The root cause of exploitation is lack of critical thinking, said Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) President Prof Narendra Nayak.
He was addressing the gathering at a day-long workshop organised by St Aloysius College (Autonomous) and ‘Aid Without Religion Trust’ at the college auditorium on Sunday.
Prof Nayak delivered a talk on critical thinking and highlighted the need for critical thinking and questioning under Article 51 A of the Constitution of India.
He went on to demonstrate a few older generation ‘miracles’ like producing objects from thin air, among others.
He also demonstrated new generation miracles like the cleansing power of ‘gaumutra’ (which was done by adding sodium thiosulfate to a solution of iodine).
“Ironically, the victims are from the socially and economically backward sections,” he said and added that the root cause for exploitation is a lack of critical thinking.
A psychiatrist and Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association (DARA) President Dr K S Madhav Rao explained why people believed in irrational things.
Magician Munawar Pasha, known popularly as Magic Munna, staged demonstrations which forced the audience to think critically.
During a panel discussion, Dr P V Bhandary demolished many myths about the treatment of mental illness.
Dr Krishna Mohan, a surgeon who runs his own nursing home at Moodbidri, talked on the superstitions in medical treatment in rural areas.
Dr Sandeep Nayak, a physician practising community medicine in the USA, talked on common myths being passed off as science.
The students expressed how their understanding of many phenomena was changed by attending the workshop.
A leader of a farmers organisation said that he was keen on organising such programs to educate his members.
St Aloysius College Principal Fr Praveen Martis promised to support such moves to develop critical thinking among students.