archive: Science and Spirituality
Science and Spirituality
Dr Murli Manohar Joshi
Organiser
July 18, 1999
Title: Science and Spirituality
Author: Dr Murli Manohar Joshi
Publication: Organiser
Date: July 18, 1999
An important issue before humanity today is centred upon science and
its relationship with the questions of normative demands that are
central to civilisation and its progress. Science may claim to be
value-neutral, but is it really so? Knowledge and truth which are
central to science are themselves values of intrinsic character. And
when we examine the spring-force of the motivation of science, we are
irresistibly drawn into the questions that are basic to the realm of
values. And the question that strikes us is whether values are only
emotional reactions or whether we can build a system where mind,
knowledge and values are intimately intertwined. Often, values are
restricted to the realm of ethics but this restriction collapses when
we come to the demands of values of rationality, values of aesthetic
appreciation and values that emerge as we ascend into higher levels of
consciousness of the Spirit. In that larger perspective it may seem
that the validity of ethical values may lie in the knowledge that
spiritual consciousness delivers to us.
Indeed, we confront issues that relate to the theme of consciousness
which is now emerging on the frontiers of contemporary science. For
the remarkable discoveries of the last two decades in Quantum
Mechanics have broken down the Cartesian division of Matter and Mind,
as also not only Newtonian but even post-Newtonian world-views that
could ignore the subjective and objective phenomena of consciousness.
If we acknowledge the great speed with which science is progressing
today, it can be safely predicted that the next century may very well
be dominated by questions concerning consciousness and we can expect
scientists being drawn towards these questions in such a central way
that they might bring to light the secrets and applications that might
surprise us much more than when they had discovered the secrets of
steam and electricity and of atoms and of cells.
This prospect also gives us a ground for advancement, of
inter-disciplinary studies and of a larger synthesis of various
disciplines of knowledge. In that turn of development, we shall come
to realise the significance of the need to pursue the theme of Science
and Spirituality of which many advanced scientists and humanists have
begun to speak. As a member of the Eastern world, where this theme is
central to its traditions, India rejoices at this prospect, since it
promises the early fulfilment of its pursuit of the meeting of the
East and the West and of its ancient vision of universal brotherhood.
This prospect also includes reappraisal of the ancient and medieval
traditions of science which had flourished among many ancient
civilisations-Indian, Chaldean, Egyptian, Persian and Greek. We need
to note that science is not merely a modern phenomenon, and ethical
and spiritual issues relating to science as dealt with in earlier
periods have salutary lessons to give us and to guide the contemporary
dilemmas that are being confronted today.
It is noteworthy that the kind of conflict between science and
religion that marked the period of Renaissance in Europe was never
witnessed in Indian tradition which had a long record of scientific
achievements and had stood out as a pioneer in respect of a number of
discoveries. If we ask the reason for this, we shall find that in
India, spirituality itself welcomed the development of new knowledge
and Indian science acknowledged that knowledge is not the monopoly of
sense perception, but has also higher sources which are related to
human reason and spirit. In the Rigveda, one of the ancient seers has
recorded his aspirations, that "those who speak the world that is new,
the world that is a discovery of new knowledge should be protected".
(Rigveda Vl. 8.5)
We have to note that the modern method of questioning Nature for the
advancement of scientific knowledge has often been at the roof of
looking at Nature as an adversary. But as Rabindranath Tagore, the
great Indian poet and Nobel laureate, had pointed out, human being and
Nature are not adversaries, but they form one holistic system in which
the human being should look upon Nature as a friend and as a partner
of total harmony. If this attitude is adopted, the kind of
exploitation and ruination of Nature that have taken place and are
still taking place in the name of science and technology can be
avoided. We can then speak more meaningfully of our concerns for
ecological balance and environmental protection.
We feel sorry that science, as an instrument of advancement of
knowledge, comes easily to yield itself to the undesirable pressures
of technology, commerce and war that contribute to the development of
fractured individuality and fractured society. The time has come when
we need to put before us mature concept of progress and replace the
concept of sustainable development by that of sustainable consumption.
We have to seek for models of society which are non-exploitative and
non-violent and which do not look upon the human being as a mere cog
in the machine. The world should set about planning to ensure that
every individual in the world is enabled to secure a certain level of
consumption on a durable basis, enjoyment of the exercise of
faculties, right reward of work and enough leisure to grow inwardly
and to the fullest possibility of integrality. Integral individuals
constituting integral society should be our aim; and this coincides
very well with UNESCO's educational ideals of Learning To Be and of
Learning Society.
