The idea of Subjective Age in social philosophy of Sri Aurobindo

Abstract

The article submits an analysis of social conception of the Subjective Age by Sri Aurobindo. Aurobindo asserts that this discovery by individual free-thought of universal laws of which the individual is almost a by-product and by which he must necessarily be governed, this attempt actually to govern the social life of humanity in conscious accordance with the mechanism of these laws seems to lead logically to the suppression of that individual freedom. In place of the religio-ethical sanction there will be a scientific and rational or naturalistic motive and rule. Aurobindo writes that, there would grow up a fixed system of social morality and custom and a body of socialistic doctrine which one could not be allowed to question practically, and perhaps not even intellectually, since that would soon shatter or else undermine the system. On the other hand, there are in operation forces which seem likely to frustrate or modify this development before it can reach its menaced consummation. Aurobindo describes these forces. The article examines Sri Aurobindo’s social ideas in comparison with ideas of N. Berdyaev, D. Andreiev and T. de Chardin.