The Age of Uncertainty

1. The Age of Uncertainty

2. ● Uncertainty has become a distinctive feature of our lives in the
21st century. Even Heisenberg, who formulated the principle of
uncertainty, would have been surprised by the degree to which
things have become unstable and uncertain. This is rather ironic
because this is supposed to be the age of enlightened
rationalism, science and freedom. But the realities of the post-
modern and post-industrial world tell a different story.
Uncertainty of our Times

3. ● The ironies of the present age are not limited to the principle of
uncertainty. This was supposed to become the age of high
humanism where Huxley's "brave new world" would have
protected human lives and preserved human dignity. The promise
of modernity was justice, freedom and equality for all. But we
witness some of the most inhuman and barbaric atrocities taking
place before our eyes in the 21st century.
No Longer The “Brave New
World”

4. ● The global refugee crisis alone is sufficient to show the level of
hypocrisy and double standards in the face of the lofty ideals of
the current global order. Syrian, Libyan, Afgan, Somalian and
Rohingya refugees, among others, tell a shameful story of
indifference and disrespect. The fact that they happen to be
Muslims says something about the ethno-centric perceptions of
the human condition in the present age.
Ironies & Double Standards

5. ● Uncertainty underlies much of the current global order. Great
power plays, nation-state rivalries, proxy wars, civil wars, cross-
national corporate interests and a host of other factors add to the
complexity of the present state of the world. Values and interests
have become so divergent that it is impossible to find a modus
vivendi that will keep world communities together in a
manageable way. The uncertainty of the present and the future
provides little guidance for a better world.
Different Values

6. ● Uncertainty is not always a bad thing. It may teach us a thing or
two about the human condition and the limitations of our
imagined powers. It induces us to be prepared for the
unexpected. It keeps us fresh and agile in the face of good or bad
surprises. It forces us to take extra caution against complex set of
problems in ways that are inclusive rather than exclusive.
Learning Amidst Uncertainty

7. ● Uncertainty can teach us humility – a key virtue that we have
forgotten in the modern world. The Enlightenment philosophy
placed the human being at the center of an infinite and self-
regulating universe and got rid of the medieval conceptions of
God and the created-limited world. It thus made human beings
the masters of the universe. With means and capabilities
provided by scientific and technological advancement, the
Enlightenment men did think of themselves as the new masters
of the world. It did not take too long for this "master" to turn into
an exploiter and spoiler.
From Masters into Exploiters

8. ● Playing God does not serve human beings. We are not the
masters but rather the guardians and trustees of the universe.
The world of nature has been given to us as "trust" (amanah) and
we are charged with the duty of taking care of this trust. The
extreme hubris of the masters of the universe shows itself
everywhere from the good old-fashioned racism which puts
certain human beings over others as masters to the environment
crisis.
Trustees of the Universe

9. ● Acting as a trustee of the universe does not mean pacifism or an
attitude of indifference toward the world. To the contrary, it
establishes a more balanced, humane and productive
relationship between human beings and the world of nature. It
means serving human needs and interest while protecting the
natural environment.
Balance

10. ● Uncertainty may not be something desirable in everything.
Certainty is a key component of our beliefs and actions. But
given the hubris and arrogance of the modern civilization that we
have built, it may be prudent to acknowledge our limitations and
act with a sense of humility toward other human beings and the
universe of which we are part. By destroying the universe of
which we claim to be the masters, we are destroying our present
and future.
Humility