Month: February 2025

Wrapping Kaizen

Prakash Hegade 6 Comments

We are closing two months of 2025 and for me, that feels amazing. My last 10 days resolution was ambitious.

Here is how I did for last 10 days.

  1. Read 3 novels – Juts closing one. Lagged here.
  2. Write the second version draft of PhD thesis – In process. It takes time
  3. Write around 20 blog posts on 2 blogs – Did write 20+
  4. Continue to exercise and stay healthy – Followed that
  5. Start working on the PBL book (I have the ideas, I need to start putting it together) – worked on that
  6. Host 2 workshops – I could do one

Well, most of my time went in professional work. Important of all, I had fun. It was most lively 10 days. Expecting a better march.

Gettier Problem

Prakash Hegade 4 Comments

This week I explored Gettier Problem. It questions whether knowledge is really just “justified true belief” In 1963, philosopher Edmund Gettier gave examples where someone believes something, has good reasons for it, and it turns out to be true, but only by luck. Gettier’s idea showed that something more than JTB is needed for real knowledge, leading to new theories to avoid the problem of lucky guesses. This problem has led to extensive debates in epistemology, prompting philosophers to refine the definition of knowledge by introducing additional conditions, such as the “no false lemmas” and “reliabilism”, to address the role of epistemic luck.

Example:
Imagine you look at a clock on the wall, and it shows 2:00 PM. You believe it’s 2:00 PM, and your belief is justified because checking the time on a clock is a reasonable way to know the time. And luckily, it really is 2:00 PM. Maybe, what you don’t know is that the clock stopped working exactly 12 hours ago. You got the right time purely by coincidence! This means your belief was true and justified, but since it was just luck, did you really know the time? That’s the Gettier problem!

Here is my limerick that sums it up.

And you feel, you know it all,
Just right, truth stands tall,
Luck steps in,
Doubts win,
Gettier laughs, smokes, mirrors, fall.

Minnale AKA lightning

Prakash Hegade 2 Comments

What if you are in Chennai, and have your favorite childhood Tamil movie released in theatres? Well, Yes. I grew up to the songs of Minnale and it was a treat to watch it in theaters which I had not earlier. Though there is a Hindi remade version – Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, the Tamil version stands apart.

There was insanely crazy crowd and the aura was pleasing. Minnale is known for the songs and music as well. I had a perfect company and what a delightful way to spend a day. Some experiences have got to be lived and lived on large screen with amazing people.

What is the movie about?
Minnale, originally released in 2001 is a well crafted romantic drama that remains a cult classic in Tamil cinema even till today. Directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, the film captures the essence of love, longing, and destiny. Harris Jayaraj’s soundtrack is legendary with many timeless melodies.

Ramanathaswamy Temple – Rameshwaram

Prakash Hegade 4 Comments

Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is part of the Char Dham pilgrimage and is known for its beautiful architecture. The temple has tall entrance towers and the longest hallway in any temple. It has entrances from all 4 sides and center most attraction of Rameshwaram.

It is believed that Lord Rama prayed here to Lord Shiva after defeating Ravana. The temple has 22 holy water tanks where people take a bath for spiritual cleansing. We had reached the temple by 6.30 am and luckily as it was Monday, there wasn’t a huge crowd. To take bath from 22 holy wells, they charge 25 rupees and in line they pour 22 small buckets of water.

These 22 sacred wells are known as “theerthams,” each with its own significance. It is believed that bathing in the waters of these theerthams can cleanse sins and give various spiritual benefits. For example batching in Chakra Theertham is believed to promote good health. Bathing in Surya Theertham and Chandra Theertham is believed to impart knowledge of past, present, and future. Kodi Theertham, the last one, is considered the most sacred; bathing here is believed to forgive one from severe sins, such as those committed by Lord Krishna after killing his uncle, King Kamsa. It was as equivalent to taking holy dip of Ganga from Prayagraj.

We then had darshanam of Lord shiva and it is heart soothing. Visiting the temple and taking a holy bath in the theerthams was a divine and peaceful experience.

Architecture that blows your mind away

Cut 6 – Kaizen

Prakash Hegade 12 Comments

A good change, a continuous improvement, that is exactly what I am looking for the rest of the month. Kaizen has several interpretations and the one I am borrowing for my next resolution set is “A philosophy of continuous improvement, striving to be better every day.” I am heading to my cut 6 of resolutions for the 2025 and this will span from 15 Feb to 28 Feb, 2025.

