Philosophical Writings

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy

Page 53

Philosophical Writings
The religious traditions of the east not only emphasize the unity of things and events in the universe, but also the awareness of this unity which is mystic experience. “All things are seen as interdependent and inseparable parts of this cosmic whole; as different manifestations of the same ultimate reality."** The world view that emerges from these traditions i.e. from Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and the Zen, is having a striking similarity in its basic elements and these fundamental elements of Rta or Dharma (Hinduism), of Suchness or Tathata (Buddhism), and of Tao (The Taoism & the Zen) also seem to be the fundamental features of the world view emerging from modern physics. We, therefore, will now examine the parallels between Logos as seen in Philosophy and in Religions, and as it emerges in the Science, especially in modern physics. 4. Logos in Science :
We have sufficiently discussed the concept and theory of Logos in Philosophy and in religion; and we could note the striking agreements or parallels in their theories. Now, without becoming, technical, let us understand what Science has to say about Logos or about this Law of the universe. Of course, by the term Science, we will refer to physics and especially modern physics.
Prof. Arthur J. Ellison of City University, London, in one of his essays, on Western Science and Religious Experience, very briefly and precisely summarizes modern Physics as:
"In Ratherford's day atoms were considered to be like miniature solar systems. Electrons were seen as tiny charged particles rotating in orbits around the nucleus like planets around the sun. Physicists have now discovered that electrons sometimes appear as particles and sometimes as waves. In addition, particles sometimes disappear at one point and reappear at another, apparently without crossing the space in between.
Unlike Newtonian physics, quantum mechanics is firmly based on more than just observation and experiment. In quantum