Book Reviews and Notices : Implications of the Ideology-Concept. By KRISHNA PRASANNA MUKERJI. (Bombay: Popular Book Depot. 1955. Pp. xvi, 222. Rs. 11/4.)

• Date: 01 December 1956
• Published date: 01 December 1956
• DOI: 10.1177/106591295600900422
• Subject Matter: Articles

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variations in the swing of votes from constituency to constituency than the
preceding three.
The election was a quiet one; and it was aptly characterized by the
Conservative agent who remarked, &dquo;Issues? Issues? There are no issues.
This is just a national census to see who’s Labour and who’s Conservative.&dquo;
RICHARD W. TAYLOR.
Wisconsin State College.
Implications of the Ideology-Concept. By KRISHNA PRASANNA MUKERJI.
(Bombay: Popular Book Depot. 1955. Pp. xvi, 222. Rs. 11/4.)
Dr. Mukerji, Professor of Politics at the University of Bombay, here
explores a question of the most fundamental importance to all social
science. Is objective truth about human affairs possible? Are ideas bound
to be only ideologies? Marx, Freud, Mannheim, and many others have
increased our awareness of the prejudices we are entangled in, as individ-
uals and as members of society. &dquo;Such a development in the sphere of
thought is inherent in the scientific attitude which is, par excellence, a
sceptical attitude. At a certain stage of its maturity the sceptical, scientific
attitude becomes sceptical about itself and, when this happens, it gives rise
to an intellectual revolution.&dquo;
Dr. Mukerji insists that this scepticism is justified, but he nevertheless
finds a solution to the defects of science. He will not be very convincing
to most Westerners, however, for his ultimate answer will almost inevitably
seem to outsiders to be an expression of his own culturally determined
ideology. One may agree that the socially influenced scientist represents an
inescapable flaw in scientific method, which therefore can never reach a
purely objective truth. One may further agree that science will be much
sounder to the extent that it recognizes this flaw and claims no more than a
multitude of partial truths. But one who has not been initiated, culturally
or temperamentally, into the discipline which Dr. Mukerji claims can
transcend science and its defects, will be reluctant to spend...