What do I plan to majorly do?

  1. Read 3 novels
  2. Write the second version draft of PhD thesis
  3. Write around 20 blog posts on 2 blogs
  4. Continue to exercise and stay healthy
  5. Start working on the PBL book (I have the ideas, I need to start putting it together)
  6. Host 2 workshops

My new semester has began and I am teaching two courses this semester. I have completely revamped the courses as compared to last two offerings and this will be needing a lot of my extra efforts. I have also started a few other things, I shall write about it sooner. Hoping for the best.

With Love

Prakash Hegade 6 Comments

With time, as we age, we mature. When I say we, it majorly means the way we see things around us. Our mind starts to conceptualize the definitions given to us with our experiences.  We might not agree to everything that is given to us. And that my dear readers, is how philosophy comes into the picture. Everything is sense and everything is non-sense. It’s just the day that decides how we get to see.

Of everything that keeps changing with us and within us, the most important of all is love. From having expressions that there is nothing really called love to everything is love, it keeps toggling across the extreme ends. Love is as simple and many complicated. It stays with us in the ever changing world and keeps transforming in the ways we might not always understand. It makes us feel home, it also makes our world upside down. We all of course have our own definition of love, for the moment, for the day.

For me, for this year’s valentine, made me re-think what possibly love is going to look like in 2025. It might not remain the same all through the year, but as of Feb 14, I would say that love is feeling happy about the fact that “they are here and they are here to stay”. Now, don’t we all have our “they”?? Those people, who let us feel ‘love’.

Be here.

In the worlds
In the words.

In the echoes.
In the aches.

In the heartbeats.
In the heatbeats.

In the promises.
In the misses.

Be here.
Be here to stay.

Cut 5 – Unwind

Prakash Hegade 7 Comments

I have been doing my new year resolution in terms of cuts and my last one was dedicated to my PhD thesis. Well, Today, I submitted my rough 200-page draft to my supervisor. It’s far from perfect, but I now understand the value of a rough draft. It has all the potential providing a foundation to refine and improve. This past week was insane. With little sleep and countless distractions along the way, I probably look like a maniac today. But, But, what I feel today is a deep sense of satisfaction. I haven’t seen anyone as dedicated to research (referring to local spaces) as I have been. Also maybe, the fastest. I have been officially on this label for 2 years now (Would it be one of the fastest philosophy thesis?). I want my PhD thesis to be more than just another dissertation. I want it to be a model. Something meaningful, a framework that guides others and presents how research should be conducted. My goal is to wrap it up in two months. Hoping for the best.

But for now, it’s time to unwind. From February 8 to 13, I will be disconnecting. Less screen time, minimal digital presence, and a break filled with nature, travel, and real-life experiences. I want to be living the life out there. I need to recharge before the next semester begins!

Celebrating 150000 Hits

Prakash Hegade 16 Comments

I have been blogging for the past ten years, though not consistently. Along the way, I’ve met some incredible people and witnessed the evolution of blogging through various phases. I wish that the amazing bloggers I have connected with over the years find their way back to blogging. I guess seeing them all together again would be absolute satisfaction.

It was a mere coincidence that I saw the reach today and its was 150000. Celebrating this small milestone and a happy moment. Indeed for me 1.5Lakhs is a huge number. I am really thankful to everyone who have spent their time here.

Check out the counter at right

And here is how I have been through the years.

10 year journey in numbers

I am needed thankful to WordPress for providing this platform. 2017 has been a year of blogging. Will I exceed that in 2025?

The Great Man Theory

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Great are born,
Not Made,
Letting hero’s,
Take the place,
Their place,
Their grace.

Maybe they are right,
Or a grandma tale,
Letting hero’s,
The the lead,
Every place,
Every grace.

Great Man Theory is now known to be outdated. It has received lot of criticism over the years and it suggests that leaders are born and not made. Born, made – I guess its an intriguing play of words.

Noisy Thoughts

Prakash Hegade 4 Comments

never in line,
never in chaos,
thoughts tangled,
restless and unkind.

in this chaos,
i come to see,
the weight of existence,
shaping me.

I find the weight of my existence in the dance between order and chaos.