The vision that we need to place before the world should not only
advocate a new social bond between science and society for eliminating
drudgery, poverty and ignorance in the world, but should also
underline the need for safeguarding traditional and local knowledge.
Programmes of research should be so conceived that they bring back the
lessons of pursuit of higher values in various traditions, Eastern and
Western, ancient, medieval and modern. Thus we should build the paths
of a new synthesis that would serve the highest interests of the
solidarity of humankind. We need to generate opposition to the misuse
and exploitation of scientific knowledge and technology for purposes
of monopolisation of knowledge and development of trade practices that
would feed unfavourable competitions. We must plead for open and
equitable access to scientific knowledge.
We need to seek harmony in social existence and in relationship
between science and society on deeper grounds of common spirit and
common destiny of humanity. It is in this context that we need to
develop technology with human face, so that life-values dominate
functional values.
Sri Aurobindo, the foremost Indian seer of our times, spoke of unity
for knowledge in the following words: "Not only in the one final
conception, but in the great line of its general results, knowledge by
whatever path it is followed, tends to become one." Let us therefore
seek unity of knowledge and use it to secure unity of forces of
civilisation.
Now I will make a brief reference to the five programmes for
international cooperation in science which India proposes to be
included in the document, "Science Agenda: Framework for Action" to be
adopted by World Conference on Science. These are:
Internet Enabled Science Education and Teaching:
Generation and availability of qualified and S&T personnel will play a
vital role in sustaining the global economy in the 21st Century. There
is a merit in catalysing internet enabled distance education and
teaching in science, which together with the conventional education
system, will meet the growing demand of S&T workforce and redress the
limitations posed by educational infrastructure and shortage of able
teachers.
International Mobility of Qualified S&T Personnel:
Human resource development will require a global perspective in the
21st century. This will reinforce the current ideology and mechanisms
for strengthening global economy such as WTO's Agreements to Trade in
Services. Unanimity is desired of the international community to the
principle that the employers of qualified S&T workforce, Non-Resident
citizens, international organisations/developed countries will extend
support and join in the efforts of government(s) of the developing
countries for actions inter-alia:
(a) Expansion and hosting of educational-cum-research institutions of
world class in developing countries: and (b) Increase in number of
Fellowships for greater mobility of people from the developing
countries world-over for higher studies and advanced training in
emerging fields of S&T.
World Technology Report
Impact of technology on social systems and culture will be a subject
of great concern to developing countries in the 21st century, a
balanced and commonly acceptable world opinion on this aspect calls
for bringing out a companion volume on "World Technology Report" to
the present UNESCO's publication, "World Science Report". India is
willing to offer its intellectual inputs for such an initiative.
Promotion of Scientific Literary & Culture Accessible to All:
Livelihood, food habits, medical practices, cultural and religious
rituals of local communities need to be understood. These have to be
complemented with appropriate technology and modern scientific inputs
that are conducive for their development by developing a Minimum
Science Package. Further, these communities need to view the pros and
cons of the modern developments in S&T with an open mind. Keeping
these in view, India shares with the world a concept paper on
"Promotion of Scientific Literacy and Culture Accessible to All",
prepared under UNESCO's sponsorship for endorsement by World
Conference on Science (WCS).
Preservation & Utilisation of Traditional Knowledge Systems:
Economic prosperity in the 21st century can take advantage of
pragmatic and purposeful knowledge systems/practices evolved over a
long period of time by various societies and great civilisations world
over. It needs to be accompanied by due acknowledgement and sharing of
rights, benefits with holders of such knowledge. Thus inclusion of a
new international programme on this subject merits favourable
consideration.
It is our hope that the WCS will open a new vista for making of a new
and happier world because what we see today is not altogether
inspiring. A large part of world suffers in poverty, we still have
famines, disease, suffering and war. There are not only disparities
among the nations of the world but among various sections of the
society within a nation. A small portion of population in the
countries of the world only moves upward and the majority of humanity
suffers. It appears to me that the time has come for a dynamic
improvement in the state of affairs. Science must not only think about
a few, but for all in the creation of God. This Conference should show
us the way for non-exploitative, non-violent and a peaceful world
based on respect, reciprocity, equality of all human beings, respect
for nature and lasting peace for all.
(Based on the author's statement at the World Conference on Science,
held at Budapest, Hungary on June 29, 1999).
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