Scientific Temper

2017-04-18T00:00:00+05:30

Over the years history has shown that resolving society's problems through a scientific approach is the best way to handle those problems. A lot of mistakes and logical fallacies can be avoided from being repeated by thinking scientifically. However this approach has one fundamental problem, i.e. the people should be well educated about the scientific method and its significance in daily life. Science need not be restricted to school curriculum. It needs to be talked about outside schools, academic institutions and should be made a part of public conversation.

So what does it mean when we say "be scientific"? The following quote by Hasan Ibn al-Haytham who was an arab muslim scientist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher describes the scientific method perfectly:

"The duty of the man who investigates the writings of scientists, if learning the truth is his goal, is to make himself an enemy of all that he reads, and ... attack it from every side. He should also suspect himself as he performs his critical examination of it, so that he may avoid falling into either prejudice or leniency."

The scientific method calls for inquisition. Humans are emotional and passionate creatures and often make the wrong decision when comes to matters of importance. The scientific method helps us make better decisions and provides a rational outlook towards problems that we are facing.

The best time to educate students in scientific approach and critical thinking is by making sure that the curriculum is created keeping this vision in mind. Children are naturally curious, asking questions, and wondering how things work is a natural question that comes to everyone. This approach towards life should be nurtured, nourished and encouraged throughout the education system. The importance of inculcating a scientific temper early on among students cannot be emphasised enough. Rote learning needs to be replaced with a curriculum which focuses on developing reasoning abilities and critical thinking. However this line of reasoning is often threatening to dogma. This spirit of inquisition is often responsible for fighting superstition, false beliefs and challenging orthodoxy.

With a population of over 1.25 billion, India has a huge stockpile of manpower at its disposal. However this does not mean that directing this young workforce towards positive goals is easy. Easy availability of the internet is another powerful tool that brings people together and facilitates communication. However there is also the danger of spreading misinformation through misuse of technology and consequently the same workforce can be a big source of trouble.

India has approximately 47% population under 21 [Census 2001]. This alone shows the importance of imparting scientific education to the young population. Armed with critical thinking and 'question everything' attitude is the only way for progress. Addressing the problems of this fast growing population is a big concern and this issue is going to get big with time. Providing/creating enough jobs, healthcare, social support, housing, etc. are going to be big issues that need immediate addressing. And a scientific approach is a structured and organised way to address those problems. The benefits of having a science literate populace are plenty. The main advantage being able to make major life decisions particularly related to lifestyle, finance or politics. A scientific person questions the status quo. And often this leads to innovation both in technology as well as social sphere. Saying that scientific temper could serve as an engine for social growth as well as economic growth is not false.

There is no dearth of people who will say that science is important. Science should be given importance. Scientific discourse is necessary for the progress of society. But we rarely educate or talk about what role a scientific temper plays in the growth of society. There isn't enough public discourse towards this issue which can be seen by the plight of public education system in the country. Until this issue is addressed urgently we will continue to see a decline in rational discussions, an intellectual community and improvement of quality of life.

Extraterrestrial heritage?

2016-03-29T00:00:00+05:30

Ever since I watched the Bruce Willis starrer sci-fi hit “The fifth element", I've always wondered, have aliens really been to earth and influenced us? Discussing with my friend and doing some research, I discovered, there are pseudo-scientific theories about this issue, which give some astonishing claims and explanations that you wouldn't know how to react to !!

The ancient astronaut theory, proposed by Harold T. Wilkins (1954), states that, extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth and influenced the development of human cultures, technologies and religions. The most unusual claim is that the deities from most religions were actually aliens! Imagine telling that to your parents, I'm sure they would fret over your upbringing.

Ancient astronaut theorists believe that the evolution resulted from the manipulation of DNA of early beings we refer to as ‘Homonids’, as well as the natural selection. Some proponents go over the board and challenge the Darwin's theory of Natural selection. According to Craig Stanford, Darwin's theory is inaccurate as he had no means of understanding the amount of time that had passed since early homonids had started to walk upright, began the use of tools and developed languages.

