Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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cating poverty, imparting a certain quality of life and democratizing to a great extent even their life style. It is interesting to quote Daniel Bell, "It is because of technology; today the 'flower girl' and the Queen can buy the same pair of stalking."
So one cannot keep an ambivalent attitude towards science and technology; and yet the fact remains that the world is facing the major issues: The two words of man - the bio-sphere which is man's inheritance and technosphere which is man's creation - are out of balance. It clearly shows that we have progressed but progress is in one direction; ignoring all side effects. Alfred North Whitehead rightly said, "The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order."
The ancients in India perceived cosmic energy in its triple aspects of creation, preservation and destruction and the task respectively performed by Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. When one reads wonder expressed by Vyasa in this verse of Bhagavata, "Having created by Yourself this most astonishing universe with its diverse forms, You entered into them to pulsate life in them," one is reminded of the same kind of wonder expressed in this statement: If we could transport someone who lived in 1900 to our world today, his surprise would be equal to that of someone of us who will be set down in the world of the year 2020.
Indeed science created amazing new man-made materials and may claim, as if, to have been able to perform the role of Brahma, the Creator. On the other hand, by providing the fatal instruments and with these instruments being able to do damage and destruction, he may also claim to be able to perform the role of Siva!
However, unfortunately, man failed to perform the role of Vishnu, God of Love, the Preserver and the Sustainer of life. Vedic tradition laid stress on the sanctity and sacredness of Nature and extolled its benefits. It finds divinity in everything, especially in things which uphold, sustain and nourish life. It is, therefore, the natural phenomena such as rivers, mountains, trees etc. are worshipped and deified. Atharvaveda (12.1.35) says, "Cutting of a green tree is a crime and planting a tree is a charity."
Moreover, we know that Miniature Evergreen Forests are valuable bio-diversity hotspots and repositories of rare and engendered medicinal plants, insects and birds. They provide vital eco-system to local people. They help in water and soil preservation. Do we know that these Miniature evergreen forests are called sacred groves and are dedicated to local deities and these sacred groves are nurtured and sustained on account of religious beliefs and sacred practices of the tribes who live in the forests? Do we know that they are now under threat because of over-exploitation and erosion of traditional beliefs and practices?
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