Kumar Murty is a professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto and Director of the Fields Institute. He has over 40 years of experience interacting with students, faculty, and the curious public. Murty is renowned for his work in number theory.
Below, Kumar shares five key insights from his new book, The Science of Human Possibilities. Listen to the audio version—read by Kumar himself—in the Next Big Idea App.
1. Evolution at the human level.
If evolution at the plant and animal levels is about survival, then evolution at the human level is largely psychosocial and about manifesting the possibilities within us.
I first heard the phrase “the science of human possibilities” from a monk who was a living demonstration of this science. Swami Ranganathananda had no formal schooling, yet he raised himself to a point where he could share the stage with leading intellectuals such as Harvard economist John Kenneth Galbraith and evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley. Ranganathananda engaged in riveting conversation with them.
A life journey like his sounds magical, but in fact, it is accessible to all of us. 19th-century philosopher Vivekananda said, “You know but little of that which is within you.” The science of human possibilities helps you discover your potential. It derives its insights from philosophical and spiritual traditions and modern science. Neuroplasticity is now an acknowledged aspect of neuroscience that supports the brain rewiring itself to accomplish whatever task we demand of ourselves.
2. An attitude of appreciation helps us discover our talents.
Saying “thank you” and wishing people well creates a mindset primed for discovery and unfoldment. It also helps the people we interact with make progress in their own journeys and generally makes interactions with people and circumstances much more pleasant.
In a financial context, the word appreciation means to increase in value. From one point of view, the thing or person held in appreciation is increasing in value in our estimation. But from another, deeper point of view, it is we who increase in value.
“With a positive mindset, we are better able to reflect on what matters most, what we really want, and what we are capable of.”
We tend to see outside what we have within. If we see positivity outside, we become aware of the positive within us. Thus, we are the ones who benefit when we appreciate because our mind now finds itself in a positive and receptive state.
With a positive mindset, we are better able to reflect on what matters most, what we really want, and what we are capable of. In the words of essayist, philosopher, and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, we will be better able to “detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across [our] mind from within.”
3. Apply a positive mind in reflection and study.
We go through life not realizing the talent within ourselves, and yet wonder why success eludes us. Discovering inner talent requires reflection and study, an art learned through practice.
Study is not a purely intellectual exercise, but it is necessary to exercise the intellect in processing information into knowledge. Beyond the particular topic being studied, a strong intellect nurtures an ability to advance the science of our individual possibility.
The art of study has at least eight components:
- Identifying the goal of study.
- A prayerful approach to teacher and subject.
- A recognition of what stage of study we are at.
- Developing a habit of taking notes and rewriting our notes.
- Spending time thinking and reflecting.
- Asking questions.
- Engaging in fruitful discussion.
- Being regular.
All of these components are made powerful by the strength of our desire to know.
Despite a multitude of analyses, learning is still a mysterious activity. It is like growing a plant. We can follow a scientific and systematic approach, but some circumstances may be beyond our control or perhaps beyond our knowledge. Of ten seeds planted, perhaps one germinates. Being aware of this mystery naturally makes us prayerful and reverential in approaching knowledge.
4. Dealing with uncertainty, especially about the future.
Given the mystery behind learning, we are sure to face uncertainty and doubt. There are ways to deal with uncertainty in positive ways. There are four principles of uncertainty:
- Uncertainty is intrinsic to all knowledge. We can never eliminate it, not even in as precise a subject as mathematics.
- There are varieties of uncertainty. Some don’t trouble us. For example, no scientist can guarantee that the sun will rise tomorrow. However, most of us do not spend our evenings worrying about the sunrise. We may not know for sure, but we feel that the sun will rise the next day. On the other hand, if something challenging happens and we don’t know how a situation will unfold, that uncertainty may cause worry and anxiety. Reflection is necessary to sort out what kind of uncertainty we are dealing with.
- Uncertainty is a subjective state. If it was objective, given the same set of circumstances, everyone should have the same sense of certainty and uncertainty. However, this is not the case. Therefore, dealing with uncertainty is not about changing the externals but rather about managing the vicissitudes of our own minds.
- When averaged into the large, uncertainty becomes smooth and dull. If we toss a fair coin, there is uncertainty about whether it will land on heads or tails, as both possibilities have an equal chance of occurring. But if we toss the coin a hundred times, we can say with a high degree of certainty that close to half of the time, we will get heads.
Once we understand these principles, we can deal with uncertainty by addressing it in our own minds and taking a larger perspective.
5. The importance of identity.
Who are you? The answer will demarcate the extent to which you can grow and the extent to which you can identify, develop, and manifest your possibilities.
If part of my identity is that “I was never good at math,” that erects a wall that I cannot scale. Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, I will never be good at math. We must become aware of aspects of our identity that are obstructing growth. We must change those aspects through tools such as imagination and auto-suggestion.
“We can become the architects of our own identity and unlock hidden talents and abilities.”
We must recognize the tremendous role of the subconscious mind in our identity and abilities and that this level of mind is especially susceptible to suggestion. A little experimentation reveals the effectiveness and power of imagination and auto-suggestion. We can become the architects of our own identity and unlock hidden talents and abilities.
Beyond individual achievements, as we better understand ourselves and our potential, we can better understand others. Thus, we can more harmoniously interact with others. This brings us full circle back to the idea that human evolution happens at the psychosocial level, in which we develop a more harmonious relationship with ourselves, with others, and with our world.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said that the difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems. At a time when humanity is facing significant global challenges, the science of human possibilities offers a way forward. It helps us realize our own potential and the potential of others, and it helps us all work together to solve the challenges we face. Such a development is the full aim and culmination of the science of human possibilities.
To listen to the audio version read by author V. Kumar Murty, download the Next Big Idea App today:
