Pranam *Recognizing religious diversity in physics*
02 Apr 2021 Taken from the April 2021 issue of *Physics World* where it appeared under the headline "Recognizing religious diversity". Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the *Physics World* app <https://prod-physicsworld-iop.content.pugpig.com/>.(A magazine) *Sebastian Wood *says that science needs to welcome different faiths and do more to build bridges between the two communities Changing attitudes A British Social Attitudes survey in 2019 found that 48% of the UK population identifies as religious and that since 1983 there has been a decline in the proportion of Christians, an increase in the non-religiously affiliated, as well as a rapid rise in the Muslim population, along with other minority religions (up from 2% to 9%). In other words, the beliefs and worldviews of the UK population are becoming more diverse as we move away from a predominantly Christian population to a more mixed one. Yet in this regard – as in other aspects of diversity – the UK scientific community is strikingly out-of-step with society. Indeed, a report from Rice University in 2016 found that just 27% of UK scientists identify as religious compared with 47% of the general population Neither society nor scientific pursuits stand to benefit from being out-of-step with each other So, what is keeping religious people away from science? It is tempting to follow the Enlightenment philosophy that places science and religion in conflict: “as science advances, religion declines”. But that is far too simple. The Rice report compares eight countries, finding that the disparity between scientists and the general population who identify as religious is small in nations such as Turkey and India, while in others such as Taiwan and Hong Kong religious people are even over-represented in science. That picture is very different from the UK and other western countries where the religiously affiliated are strikingly under-represented. The report also finds that most scientists do not believe there is a conflict between science and religion – instead it being more a societal issue than a philosophical one. Irrespective of the reasons why religious people are under-represented in science, which are no doubt manifold and complex, I believe that *neither society nor scientific pursuits stand to benefit from being out-of-step with each other*. Rachel Brazil’s insightful *Physics World* article “Fighting flat-Earth theory <https://physicsworld.com/a/fighting-flat-earth-theory/>”{ KR There are 1000 books ridiculing flat earth theory and that is Bible and Christianity only; and never any except a few like carl Sagan etc had handled Indian Vedics which never said earth as flat at all} traces the rise of belief in a flat Earth back to religious convictions. It stands as a warning that we need to build bridges between scientific and religious communities rather than allowing the divide to widen further. In a society that increasingly recognizes the value of diversity, it is worth reflecting on the history of science to see that no single religion or worldview has a monopoly on scientific progress. Even a cursory glance reveals profound contributions to science from individuals representing the full range of religious and non-religious worldviews, both historic and contemporary. Clearly this diversity of thinking is of enormous and proven value to science and technology, and is something to be treasured, nurtured and encouraged. KR: As for as India is concerned, neither here there are believers in religion nor there are knowledge enough to handle the science; here people are afraid to take up boldly their ambitious pursuit even if they starve; there are more 80% of the 80% population satisfied with the sun-rise-sun-sets-one-day-is over -sans-progress” ATTITUDE; 16% WALK IN AND WALK OUT WITH THE DRUGS AND LIQUOR; 20% contribute to progress of the nation and for the welfare of the 80% and the 80% shaped for the 60% of the votes. Had they been religious they would have been thought oriented; Christianity always wants protection from the west; Islam trades and lives as exclusive waiting for the west Mahatmas; in short India needs more impetus to grow without politics. Finally this topic ended as collegium ended yesterday without any solutions. Physics is Bhauktikam (Pancha buta) IN SANSKRIT. Bhautika (भौतिक).—*a.* (-*kī* *f.*) [भूत-ठक् (*bhūta-ṭhak*)] प्रहुतो भौतिको बलिः (*prahuto bhautiko baliḥ*) Ms.3.74; आहंकारिकत्वश्रुतेर्न भौतिकानि (*āhaṃkārikatvaśruterna bhautikāni*) Sāṅkhya S. elemental, material; वृक्षाणां नास्ति भौतिकम् (*vṛkṣāṇāṃ nāsti bhautikam*) Bhāg. 12 184.9; पिण्डेष्वनास्था खलु भौतिकेषु (*piṇḍeṣvanāsthā khalu bhautikeṣu*) R.2.57. A being, animal (*jīva*); कालस्य ते किमुत तत्कृतभौतिकानाम् (*kālasya te kimuta tatkṛtabhautikānām*) Bhāg.12.8.43. Adi sankara while relating to writing treatise on Brahma sutram, writes rebutting Buddhism principle of nihilism and Bhautika (भौतिक) wrt the atoms etc rebutting Vaisheshika principles also combining science read with sanathana dharma as under: *Brahma-Sutra 2.2.27: Sanskrit text and English translation.* उदासीनानाम् अपि चैवं सिद्धिः ॥ २७ ॥ udāsīnānām api caivaṃ siddhiḥ || 27 || *udāsīnānām*—Of the effortless; *api*—even; *ca*—and; *evam*—thus; *siddhiḥ <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/siddhi#hinduism>*—attainment of the goal. *27. And thus (if existence should spring from non-existence, there would result) the attainment of the goal even by the effortless.* The opinion of those who maintain the reality of everything (Realists, sarvāstitvavādin); the opinion of those who maintain that thought only is real (Idealists, vijñānavādin); and the opinion of those who maintain that everything is void (unreal; Nihilists, śūnyavādin.— We first controvert those who maintain that everything, external as well as internal, is real. What is external is either element (bhūta) or elementary (bhautika); what is internal is either mind (citta) or mental (caitta). The elements are earth, water, and so on; elemental are colour, &c. on the one hand, and the eye and the other sense-organs on the other hand. Earth and the other three elements arise from the aggregation of the four different kinds of atoms; the atoms of earth being hard, those of water viscid, those of fire hot, those of air mobile.--The inward world consists of the five so-called 'groups' (skandha), the group of sensation (rūpaskandha), the group of knowledge (vijñānaskandha), the group of feeling (vedanāskandha), the group of verbal knowledge (samjñāskandha), and the group of impressions (saṃskāraskandha); which taken together constitute the basis of all personal existence. With reference to this doctrine we make the following remarks.--Those two aggregates, constituting two different classes, and having two different causes which the Bauddhas assume, viz. the aggregate of the elements and elementary things whose cause the atoms are, and the aggregate of the five skandhas whose cause the skandhas are, cannot, on Bauddha principles, be established, i.e. it cannot be explained how the aggregates are brought about. For the parts constituting the (material) aggregates are devoid of intelligence, and the kindling (abhijvalana) of intelligence depends on an aggregate of atoms having been brought about previously. And the Bauddhas do not admit any other permanent intelligent being, such as either an enjoying soul or a ruling Lord, which could effect the aggregation of the atoms. Nor can the atoms and skandhas be assumed to enter on activity on their own account; for that would imply their never ceasing to be active. Nor can the cause of aggregation be looked for in the so-called abode (i.e. the ālayavijñāna-pravāha, the train of self-cognitions); for the latter must be described either as different from the single cognitions or as not different from them. (In the former case it is either permanent, and then it is nothing else but the permanent soul of the Vedāntins; or non-permanent;) then being admitted to be momentary merely, it cannot exercise any influence and cannot therefore be the cause of the motion of the atoms. Conclusion : science was sanathana dharma and vice versa and Bouhtika now the present Physics, existed then; and Physics then and now has the same fall as years passed by against the nature. Nature is forgotten by the internal religion and as well by the external scientists of today. KR IRS 10421 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoqi3cWFi7eWEN4J4PuvME-M70OFzDPmTA80JVxipDetLw%40mail.gmail.com.
