The Being of Man is a valuable collection of articles written by Prof. S.C. Malik, on science, culture, and consciousness. These articles deal with dual nature of thought, autonomy and wholeness in creative art, thought as technology progress and civilization, dimensionless space as eternal silence, the pursuit of knowledge and happiness, self-expression, creativity and non-duality, science and new directions, violence-nonviolence, holistic science and consciousness, shifting paradigm of identity, etc. He critically analyzes Man’s thought processes, fragmentation of reality, current knowledge based on scientific researches, and explores human consciousness. The author discusses certain unquestioned assumptions that are ingrained in contemporary Man’s thought processes which lead to the fragmentation of reality. Current knowledge based on scientific research contradicts the older perspective since it speaks of interconnectedness, contemporaneity and simultaneity. He talks about the crisis of fragmentation which confronts humankind today, and effectively illustrates that a paradigmatic shift in human consciousness has become imperative. The question - Who Am I? illustrates the author's endeavour to search one's relationship with the cosmos and find a place in the universe.

About the Author

Professor Alok Tripathi (b. 1965), Director, Centre for Archaeology and Museology, Assam University, Silchar, is a renowned authority on underwater archaeology in Asia-Pacific region. He has conducted several underwater archaeological excavations in Indian Ocean—off Dwarka, Mahabalipuram, Bangaram Island, and Elephanta. Widely travelled in several countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, he holds equal authority in museology, art-history, heritage management, art and architecture, remote sensing, and laws. Author and editor of 15 monographs and over 80 research papers he is the only social-scientist, listed among the ten brightest young scientists in the country.