Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

Page 122

Limitations of Mathematics In Jain Philosophy And....
game can play and does play a very important role in our day-to-day life.
hematics is related to the quantitative aspects of every object. We use objects in all our activities. Since life consists all activities, various objects are no doubt useful in everyman's life and there is nothing in the world which has no quantitative aspect. It follows, therefore, that there can be no life without mathematics.? Of course, the type and use of mathematics differ in everyman's life according to his own understanding.
Mathematics in its modern form differs little from science. The only noteworthy difference is that mathematics uses 'proof'in place of observation'. 3 Mathematics is a basic requirement of modern physics and modern physics explains and tries to explain almost all natural laws and phenomena through mathematics, but as far as physics is concerned, it has failed to explain all physical phenomena through mathematics or to put in mathematical formulae all the laws that cause the phenomena. The laws are true only within a certain limit. Beyond the limit all mathematical formulae prove to be false. They cannot be applied there.
Before discussing these limitations of mathematics, let us examine the origin, development and history of uses of mathematics.
Types and Uses of Numbers
Pythagoras accepted the so called natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, ..........etc. as gifts from gods and he showed no curiosity to know when and how they came into hands of men.“ These natural numbers have certain properties :
1. These natural numbers are mainly of two types : Odd numbers and even numbers. The distinction between odd and even numbers is untraceably ancient. The ancient general belief that odd numbers are lucky and even numbers are unlucky, is widely prevalent in the society even today. Similarly, there is a very ancient belief that odd numbers are masculine and divine or heavenly and even numbers are feminine and human or earthy."
2. The sum of two even numbers is always an even number. Similarly, the sum of two odd numbers is also an even number.
3. The sum of odd numbers in sequential order beginning with 1 is always a square. e.g. 1+3=4=22:1+3+5=9=32; 1+3+5+7=16=42: 1+3+5+7+9=25=52
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