A Tribute to Dr. Govinda Chandra Dev

In the history of the philosophy of the Bengalis, Professor Dr. Govinda Chandra Dev (1 February 1907- 26 March 1971), popularly known as Socrates of the east, was an eminent humanist philosopher who dreamed of a blest and prosperous life which will be based on universal fraternalism and amity. Dev wrote over a hundred articles in Bangla and English in national and international journals. Idealism and Progress (1952), Idealism:

A New Defence and A New Application (1958), Amar Jibandarshan (The Philosophy of My Life) (1960), Aspiration of the Common Man (1963), The Philosophy of Vivekananda and the Future of Man (1963), Tattvavidya-sara (1966) , Buddha: the Humanist (1969) are his famous philosophical books which were published during his lifetime. Two other books Parables of the East (1984), My American Experience (1993) were published posthumously.

Dev's philosophical thinking reflects the sub continental idealist trend which was highly influenced by the teachings of Veda and Upanishad, the humanist outlook of Gautama Buddha, the fraternity and equality in Islam and the dictum of love in Christianity. His view has a different appeal on humanism which uses synthetic approach aiming at the unity of the mankind. Dev believed that behind the vast universe there is an Ultimate being, which is the driving force of the universe. This Ultimate being is also called the Absolute Reality or the Absolute Idea.

At one place, this Ultimate being is single, at another place; it is multiple because this single Ultimate being manifests itself in different forms in the diversity of the universe. "Unity in plurality"- this is basic the principle upon which Dev developed his philosophical doctrine. The whole history of philosophy is the history of the struggle between two types of doctrine: materialism and idealism.

The materialist way of interpreting events and their interconnections, is opposed to the idealist way of interpreting them. While materialism holds that the ultimate stuff of the universe is matter, idealism holds that it is spirit or idea. While the materialist explanation tries to relate every phenomenon to be explained to some material causes, the idealist explanation relates them to some spiritual causes.

Dr. Dev critically evaluates these two doctrines and comes to the conclusion that both aggressive materialism and aggressive spiritualism gives us a partisan view of life and reality. Man is the combination of both matter and conscience. Though materialism puts emphasis on the material needs of mankind but it does not consider the spiritual needs of them. Man does not get satisfied by fulfilling the basic physical needs only; he also wants to live a life of morality, truth and beauty. Therefore, as a substitute for materialism we need idealism.

Materialism without idealism is partial and incomplete. To make our life prosperous, peaceful and meaningful we need a synthesis between materialism and idealism. Dev writes, "Judged from a correct perspective, both aggressive materialism and aggressive spiritualism are prompted primarily by a practical motive. They are not the inevitable product of unbiased logical analysis as often enough they are made out to be.

On apparently logical considerations, materialists are eager to show that mind or spirit is material in its essence unlike the spiritualists who often enough vindicate the opposite thesis by the help of equally bad logic…If we avow, as we should, equal allegiance to intellect and intuition, plain common sense and religious experience, we cannot but lay equal emphasis in our philosophy on one and many, unity and difference, identity and diversity, stability and change, matter and spirit." ('My Philosophy of Synthesis: Factors that Molded it')

For Dev, the very foundation of synthetic idealism is the combination of both science and religion. The aim of Dev's synthetic idealism is to adopt a middle way between reason and faith by avoiding any kind of extremeness. Both religious extremists and materialist extremists bring about harmful consequences in life and society. The religious extremists can kill innocent people for the sake of their superstitious belief.

On the other hand, the materialist extremists do not care the ethical values and norms for their selfish desires which is also disastrous. For the sake of mankind's total welfare, the synthesis and reconciliation of both materialism and idealism is necessary. Dev holds that the philosophers, scientists and religious leaders should devote themselves towards this goal of synthesis where scientific and technological development will make our life prosperous and philosophical and religious teachings of unity and love will make our life peaceful.

Dev writes, "A partisan view of reality and life needs must breed evil and in the best interest, material and spiritual, of  humanity, more particularly of suffering humanity, it is, I believe the imperative duty of modern reformist zeal to draw its inspiration for a better world and a better existence from a synthetic philosophy for which the conflict of matter and spirit is a bad contrivance of human weakness and possibly, the worst enemy of man's progress, sound and durable, abiding and comprehensive. ('Philosophy and the Future of Man')

Dr. Dev's humanist synthetic philosophy of love, unity and progress will always be an inspiration for all. He dedicated his whole life for the welfare of mankind. He bestowed all of his property to Dhaka University for the progression of education and philosophy. Though patriotic Govinda Chandra Dev was killed brutally by the Pakistan Army in 1971, he will always remain alive in the heart of Bangladeshi people.


Sajia Afrin is a Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Jagannath University.