Jain Shwetambar Conference Herald 1909 Book 05

SR No.: 536505
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Jain Shwetambar Conference
Publication Year: 1909
Total Pages: 438
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Shwetambar Conference Herald, & India
File Size: 11 MB

Page 395

1909)
A Passage-at-arms between Science and Religion.
( 309
The Man of Religion: “Well, if you cannot even imagine the destruction of matter, how can you imagine the annihilation of your sou-your true ego, to which alone you can attribute your boasted achievements in the world of matter or your proud title to be the discoverer of Truth, par excellence? You cannot but admit that your soul, which is but another name for your real personality, has always existed and must ever continue to exist in some state or other; in other words, that it is co-existent with Eternity."
The Man of Science: "Well, I admit the force of your argu. ment and concede there is strong presumption in favour of your conclusion. But granting that the soul is immortal, what possible con. nection can there be between our existence, past, present and future, seeing that it is only with the present that we are concerned?"
The Man of Religion: "Before answering your question, I would with your permission venture to trespass on your courtesy so far as to ask you to tell me what your science has discovered regarding the nature of energy."
· The Man of Science: "Energy, as we understand it, is as real* as matter. In fact, science has so far discovered only two real things-Matter and Energy,-that which works and that which is worked on. Like matter the energy inberent in it can neither be created nor destroyed, its amount can neither be increased nor diminished. It manifests itself in various forms, as visible motion, electricity, heat, light, magnetism &c. Any particular form of energy may under suitable conditions be destroyed, but it is always replaced by its equivalent in some other form. For instance, motion can be destroyed in a railway train by applying the brake; electric currents can be destroyed in an incandescent lamp; heat can be destroyed by, using it up in a steam-engine; and so forth. But when motion is stopped in a train, heat is invariably produced, the wheels sometimes becoming red-hot. When electricity is destroyed in a lamp, light is produced; when heat is destroyed in a steamengine, visible motion produced; and so on. Further, the amount of heat, ligbt, motion produced is the exact equivalent of what is
In scientific parlance, only those things are said to be 'real' which can ne; her be created nor put out of existence. The one test of reality in Nature is essential permanence underlying changes of form.