Presentation on Science
(by Mother's Service Society)
|
Science produces negatives
results to match every positive result because of the way the scientist
thinks -- or rather because of the limited way that the mind of man operates.
Presented here is a summary followed by an outline of the details of a speech
on these and related issue as given by
Here is a paraphrase of some of the key points taken from the detailed full outline listed further below: (This has been summarized and expanded on by Growth Online.) · Man's belief that science is something independent of his life existence is flawed. · All developments in the modern world, including science are the product of the mind of man. · Every positive development created is marked by a corresponding negative development (e.g. atomic energy and nuclear bombs; material development and pollution.) · The reason this occurs is because of the limited nature of mind. · Mind thinks linearly along one line of truth, disregarding all other lines. Mind is also knows through division, which creates reduction that sees the minute, the specialized, all the while not seeing the greater, and especially the whole. Thus, when it creates products of science, it is locked in the minutia of details, not the whole of existence, including the various impacts on life. Also, mind sees in opposites, in divisions and contradictions, not in unity and agreement. This reflects in one person not acceding to another's point of view, supporting exclusivity to a particular viewpoint and attachment to the view one has a stake in. ·
A linear, limited, specific, divided, exclusive approach
to knowledge is inadequate. It is the view of the scientist, and many other
disciplines. This narrow view of science, and towards scientific technology
is dangerous. · Science must be looked at as a whole, not as part. ·
Science must be for man, human centered. That will remove
the evil effects. The narrow pursuit and development of any part can hurt the
whole. The development of the whole can never hurt. · The scientific method has become a universal standard for the validation of scientific facts and theories. But this process of validation represents only a portion, the lesser portion, of scientific discovery. Great scientific discoveries are characterized most of all by the formulation of new insight; the postulation of a new relationship that was hitherto not conceived. · Science can learn not just by the scientific method, but by developing the intuitive capacity of man. · Science was born when man recognized the subjectivity and limitation of the sense data and learned to detach from senses and formulate objective mental thoughts/ideas. · Similarly, scientific creativity arises when man detaches from the limited linear, unidimensional thought processes and discovers hidden relationships undisclosed to logical thought. We may call this an effort not to think. Silence thus leads to Insight. This is a spiritual truth. · Man can even detach from reliance on the insight (stop trying to understand which is the mental sense) and rise to the level of illumination or vision of truth which gives a higher knowledge. (Archimedes' "Eureka, I've Got It" is an example of illumined insight of knowledge.) · There are various parts of mind from the lower sense (i.e. inputs from the five senses) to logical to illumined to intuitive mind. · When we move our focus away from the surface, from the sense inputs of the surface, from sense mind, and we move our consciousness within, thoughts come not through the hard churning of thought process but from stillness. Beyond that are illuminations of knowledge and intuitions of knowledge without thought at all. · Our ability to perceive the truth of things depends on our level of consciousness. This means the scientist is not just the observer of the nature of the play but is himself the player as well. The higher the consciousness, the more he will see will see the truth of things. · Man moves to a higher consciousness by going within, away from the surface, enabling thought through silence, and descents of illuminations and intuitions of a many-sided knowledge. ·
In the deeper consciousness, we see the many facets of
things that affect the outcome of events, and we thus begin to learn the
subtle workings of life. · Life response is how life suddenly and abundantly responds to our change of consciousness within. It is one of the subtle phenomena of life. (E.g., I change my attitude, and then suddenly someone who I have never known halfway across the world suddenly informs me of great positive news.) It is based on the principle of inner-outer correspondence, that the outer life around is a reflection of our inner consciousness and status. Thus if we change our consciousness within life will suddenly and abundantly respond. · The law of nonlocal connections proves this at the material level. Changing the spin of an electron will affect another atom of the same atom even if the electrons are thousands of miles apart. For the human, changes in his actions, sensations, emotions, feelings, attitudes, opinions can invoke such wondrous sudden and abundant life response. · These are but some of the subtle laws of life science miss when it sees the part not the whole, when it is views only material causes, and not vital and the other facets of his vast existence. · Through deeper consciousness, we learn to recognize such hidden patterns of life. Then science moves from material science to a Science of Life, embracing all the parts of our consciousness, and the multiplicity of subtle non-material currents and energies affecting life. · Life is an expression of an original force and energy. All existence are formulations of that non-material force. Its origins are spiritual not material. Thus to understand the world, we need to perceive life at these various planes -- material, vital, mental -- whose origin is spiritual. · Science can see these vast truths, and the whole of any truth, enable discoveries, products, services, and other formulations of knowledge that are not destructive. ·
More importantly, it will begin to see the multiplicity
of life, which will reveal the subtle patters of life, its true character;
i.e how life truly works. |
|
2. AN OUTLINE OF THE JACOBS' SPEECH PRESENTED AT PUGWASH |
1.
