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Syntropy 2013 (2): 243-279
ISSN 1825-7968
Exploration of General Systems Theory (GST) and Jainism may provide new frontiers of knowledge
and evolution
Dr. Surendra Singh Pokharna'
Abstract
This paper summarized limitations of the scientific methodology and the concept of knowledge which is currently used to study living systems and human systems. It includes limitations caused by Godel's incompleteness theorems. It is suggested that we need to explore the General Systems Theory (GST) for better understanding of these issues. It is shown that the concept of Jainism that knowledge is structured in the consciousness needs to be examined in the modern context. It is also illustrated that scientific knowledge is just a subset of a much wider concept of knowledge which is structured in the consciousness. Hence it is also mentioned that since knowledge of science has limitations, so ideas about knowledge of consciousness may lead to new frontiers of knowledge not yet recognized in modern science. They lead one to infer that there exist higher dimensions of knowledge including Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) which are not yet properly explored in a systematic way.
Some examples are given which shows that the concept of knowledge of consciousness has a great meaning and they can be good examples to be pursued by the scientists. First concerns with remarkable memory of Swamy Vivekanand. Second example concerns with Shatabhdhanies, who demonstrate highly evolved mental faculties through which one can perform hundreds of activities together in a sequence without using any pen and paper. The third provides a quantitative table which indirectly indicates that ancient Jain Acharyas have attempted to estimate the size of the smallest particles of matter and the sizes which they have arrived at are statistically significant and are quite comparable to the sizes of the modern elementary particles of matter.
As a consequence of this, it is also mentioned that Darwin's principle of “Survival of the fittest" should be compared to a wider principle "Live and Let Live” of Jains based on the
1 (Former Scientist, Indian Space Research Organization), Email: sspokharna15@yahoo.com, Phone No. 91-79-26925850 , 09825646519 (M), Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
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