Figure: ancient art depicting extraterrestrial or supernatural influence

This theory is also supported by a genetic element as apparent from the study conducted by Howard Hughes medical Institute, University of Chicago, Illinois. They claim that the genes responsible for size and complexity of brain went through rapid evolution in humans, while mammals and other non-human primates had not evolved in this manner. Now why only humans were to experience such change? May be because of the extraterrestrial contact? The Forkhead Box Protein P2, a gene linked with language is claimed to be of extraterrestrial origin. So they are trying to prove that aliens were the ones who gave us the art of communication etc. Talk about low esteem! Further looking into the matter, there was somewas some research conducted on 'Vimanas' the chariots of Gods, giving the book by Erich von Daniken, its name. In his book, he claimed that, certain artifactsartefacts and monumental constructions required a more sophisticated technological ability in their construction than that availablethat available to the ancient cultures who constructed them. These artifactsartefacts were constructed either directly by the aliens or by the humans who learned the necessary knowledge from these aliens. These include Stonehenge, Pumapunku, the Moai of Easter Island, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the ancient Baghdad electric batteries.

Figure: Vimaan and electric battery

The Vaimanika Shastra (Science of Aeronautics) is an early 20th century Sanskrit text on aeronautics, claimed to be obtained by mental channelling, about construction of Vimanas, the "Chariots of the Gods", the self-moving aerial cars mentioned in the Sanskrit epics. It has 3000 shlokas in 8 chapters and was attributed by Shastry to Maharishi Bharadvaja, which makes it of purportedly "ancient" origin, and hence, it has a certain notability in ancient astronaut theories. These vimanas has a propulsion system based on a combination of gyroscopes, electricity and mercury, that were not discovered at that time.

According to the legend, Vimanas were not developed until the advent of the Treta-yuga period. Ancient texts explain that Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation and the chief architect and engineer of the known universe, created the ‘Vimanas’ in succeeding ‘Yugas’ in accordance with the spiritual knowledge level of human beings during each time period. For example, the Vimanas of the Treta-yuga period were primarily powered by mantras, while the Dvapara-yuga period they were fueled by tantras. By the time the Kali-yuga period emerged, the spiritual knowledge had evaporated. These texts and explanations are used by the ancient astronaut theorists to support their theory.

Mahabharata, one of two major ancient Sanskrit epics dated roughly 800-900 B.C., describes the Vimanas as airborne chariots that were powered by ‘winged lightning”. The language of the ancient text depicts that these flying machines could not only travel anywhere within the planet but they were also capable of space travel, stating that the vimanas Vimanas were able to soar ‘to both the solar and stellar regions”. Other major Sanskrit epic, Ramayana, speaks of two-storied “celestial chariots” that feature “many windows and “roar off into the sky like comets.”

Figures: Diagrams from the book Vaimaanik Shastra

There are many examples cited by the theorists filling the blanks where the archaeological data is missing. Proponents argue that the evidence for ancient astronauts comes from gaps in historical and archaeological records, and they also maintain that absent or incomplete explanations of historical or archaeological data point to the existence of ancient astronauts. The evidence is argued to include archaeological artifactsartefacts that they deem anachronistic, or beyond the accepted technical capabilities of the historical cultures with which they are associated e.g., Vimanas. These are sometimes referred to as "out-of-place artefacts"; and include artwork and legends which are interpreted in a modern sense as depicting extraterrestrial contact or technologies.

This theory is now being considered as a conspiracy theory as this idea is not taken seriously by academics, and has received no credible attention in peer reviewed studies. Legitimate academics have responded that gaps in contemporary knowledge of the past need not demonstrate that such speculative ancient astronautical ideas are a necessary conclusion to draw. Even their discussion on Vimaanik Shastra has been declared bogus as a study by aeronautical and mechanical engineering at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1974 concluded that the aircraft described in the text were "poor concoctions" and that the author showed a complete lack of understanding of aeronautics.

But, every theory receives its criticism; that doesn't make it bogus. With a more unbiased approach to crazy thinkers, this needs to be properly researched upon and argued on every teensy bit of claim it makes. We only consider knowledge coming from the west as authentic, but in real sense, looking at our ancient texts, it seems these are infact a plagiarism of our ancient science and technology. So from where this ancient knowledge is coming? Were humans really that smart? If they were, why are we moving in circles? Or is it that now we have lost extraterrestrial contact or the spirituality some might call it.

NERD - Science

Scientific Temper

Extraterrestrial heritage?