MSS research on Theory of Development
a.
Science is human
knowledge resulting from the development of mental consciousness in humanity.
b.
Theory examines
the characteristics of each stage and the process that drives it
c.
One
characteristic of human development – man tends to mistake the effect for the
cause, the creation for the creator.
i.
He creates money
and then tries to discover independent natural laws that determine its
behavior, forgetting money is a purely human invention.
ii.
He creates
technology and then becomes a slave to his creation.
iii.
He creates ways
of knowing we call science and then regards it as something independent of his
own existence, resulting in detachment of science from society. (Descartes)
2.
All achievements
of modern civilization are products of mind
a.
Democracy
b.
Science
c.
Technology
d.
Industrialization
e.
Education
f.
Economic
development
g.
Money
h.
Social
Organizations – Green Revolution
i.
Internet
3. Every advance of humanity
Ž problem
a. Industrialization
Ž pollution
b. Automobile
Ž road accidents
c.
Money Ž inflation, deflation
d.
Economic
development Ž unemployment
e.
Green Revolution
Ž pesticide poisoning
f.
Genetic
engineering Ž fears of new threats
g.
Democracy Ž popular illiberalism (Zacharia)
h.
Internet Ž internet crime, pornography and terrorism
4.
Thesis
a.
Why does progress
create new problems?
b.
These problems
are not just new vistas for science
c.
Not just chance
or accident
d.
Direct result of
the way in which mind functions
5. Attributes
of mind
a.
Linearity --
Mind tends to think in a linear, unidimensional manner and pursue one line of
truth, ignoring other complementary sides, viewing all reality from a single
viewpoint.
i.
Examples
1.
Sherlock Holmes
-- inspector arrested a young man for
killing his father because he had earlier quarreled with him and went out into
the woods in search of him. Actually an old neighbor had done it.
2.
Monetarist views
all economics in terms of money supply.
3.
Freud viewed all
human behavior in terms of sexuality.
4. View that
national security is only a question of military strength.
ii.
Action based on
linear thinking generates problems
1. Industrialization
Ž pollution
2.
Medical
technology Ž population explosion
3.
Prosperity Ž rising rates of crime & divorce
4.
Nuclear weapons
for defense Ž generate greater
insecurity for humankind
b.
Division – Mind
knows by Division & Aggregation
i.
It knows by
dividing each whole into parts and taking each part as a whole for further
subdivision.
ii.
This leads to
reductionism
1.
Splitting matter
into smaller and smaller particles will never reveal the true and ultimate
nature of matter
2.
Splitting the
neuron to discover the nature of Mind
3.
Splitting the
cell to discover the nature of life, which is an emergent property of the whole
4.
Health as a
product of 100s of individual functions
iii.
Leads to
overspecialization and fragmentation of knowledge.
1.
Subdivision of
academic subjects
2.
Subdivision of
government functions resulting in uncoordinated actions
c.
Polarization
i.
It knows by
contrasting one thing from another
ii.
Dualities -- Mind
can function only by creating dualities
iii.
Mind progresses
by creating opposition – by contrasting its position with those of others
iv.
Creates a
negative for every positive
v.
Tends to see
things in polar opposite terms as either black or white, right or wrong
1.
Political parties
in democracy focus on their differences, not on the overall national welfare
2.
Psychology
i.
Behaviorists –
conditioned responses
ii.
Genetics
iii.
Freudian
psychology of unconscious libido
3.
Religions
4.
New scientific
theories define themselves by how they differ from existing theories
vi.
Other person’s
point of view -- difficult for mind to concede
vii.
