11-19-2006, 01:04 PM
Discussion on a topic like this is fraught with dangers of misundertanding - starting from the title itself.
1) A lot hinges on the definition of modernity:Obviously people on the thread see "modern" differently
2) The tendency to see India/Asia as an isolated entity from the west. Eurasia was always connected to greater or lesser degrees historically and ideas beginning at one end may land up at the other with the whole system being connected. So many concepts seen as European and Western may simply be of more general Eurasian provenance having origins elsewhere but aggressively sold by the west.
3) Tendency to believe that such changes are step functions and not gradual processes where the "ground slowly shifts under the ground". It is better people are on the same page before talking past each other.
To give a non-political example:
West portrays a few points as the triumphant result of its scientific modernization:
1)The rise of the heliocentric model via Tycho and then Kepler 2) Rise of coordinate geometry 3) Calculus and the use as these mathematical ideas as a "world-view" to understand nature. 4) Ideal gas and electro-magnetism. 6) Concept of chemical elements 7)theory of Evolution.
The general western historical model is that these elements of modernization developed in the west and came to india with brahmin pandits resisting it as it contradicted their pauraNic delusions. But a more careful analysis shows that this is far from the truth and the development of modern science in Europe happened only because it was linked to Asia and key ideas flowed in as a result.
So we must realize study history more careful before accepting certain models of Maharattas or other Indian rulers. Note the grudging acceptance of Cooper.
1) A lot hinges on the definition of modernity:Obviously people on the thread see "modern" differently
2) The tendency to see India/Asia as an isolated entity from the west. Eurasia was always connected to greater or lesser degrees historically and ideas beginning at one end may land up at the other with the whole system being connected. So many concepts seen as European and Western may simply be of more general Eurasian provenance having origins elsewhere but aggressively sold by the west.
3) Tendency to believe that such changes are step functions and not gradual processes where the "ground slowly shifts under the ground". It is better people are on the same page before talking past each other.
To give a non-political example:
West portrays a few points as the triumphant result of its scientific modernization:
1)The rise of the heliocentric model via Tycho and then Kepler 2) Rise of coordinate geometry 3) Calculus and the use as these mathematical ideas as a "world-view" to understand nature. 4) Ideal gas and electro-magnetism. 6) Concept of chemical elements 7)theory of Evolution.
The general western historical model is that these elements of modernization developed in the west and came to india with brahmin pandits resisting it as it contradicted their pauraNic delusions. But a more careful analysis shows that this is far from the truth and the development of modern science in Europe happened only because it was linked to Asia and key ideas flowed in as a result.
So we must realize study history more careful before accepting certain models of Maharattas or other Indian rulers. Note the grudging acceptance of Cooper.