________________
JAINISM AND SCIENCE-AN OVERVIEW/35
This overall view establishes that the Jain Tirthankars gave concepts which surpassed the Relativity of Einstein and Quantum Mechanics of Plank even two thousand five hundred years ago. The analyses of extent of universe, time, spatial co-ordinates, motion, atoms (pudgals), matter, soul, birth-rebirth, energy et all presented in Jain literature qualify for being at the same plane as the science itself.
3.2. Science & Philosophy
Philosophy is an art of esoteric possibilities, whereas science is an act of converting these possibilities into tangible realities. Often, for science, the beginning is some hypothetical philosophy. And surprisingly, when scientists hit a road block, they fall back on philosophy. Therefore the two are inseparable and not diagonally opposite as is thought to be!
Today, science is dwelling in the pastures once thought to be only philosophical. It is intensely engaged in the mission to demystify universe. Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is now busy scientifically proving that the cosmos's extent is finite, mathematically establishing that the 'time' existed even before the big bang and logically expressing that the God (even if HE exists) had not role to play in the creation or perpetuation of the universe. These actually have remained the axioms of Jainism (and of Buddhism) for centuries. Finding conclusions of science very similar in general and almost identical in a few particular cases, is an important milestone for the Jains.
One such technical and logical similarity between Jain ideology and science is studying diffèrent qualitative and quantitative aspects and attributes before drawing any conclusion. Jains' fondly call it Anekantvada. It acknowledges that the matter can manifest different paryayas (guna) under varying conditions of observation. This led the Jains to adopt the policy of Syadvada in their expressions and to shun the absolutistic judgments. Science calls it ‘Principle of Uncertainty. The conceptual similarities, therefore, compel us to keenly study the Jainism vis-à-vis science.
3.3. Science & Sociology
Scientific inventions have brought about the Industrial Revolution. As technology and engineering are growing, the need for the addition of third dimension of environment conservation is becoming dire and urgent. To uphold the moral, ethical, mental and physical values of the civilized society, science has a definite and mandatory social role to play. Here, the Jain ethical values
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