Opposite
viewpoint almost always contains an element of
Truth
1.
Cold War --
2.
viii.
Reality is not
like that
1.
Light has
characteristics of both a wave and a particle
2.
Subatomic
particles can exist in more than one place at a time.
3.
More democracy is
not necessarily good – as it can be illiberal (Zacharia)
ix.
Every partial
truth attracts its opposite to restore Oneness
d.
Part vs Whole –
mind mistakes the part for the whole
i.
Loses site of the
greater whole
ii.
Whole is greater
than the sum of its parts
iii.
Health is an
emergent property of the whole living organism
1.
Depends on
genetics, nutrition, exercise, environment, occupation, psychology
iv.
Ecological health
is an emergent property of the whole biosphere
v.
Life – more than
a bunch of living cells
vi.
Mind – more than
a bunch of neurons
vii.
Company – not
just a bunch of people & machines
viii.
Society – not
just population of individuals and institutions
ix.
Behaviorists,
Freudians, Social and Transpersonal psychologists have all perceived parts of
the truth of human behavior, but none encompasses the whole
6.
Results of Mental
approach to knowledge
a.
Health
i.
Heredity
ii.
Food – British
consumed 171 lbs of sugar per capita in 1815
iii.
Exercise
iv.
Nutrition
v.
Pollution
vi.
Occupation
vii.
Psychology -- placebo
b.
Causes of
Development
i.
Originally viewed
as result of trade
ii.
Then
industrialization & electrification
iii.
Technology
iv.
GDP -- Money
is the source of development -- Monetarists view – we now recognize money is
only a part, society is the whole.
v.
Education
vi.
Information
vii.
Political factors
– democracy – Sen’s thesis
viii.
Social freedom
ix.
Consciousnesss –
Harlan’s rising expectations
x.
Not growth
for growth sake, but human centered development -- Schumacher
c.
Business Growth
i.
Market
ii.
Technology
iii.
Money
iv.
Organization
v.
People – Arthur
Anderson, Enron
vi.
All five are part
of something greater – living organization
d. Security -- Jasjit
i.
Military strength
ii.
Economic strength
iii.
Social stability
iv.
Democracy &
social integration
v.
Education
vi.
Environment
vii.
Military
is only the part, society is the whole
e.
Physics
i.
Regarding matter,
energy as different and studied each
ii.
Regarding space
and time as independent
iii.
Now we know all
four are relative and interdependent concepts
7.
Implications for
Science – same characteristics apply to science
a.
Subdivides reality
and knowledge into an infinite number of specializations
b.
Loses sight of
the whole
c.
Monetarists view
economy solely in terms of money supply
d.
Descartes – tried
to isolate science from the scientist
i.
Science was
regarded as an independent field of activity to be pursued for its own sake
divorced from social implications.
ii.
Regarding
scientific knowledge and society as separate and independent entities
e.
Many discoveries
Ž unexpected side effects or consequences – GM crops
f. Is there a
way to compensate or avoid the consequences of mind’s limited knowledge?
i.
There are ways of
subtle knowledge that indicate future problems even in the beginning.
8. Lessons learned by science
a. The linear, limited, exclusive approach to knowledge
is inadequate
b.
The narrow view
of science and scientific technology is dangerous
c.
Scientist is not
just a witness, but also an actor.
i.
Science looks at
discovery in itself outside the social context.
ii.
Science must be
looked at as a whole, not as part.
d.
Look at the
whole, not just the part
i.
Now recognize
science is a part, of which society is the whole.
ii.
Technology is the
part. Society which uses the technology is the whole. Concentrate on the whole
which includes the society, not just the
technology
iii.
Society includes
physical environment, human health,
iv.
Psychology is
another part that has not been included.
e. Science must
be for man, human centered. That will remove the evil effects
f. The narrow
pursuit and development of any part can hurt the whole. The development of the
whole can never hurt.
9.
Role of Scientist
a.
In his Nobel
Prize acceptance speech, Prof Joseph Roblat says scientists should desist from
working for destructive purposes.
a.
Do you think that
the motives and intentions of the scientist impact on the nature of their
discoveries and the applications to which they are put?
a.
Socially, the
scientist has a responsibility to the society to ensure that the discoveries he
pioneers are benevolent in nature.
b.
