Here is a very telling experiment with truth(As he calls it) by Mahatma Gandhi
Excerpts from his autobiography The story of my experiments with truth
Excerpts from his autobiography The story of my experiments with truth
Mahatma Gandhi was living in Girgaun Mumbai. His10 year old son, Manilal, was down with typhoid and pneumonia. Just few months ago he had suffered from small pox. He was already weak. The doctor who was taking care, looking at his condition told Gandhi that his son had to be given eggs and chicken broth as his medicines had no effect on Manilal's fever. Gandhi suggested milk instead. “your son’s life is in danger” said the doctor. Gandhi writes “To my mind it’s only on such occasions that a man’s faith is tested.”
He chose not to give chicken broth.
Remember, he is the same Gandhi who ate meat for almost one year while he was young! He could have easily gone the other way for this one occasion. As David Hume, famous British philosopher said, reason is only slave of passion. If he was not watchful, his reasoning mind could easily trick him to say, hey, this is not voilation of my religious faith, it is being caring towards your son. Reason, as it is a subordinate to strong emotion such as care for one's son could have come up with a plausible, practical looking, convincing alternative - give meat this one time.
Gandhi's conviction was stronger to sustain this wavering of the mind!
