan-Slavism ". In general, however, I am a supporter of internationalism - the equivalence of all nations, their mutual cooperation, cultural inspiration and enrichment.
*) This is precisely the diametrical difference compared to a similar-sounding pangermanism , which promotes the hegemony of the German nation and its claims to expansion and domination over other nations.

Our house was in a nice natural environment by the ponds and the forest, which gave the opportunity to stimulate the love of nature, scientific and aesthetic inclinations - I describe it in more detail in the talk: " Poetry of life in the countryside " .

Vojtech Ullmann