Psychologically,
…pure motive
i.
The mother wanting
the child to become a showpiece has negative consequences, prompting ambition,
stress, -- same method can produce criminals or maladjusted adults.
ii.
Medical doctors
pursuit of prestige rather than solely the welfare of the patient impacts his
capacity to treat the patient.
iii.
Scientists’
eagerness to record a successful discovery distorts his impartiality and
thoroughness in exploring possible consequences.
10.
Scientific
Discovery & Creativity
a.
The scientific
method has become a universal standard for the validation of scientific facts
and theories.
b.
But this process
of validation represents only a portion, most would concede the lesser portion,
of scientific discovery.
c.
Great scientific
discoveries are characterized most of all by the formulation of a new insight,
postulation of a new relationship that was hitherto not conceived.
i.
Archimedes
ii.
Copernicus –
revolution of the planets
iii.
William Harvey –
circulation of the blood by analogy to the movement of the solar system
iv.
v.
Becquerel's
discovery that certain rocks, uranimum salts, emit X-rays, for which he won the
Nobel prize in 1903 with Marie & Pierre Curie.
vi.
vii.
Einstein’s
energy-matter relationship, theory of relativity
d.
Philosophers of
science in the twentieth century have distinguished between the logic of
discovery and the logic of justification.
Most have concluded that there is no a logic of discovery and, moreover, that a
rational model of discovery is impossible. Scientific discovery is
irrational, there is no reasoning to hypotheses.
i.
Jules Henri
Poincaré
1.
French
mathematician, one of the greatest mathematicians and mathematical physicists
at the end of 19th century.
2.
He made a series
of profound innovations in geometry, the theory of differential equations,
electromagnetism, topology, and the philosophy of mathematics.
3. “It is
through science that we prove, but through intuition that we
discover."
ii.
Einstein
1. “Intuition does the work. Reason comes to harvest.”
2.
Einstein
speaks of the, ‘search for those highly
universal laws ... from which a picture of the world can be obtained by pure
deduction. There is no logical path', he says, ‘leading to these ... laws. They
can only be reached by intuition, based upon something like an intellectual
love of the objects of experience.’
3. "If we
knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
iii.
Karl Popper –
philosopher of science – “logic of scientific discovery”
1. “My view may
be expressed by saying that every discovery contains ‘an irrational element or
‘a creative intuition’, in Bergson’s sense.”
iv.
Rubbia, Nobelist and
CERN director
1.
"Science for me is very close to art. Scientific discovery is an irrational act.
It's an intuition which turns out to be reality at the end of it--and I see no
difference between a scientist developing a
marvellous discovery and an artist making a painting."
e.
Although
intuition is widely recognized as essential to science, there is no organized
effort to study, teach or cultivate this faculty by the scientific community.
11.
Graded
Instruments of Knowledge
a.
Science was born
when man recognized the subjectivity and limitation of the sense data and
learned to detach from senses and formulate objective mental
thoughts/ideas.
b.
Similarly, scientific
creativity arises when man detaches from the limited linear, unidimensional
thought processes and discovers hidden relationships undisclosed to
logical thought. We may call this effort not to think. Silence
Ž Insight.
c.
So also, man can detach
from reliance on the insight (stop trying to understand which is the mental
sense) and rise to the level of mental illumination or vision of truth which
gives a higher knowledge, but still a limited view. Einstein:
i.
"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my
imagination.
ii.
"When I examine myself and my methods of thought,
I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my
talent for absorbing positive knowledge."
d.
Levels of mind
i.
Physical mind –
based on senses
ii.
Thinking mind –
based on distinction, linearity, division, opposition
1.
If the mind wants
to hasten that process, the mind’s thinking itself delays the result.
2.
Mind actively
thinking won’t be able to discover the truth inside. Thinking is an
obstruction.
3.
There is a
quicker way of mind arriving at knowledge, sleep over the fact, silent contemplation.
When you forget the problem, the knowledge comes. This is unconscious
silence, as in sleep.
iii.
Higher mind –
based on relationship – intuition
4.
There
is a reversal at each step
a.
Reason
= mind detached from physical senses
b.
Intuition
= mind detached from the mental sense of understanding = it directly knows
5.
