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Nirwan Arsuka: For the love of science, free thinking
Nirwan Arsuka - Courtesy of DKJNirwan Arsuka is a man of many talents in the fields of arts and culture
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Nirwan Arsuka - Courtesy of DKJ
Nirwan Arsuka is a man of many talents in the fields of arts and culture. Coupled with his background in nuclear technology, he was the right person to deliver the annual cultural speech recently at the Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ).
Nirwan Arsuka is an observer of cultures, an essayist and a curator of all things related to the arts, although his formal education background at the School of Nuclear Technology at Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University (UGM) has also given him credentials in the field of science.
'Contrary to what most people believe, there is a very close relationship between nuclear science and culture,' Nirwan told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview.
'By studying nuclear, I learned how to think systematically and critically. Adding a bit of imagination to that, I can easily shift my exploration to any field that I am interested in,' he said.
'On the other hand, I find that exploring cultures is also very important because with a strong culture, that can absorb critical thinking and scientific imagination, I believe a society can enhance its quality of life and further develop livelihoods on a global level.'
Born in Barru, South Sulawesi, the 40-year old Nirwan has spent most of his career working in an environment that supports his passion for free critical thinking.
He was once an editor for Kompas daily newspaper and a curator for the Bentara Budaya Jakarta cultural center from 2001 to 2006. He also spent a two-year period as the director of the Freedom Institute, a non-profit think tank that aims to boost the habit of creative thinking in the fields of social, political, economic and cultural study from 2012 to 2014.
For Nirwan, imaginative and critical thinking has become a sort of addiction that he cannot live without.
'In free thinking, there is a process of exploration, a hunt for the horizon, a need for criticizing oneself and the urge to go beyond the limits that we once thought were impenetrable,' he said.
'Walls of spaces and time become transparent and we can mingle and exchange perspectives with other free thinkers who have different intellectualities.
'This pleasure of thinking freely will become more intense if we have our own activities anchored in our own private space and time which we try to alter with all of our capabilities. In short, the pleasure of thinking and doing something about it will drive people to become free thinkers.'
Due to Nirwan's love of critical thinking, science, arts and cultural exploration, the DKJ recently appointed him as a speaker for the council's annual cultural speech event.
In the speech, which was titled 'A Chat With The Universe', Nirwan explored the historical context of science development and provided his critical opinion on how the dogmatic nature of religion and mysticism seemed to have reigned supreme over rationality and logical critical thinking within contemporary Indonesian society.
Nirwan heavily criticized the closeted and dogmatic nature of religion and in most parts of his presentation he subtly conveyed how the belief system of a superior deity was inferior to scientific rational thinking methods when it came to the advancement of society.
'I strongly suspect that the inclusion of dogmatic mainstream religions and its embodiment with the closeted nature of the local culture have paralyzed the tradition of critical free thinking,' he said.
'Closeted and dogmatic mental culture have paralyzed societies in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America and Africa. Societies that are willing to embrace free thinking culture will be the ones that can rise from the ashes.'
It might appear that Nirwan's background as a nuclear scientist contributed a lot to his resentment toward the dogmatic nature of religion. However, he personally felt that his artistic side was the major contributor for his general ideas in the speech.
'The backbone of the idea was my poetic thinking ['¦] If science looked to be more superior compared to religion, it was not because I wanted it to look that way. History and empirical facts are the ones making science and technology look superior to religion and mysticism,' he said.
Nirwan also believes that combining science and religion is like mixing oil and water. The former opens itself for criticism, deconstruction and even annulment from its followers while the latter demands complete trust and devotion.
'Science wants and enables men to become Gods in this world while religion teaches mankind to become obedient slaves so that they can go to heaven once they die. How can they mix together?' he said.
On another note, Nirwan stressed that the contradictory nature of science and religion did not necessarily forbid their respective followers from establishing a synergy that could benefit society as a whole.
'If only religious leaders put themselves in the position of truth seekers, if only they were open to criticism and not easily offended, then we might see a productive dialog between science and religion,' he said.
'In the universe of religious schools of thought, fortunately, there are some beliefs that also urge mankind to become Gods. It is, however, a pity that these kinds of ideas of Sufism are often wiped out by conservatives. These religious ideas, which glorify mankind, might have been a special dialog partner for science.'
