Tulsi Prajna 1990 12

SR No.: 524564
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mangal Prakash Mehta
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 76
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Tulsi Prajna, & India
File Size: 5 MB

Page 57

Vol.
XVI, No. 3
same status of reality which is attributed to reified objects encountered by us.38 Admitting the reality of space, he states: "From points lines, and surfaces, space can be constructed, and this new entity, though abstract, retains the functional alignment with Nature which has been posited as the character of reality. Physical reality is not synonymous with concreteness, as that term is ordinarily understood.39
He also confesses: "We here find ourselves in apparent contradiction with a judgement prevalent among scientists, namely, that perfectly straight lines, perfect triangles, and so forth "do not exist in nature."40 But, he also clarifies: "For it does not deny reality to the elements of geometry it merely asserts that bodies do not exist which exhibit perfectly straight lines or perfect triangles, which is true and not contrary to our conclusion. The geometric elements themselves are nevertheless real as constituents of abstract space, which is a physical reality".41 Thus, it means that even if we may not be able to perceive a perfectly straight line, it does exist between the two points of the space and the space consists of the real point.
We can conclude the discussion on the philosophical interpretation of theory of relativity by saying that there does not exist an undivided opinion regarding the nature of space and time as revealed by the theory of relativity whether space and time are objective or subjective realities still haunts the minds of the scientists.
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(C) Summary
Inquisitive mind of man has persistently been endeavouring to solve the first aspect of the enigma of the universe viz. "What is the universe?" In this chapter, we have studied the views of various western philosophers starting from the ancient Greek philosophers to the modern philosophers as well as scientists from Newton to Einstein and Heisenberg. We may summarize our discussion by concluding that the dilemma of realism and idealism has not only perplexed the philosophers but also divided the scientists into several groups. The idealists consider the universe as a subjective reality, whereas the realists propound it as the objective reality.
The space and time also presents a mystery. Some conceive of space as a 'plenum', whereas others believe in the possibility of 'vacuum* ; some try to prove the existence of 'absolute space'; some contend that space is an objective reality, whereas others assert that it is a subjective reality. Similar dissensions exist regarding the reality of time.
In the field of science, Newton conceived of space and time as absolute and independent entities. The scientists assumed the