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This is an excerpt from "The Annihilation of Caste" (Annotated Critical Edition, 2014) by B.R.Ambedkar, pages 300, 304 and 305.
22.10 "... Man's life is generally habitual and unreflective. Reflective thought --- in the sense of active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends --- is quite rare, and arises only in a situation which represents a dilemma or a crisis. ... "
23.1 "Some may not understand what I mean by destruction of religion. Some may find the idea revolting to them and some may find it revolutionary. Let me therefore explain my position. I do not know whether you draw distinction between principles and rules. But I do. Not only do I make a distinction, but I say this distinction is real and important. Rules are practical; they are habitual ways of doing things according to prescription. But principles are intellectual; they are useful methods of judging things. Rules seek to tell an agent just what course of action to pursue. Principles do not prescribe a specific course of action. Rules, like cooking recipes, do tell just what to do and how to do it. A principle, such as that of justice, supplies a main heading by reference to which he is to consider the bearings of his desires and purposes; it guides him in his thinking by suggesting to him the important consideration which he should bear in mind."
23.2 "The difference between rules and principles makes the acts done in pursuit of them different in quality and content. Doing what is said to be good by virtue of a rule and doing good in the light of a principle are two different things. The principle may be wrong but the act is conscious and responsible (emphasis added). The rule may be right, but the act is mechanical. A religious act may not be a correct act but must at least be a responsible act. To permit of this responsibility, religion must mainly be a matter of principles only. It cannot be a matter of rules only. The moment it degenerates into rules it ceases to be a religion (emphasis added), as it kills the responsibility which is the essence of a truly religious act."
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