A Debate on Ancient Indian vs Modern Western Science
India International Centre, New Delhi organized a debate around the issue of the concepts of science in ancient Indian vs modern Western civilizations.
The first of a planned series, this debate on "Does matter matter?" was held on 10 November 2009.
The two speakers were C. K. Raju and N. Mukunda, Vice President of the Indian Academy of Science, Bangalore, and former Professor at the Centre for Theoretical Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
The meeting clarified many issues.
- Ancient India had only a single notion of proof or pramana, for everything
(including mathematics, physics, law, religion).
- This was a secular notion of proof, since it used the empirically manifest(pratyaksha)
as the first means of proof.
- Western science had different notions of proof for mathematics (deduction) for physics
(experiment) for law (witnesses etc.) for religion (faith).
- These notions of proof were mixed up with Christian metaphysics. The notion of mathematical
proof was changed to match post-Crusade theology, and this influenced Newtonian
physics.
- The way to a more universal and secular science is to de-theologise present-day
mathematics and science.
Key points
- Ancient India had only a single notion of proof.
- This was a secular notion.
- Western science had different notions of proof, e.g., for mathematics and physics.
- This mixed Christian metaphysics with Western mathematics (since the Crusades) and
with physics (since Newton).
- Science in practice relies on authority. Hence, the colonised mind confounds
Western authority with science.
- Mathematics and science must be de-theologised to make them universal and secular.