05-07-2006, 11:32 PM
Science and philosophy cannot be separated. The reductionist approach does not work any more to gain knowledge. We do not acquire knowledge by a conscious, intellectual process of perception alone; unconscious processes are in fact more important.
The idea of reality (causality and of the objects/matter) or the development of it rather seems linear as its development is parallel to the emotional or mental evolution that human beings undergo in infancy and adolescence. The unconscious mechanisms that underlie our thought processes -- of abstraction, generalization, etc. -- are manifested. That is the limiting factor, which our rishis did not have and so hard for mere mortals to understand it, as they cannot reproduce it without sadhana and shraddha.
In the area of truth - logic, mathematics, philosophy etc, there is no dearth of it in hindu philosophy, nor is it contested by anyone - sure, our own people do not even make an attempt to study it.
Now speaking to couple of points of "matter of belief" about our achievements in the field of science (as understood by most of us). It is up to us, in how we go about making the case. Nothing is given to us by colonialists or commies. Said that, some homework has to be done.
Four areas that come to mind in verifying the accuracy of information (subjectivity to objective transformation) to separate facts from fiction and feel-good history (marxist type).
1. Authority; (source of information) [Avoid Indologists, commies, nazis like plague]
2. Independent corroboration (Sunder's point of astronomical data our seers present for example- but our commies do not need such data);
3. Plausibility and Supporting evidence
4. Presentation (yes agnivayu, dhu's point)
Any other points?
Will such approach work?
The idea of reality (causality and of the objects/matter) or the development of it rather seems linear as its development is parallel to the emotional or mental evolution that human beings undergo in infancy and adolescence. The unconscious mechanisms that underlie our thought processes -- of abstraction, generalization, etc. -- are manifested. That is the limiting factor, which our rishis did not have and so hard for mere mortals to understand it, as they cannot reproduce it without sadhana and shraddha.
In the area of truth - logic, mathematics, philosophy etc, there is no dearth of it in hindu philosophy, nor is it contested by anyone - sure, our own people do not even make an attempt to study it.
Now speaking to couple of points of "matter of belief" about our achievements in the field of science (as understood by most of us). It is up to us, in how we go about making the case. Nothing is given to us by colonialists or commies. Said that, some homework has to be done.
Four areas that come to mind in verifying the accuracy of information (subjectivity to objective transformation) to separate facts from fiction and feel-good history (marxist type).
1. Authority; (source of information) [Avoid Indologists, commies, nazis like plague]
2. Independent corroboration (Sunder's point of astronomical data our seers present for example- but our commies do not need such data);
3. Plausibility and Supporting evidence
4. Presentation (yes agnivayu, dhu's point)
Any other points?
Will such approach work?