Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 71

7. Science and Philosophy
Science and Philosophy are but different modes of acquiring knowledge, one is mainly speculative whereas the other is mainly empirical but both have the same goal i.e. the search of Truth. Truly speaking, they are not contradictory and in reality they derive strength from each other. It is interesting to find that some of the theories of physical sciences are in tune with the theory of Anekanta.
(i) Theory of Complementarity and Anekantvad
The principle of Complementarity is the most revolutionary and significant concept of modern physics. The Western philosophers and scientists had a lot of difficulty in understanding and developing quantum mechanics. The contradictory results indicated that photon (or electrons) sometimes behaves as a particle and sometimes as a wave. This could not be reconciled because of the basic problem that wave and particles were considered to be exclusive or different. Bohr explained it by saying that contradictory behavior is complementary but exists together and is required for completeness. This interpretation of the Principle of Complementarity is similar to the theory of Anekanta. According to Anekant, being and non-Being, Universal and particular, permanent and impermanent exist together and are required for the completeness of Universe. This is the Reality of nature.
(ii) Heisenberg's theory of Uncertainty
Anekanta is supported by the independent system of Nayavada, seven possible modes of approach and description, one of which is singled out without regard to the others according to the need and purpose of the case. It implies that the real may be explained and examined from divergent viewpoints. These divergent viewpoints present a comprehensive and synoptic picture of Reality. It is an analytical method.
In the beginning of the nineteenth century, French Scientist Laplace established the doctrine of scientific determinism on the lines of Newton Laws and argued that there should be a set of scientific laws that would predict everything that is happening in the universe including the human behaviour, if only we know the complete state of the universe at one time.
The advent of Law of Uncertainty in 1926 by Heisenberg, signaled an end to Laplace's dream that the Universe could be completely deterministic, because one cannot measure the present state of the universe precisely! To measure the present state of position and velocity of a particle accurately, the obvious way is to shine light on the particle. The use of quantum light in any observation disturbs the particle and changes its velocity in a way that cannot be predicted. Moreover the more accurately one measures the position of the particle, the less accurately one can measure velocity and vice-versa. Stephen Hawking has pointed out that Uncertainty Principle is a fundamental, inescapable property of the world.