Question map
Which one among the following statements regarding Rabindranath Tagores concern for the natural world and environment is not correct?
Explanation
Rabindranath Tagore's environmental philosophy was fundamentally non-utilitarian and non-pragmatic. He emphasized the 'surplus' in humans—a fund of emotional and spiritual energy that transcends daily pragmatic needs and self-interest. He valued nature intrinsically rather than for its utility to humans, advocating for an ecocentric worldview where nature is a living reality with a soul [t1, t5]. Conversely, statement 4 is incorrect because his concern was rooted in aesthetic and spiritual harmony, not pragmatic considerations. His literary works, including short stories and novels, consistently exhibit this deep concern for the natural world [t2, t4]. Furthermore, his educational vision at Santiniketan prioritized the aesthetic development of the senses and environmental awareness, believing that students should learn in a suitable natural environment to harmonize with the universe [t4, t6, t7]. Caring for nature on aesthetic grounds has indeed become a significant concern in modern environmental discourse.