Prominent feature of Indian Civilizatiion – Integration of Science and Philosophy
Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution rocked Christendom and there was a dichotomy between Science & Religion. The transvaluation instigated by Darwin robbed man of the privilege of being specially created. This happened in the West.
Let us see how Indian Philosophy integrates both warring factions. Toynbee said that which has a Western beginning must have an Indian end, as the Indian mind is integrative.
The scientific discoveries of Arabhata, Kanada, Bhaskara et al and the philosophic actualizations of Sankara,Yaska, Gautama et al, along with the contributions from poets Kalidasa, Magha et al are all integrated as One Knowledge, Arsha Jnana. The confluence of Vijnana,Sujnana and Prajnana constitute Brahma Jnana. It is the Knowledge of the Absolute, which embraces All.
Hence there are no differentiations, no discords in Philosophia Indica.
Unification of Science & Art, as Indian = Integrative
Sir Erasmus Darwin belonged to the Lunar Society in Calcutta. Its members used to meet on the Day of the Full Moon. He was inspired by two Indian Theories – The Theory of Metempsychosis ( Rebirth ) & The Theory of the Ten Incarnations. He worked on these theories and from them created the Theory of Evolution, that life came from the sea and that our primordial ancestors were aquatic. His grandson, Charles Darwin continued his work and
established it in the scientific world as the Law of Evolution, in his
magnum opus, the Origin of the Species.
This shows how Indian theories influenced Western scientists.
Thibeau and Whitney said that Indian scholars had plagiarised everything from the Greeks & the Romans and this was pooh poohed by Indian scholars. The word plagiarise has a negative connotation. It is insulting to the adversary. Instead we use the word Inspire, Inspiration being one of the four faculties of the Intuitive Reason. The astronomical Surya Siddhanta or the mathematical Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta and other Indian scientific books inspired the mighty West to advance in Astronomy & Mathematics . The Scottish mathematician, John Playfair extolled the Eternians for their possession of a Calculus, equivalent to Trignometry !
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