Sambodhi 1977 Vol 06

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 35

The convergence of the...Jainisni
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is constructed it follows easily that S must be true but not provable from C. Thus on the basis of any finitely specifiable collection of axioms C, one cannot prove all true propositions about the counting numbers.
(ii) Godel's second incompleteness theorem A formal language (mathematical or any other) if consistent cannot define its own truth i.e. the definition of truth for a theory must be of a higher order than the theoey itself. We can also say that the consistency of any specifiable collection of axions can never be established on the basis of mathematical arguments which can be justified by these axioms. Thus to establish the validity of any single mathematical system one must necessarily utilize a more comprehensive system, to validate the latter system one has to investigate an even more comprehensive system.
(f) Beauty of the Scientific Methods :
From the above discussion we conclude that all scientific methods give incomplete knowledge of various phenomena. However, the beauty of the scientific methods lie in the fact that approximations are possible and they work with great accuracy. If one is satisfied with an approximate "understanding", one can explain many phenomena in terms of a few and thus understand different aspects of nature in an approximative way without having to understand everything at once. But one who desires complete understanding of different phenomena has to study the whole universe simultaneously to get rid of the limits caused by space time and finite speed of light and to take account of the mutual effects of various phenomena occuring in the universe on each other simultaneously. Furthermore the interaction between the knower and his object must not disturb the state of the object.
(8) Jaina theory of knowledge by consciousness ;
In the cage of these problems one finds that Jaina theory of knowledge by consciousness to be very proinising. The Jainas have defined knowledge as an essence of souls. According to the coception of Jainas a perfect soul has infinite knowledge, infinite intuition, infinite bliss and infinite power. Although a perfect soul has other characteristics but the knowledge has been regarded as the chief characteristic of soul. Kundakundas has stated that although from the empirical point of view there is a difference between soul and knowledge yet from the transcendental point of view it is sufficient to say that soul is knower and nothing else. He further said that there is no difference between the knower and his knowledge. From empirical point of view an omniscient (Kavali i.e. perfect soul) perceives and knows the whole of reality and from the transcendental point of view he perceives and knows