Jain Philosophy and Modern Science

Author(s): Nagrajmuni
Publisher: Anuvrat Samiti

Page 87

THEORY OF ATOM
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surely be found to be composed of clay Even after a change of shape whatever substance is found to be common in all shapes is called the "material cause". Clay is, therefore, the material cause of jar What is the 'material cause' of the innumerable varieties of substances which fill the visible universe? It seems that speculation on questions like this led to the theory of Five Elements'. In India also some sages opined that Earth' which was the material cause of most of the substances is produced from 'Water' and 'Water' is produced from 'fire' and 'fire' from 'air' Some considered 'water' as the original cause. They considered 'space' to have been produced from the 'soul' In Greece, Thales (a contemporary of Charvak) held that 'water' was the main cause of this Universe His disciple Anaximens held 'air' as the primary cause, and Herecluntes proved that 'fire' was the primary cause Thus, from the sevent or eighth century BC to seventeenth century AD, four or five elements held the field of primary cause
The agnostics of India considered 'space' also as an element, but when they could not prove the same by reasoning they gave up that idea. They remained the followers of the 'Four Elements' only This theory of considering the 'Four Elements' as the primary material cause of the universe came to an end when early chemists made great but futile attempts to transform iron or copper into gold At first Boyle wrote a book called the 'Suspicious Chemistry' and