We can
consciously practice the same silence, actively make the mind silent. This is
to make the mind more intelligent. In silence, mind is able to concentrate better.
Concentration removes the random thoughts. Silence removes the active thoughts.
iii.
Four
forms of Intuition
1.
Suggestion
– Kekele’s vision of benzene
2.
Discrimination
– Ramanajum’s zero/zero = infinity
3.
Inspiration
– Archimedes
4.
Revelation
– Einstein saw the formula
iv.
Progression
to higher knowledge
1.
Understanding
by sense data
2.
Understanding
by thinking
3.
Understanding
by non-thinking – thinking is a bar, silent contemplation
4.
Direct
intuition – understanding is a bar to knowing – what you don’t seek comes to
you
iv.
Beyond that is
the level of pure intuition, a ray of the Truth, but still only a ray and not
the whole inclusive Truth.
1. What is Truth?
a. For science to really attain the status of Knowledge,
it needs to answer two questions that remain unanswered until now:
i.
What is Truth?
ii.
What is the
origin and nature of Evil?
b.
Science started
with the premise that truth was a physical fact or reality perceptible and
measurable by the senses.
c.
Later it learned
that sense data and sensory fact may be contrary to the truth as understood by
mind.
d. Herein is
established the principle that our perception of truth or capacity to define it
depends on our subjective consciousness.
i.
"Physical concepts are the free creations of the
human mind and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the
external world." Einstein/Infeld in "The Evolution of
Physics" 1938
e.
Quantum physics
has discovered that the very act of perception influences the behavior of
subatomic particles, thereby making perception of objective truth divorced from
subjective perception an impossibility.
f.
Einstein
discovered that even motion and position are relative to a subjective
viewpoint.
g.
In sum, we can
say there are different types or levels of truth
i.
Truth of the
senses is data or fact
ii.
Truth of the mind
is form
h.
Mind and nervous
senses are not the whole of man and therefore they cannot constitute a complete
conception of Truth
i.
A description of
the physical and chemical reactions involved in a nuclear detonation do not
constitute a full description of its truth.
ii.
Even if we
include a description of the physical destruction wrought by a nuclear
explosion.
iii.
The truth of the
bomb must include its social and psychological impact on the whole of humanity.
iv.
Pugwash was
constituted in recognition of this wider truth.
i.
We also have an
emotional being and a spiritual being
i.
When it comes to
social and psychological truths, this is even more evident.
ii.
Desdamona -- What is the truth of Desdamona’s handkerchief? It
cannot be defined solely in terms of material facts. It includes the subjective
perception of all the characters in the play. The truth is defined by the truth
of her motive, Othello’s and her own perception of the situation, her capacity
for loyalty, which can only be discerned by one who is true of heart.
iii.
Chrysler -- What was the truth of Chrysler’s crisis in 1978?
That the company was doomed to fail? Or destined to prosper? The truth had to
include the hidden social reserves and psychological potentials of its leader
and people.
iv.
Development -- So too, what is the truth about development? It
cannot be reduced or limited to any finite material reality
v.
National
Strength --
j.
Values
i.
Values such as freedom,
harmony, individuality and loyalty and love are also truths, realities.
ii.
Nor can the truth
of these values be known in isolation from each other, from other truths
iii.
Freedom is
meaningful only when there is prosperity, longevity, education, etc.
k.
Truth is not of
the parts, internal or external, but of the whole which always involves a
relationship between the parts.
i.
Truth of the body
is experience
ii.
Truth of the
spirit is the spirit of the form
iii.
Embodied Being is
the whole – it sees Existence as Truth
iv.
Six blind men
and the elephant – see parts of the
truth
v.
Parts of being
see parts of the truth
vi.
The whole Being
can see the whole truth
vii.
Truth of the part
may offend the other parts, not truth of the whole.
l.
Definition of
truth by Sri Aurobindo
i.
Truth for the
human being is the objective perception of the human existence
ii.
The objective
perception of the whole subjective individual
m. Truth of Science
i.
The whole Truth of
science must correspond to a whole conception of our existence, which is not
just sensory and mental. Only then science can avoid negative consequences.
ii.
Science must move
toward the truth of the whole from the truth of the part.
