In other words...

In other words, it is the science of `becoming' of societies, not of their `being' only. Perhaps this question might have arisen in the mind of the honoured reader, whether it is possible for societies to have simul­taneously `being' as well as `becoming,' and that being should be the subject of one discipline, viz. scientific history, and `becoming' of societies the subject of another discipline, viz. philosophy of history.

Isn't any synthesis between the two impossible, as `being' implies rest and `becoming' movement? Only one of the two should be chosen. Our picture of the societies of the past should be either a picture of `being' or a picture of `becoming'. Probably the honourable reader may pose this problem in more general and comprehensive terms: Our picture of the universe as a whole-and of society as a part of it-is either a static or a dynamic one.

If the universe or society is static then it has `being,' not becoming; and if it is changing and dynamic, it has `becoming' and not `being.' From this point of view, the most significant division of the schools of philosophy is made. It has been said that philosophical systems are divided into two main groups: the philosophies of `being' and the philo­sophies of `becoming.' The philosophies of `being' are those which hold that being and non-being are incompatible with each other, and they.

regard contradictions as impossible. It is supposed that if there is `being' there cannot be `non-being' and if there is `non-being' there is no `being.' Hence one has to choose one of these two alternatives. As being is necessary and there is nothing except being in the world and society, the world is governed by rest and stillness. But the philo­sophies of becoming, on the other hand, hold that being and non-being co-exist in each and every single moment, and this is what we call motion.

Motion is nothing except that a thing `is' and at the same time it `is not.' Hence, the philosophy of being and the philosophy of becoming are two opposite views regarding existence, and one has to choose any one of the two.