Elusive Consciousness

Author(s): Narendra Bhandari, Surendrasingh Pokharana, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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entirely like this; May be it is indescribable, May be it is like this and yet it is indescribable, May be it is not like this and is indescribable, May be it is like this, and it is not totally like this and is indescribable. The concept of probability is ingrained in these seven possibilities.
ia, the Jainulogations of Indian logiceMahalanobis (19
For over a millennia, the Jain logic based on Anekāntavāda, Syādavāda and Saptabhangi provided the foundation of Indian logic, though remained in isolation, till scholars like J.B.S Haldane (1957) and P.C. Mahalanobis (1954, 1957) realized its importance in terms of theory of statistics and probability and D.S. Kothari (1985) found its predictions similar to the quantum theory, in context of wave-particle duality. G.N.Ramachandran (1980,1982,1983), in a series of papers used Syad Nyaya system (SNS) for developing computer logic and worked out a new formulation of Sentential Logic and its isomorphism with Boolean Algebra.
2. Limits of knowledge: The Jaina Theory of uncertainty
The main question is whether everything can be known about everything or knowledge has any limitations. It has been realised, in view of recent discoveries of modern science, that knowledge has severe limitations as discussed in Godel's Incompleteness Theorems which explain limitations of any methodology to understand reality. Godel's incompleteness theorems illustrates our inability to completely understand the truth of nature or reality. In fact there is much in common between Incompleteness theorems developed during the past century and Syadavad, propounded over 2600 years ago. In view of the above discussion, any decision must take into account the multidimensional aspects of nature and hidden, not yet manifested aspects; otherwise it will lead to erroneous results To illustrate the limits of knowledge, we cite two simple examples here. Because of the finite velocity of light and expanding universe, we will never be able to observe or know what lies beyond the horizon, which is defined by the distance light has travelled over the age of the universe. Also as we learn about the brain, this information evolves the brain itself and we will never be able to know the state of brain completely; we can only know the previous state of brain. Consider two other simple cases here : an electron and water. An electron for example has mass, charge, spin, magnetic moment etc. But by observing these properties we can never find out that electron sometimes behaves like a wave. Similarly water has colour, molecular structure, boiling point, freezing point etc. However, it also has other properties because of which it is so critical for all life processes. Simultaneously it has interesting effects on the human body under different circumstances. Hot water is good in winter but cold water is good in summer. Thus
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