08 October 2013

Sub-atomic particles, Science and Spirituality

As far as I observe, some morning programs on our TV channels are really worth viewing. For example, those on Podhigai, Jaya and Star Vijay (with spiritual discourses by Shree Velukkudi Krishnan, Shree Anantha Padmanabhaachaariaar), ETV (with Aayurveda programs such as Jeevanjyothi), DD National (Aaj Savere), Ashta and Sanskar.   

This morning it was nice to view a spiritually enlightening interview with Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev on DD National. The interview covered spirituality, ecological conservation and democratic governance.

When Sadguru mentioned about the similarity of human beings and other things, I remembered how I used to introduce lessons on `Kinetic Theory of Matter' and `Structure of the Atom' to my Physics students by mentioning that living things (including human beings) and non-living things are made up of the same sub atomic particles and hence no different from each other except in perception. Within the animal world, many animals possess far more superior skills of perception, navigation etc. than human beings. We cannot even imagine to do many things that animals and plants do day after day. For example, pigeons fly across oceans and return to their habitats with remarkable navigation techniques, bats use ultrasonic sound to find their food or detect obstacles at night, birds make beautiful nests and so on. It is common knowledge that human beings developed many machines by carefully observing the animal world.    

But, in spite of all this we human beings do differ from other animals in one aspect viz.reasoning. In other words, we humans have the God given ability to distinguish between right and wrong. But unfortunately many people don't recognize this difference.

(In his interview Sadguru mentioned a quotation from Mark Twain, whose works left a lasting impression on me during my student days. Some of his novels were a motivating factor in writing my first published article `Racial Discrimination' in the College Magazine when I was working for my Bachelor's Degree forty five years back).           

3 comments:

  1. along with whats mentioned in the above article comes a paradox arising out of our human tendency to perceive some thing in object while or even though we are a part
    of the whole we still want an objective truth pill,while animals seem have a co existential tolerance,i mean at a sub atomic level the perceiver is part of the
    percieved and yet we want it as knowledge

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    Replies
    1. Yes. (As Shree Rajagopalachari (known as `Rajaji') once said in his explanation of Aaadhi Shankaraachaaryaa's composition `Bhaja Govindam', knowledge and wisdom are not one and the same. When knowledge matures, it becomes wisdom. It is in this respect that we differ from other animals). Thanks for the comment, Basu.

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Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
I am a retired K-12 Education Management Professional. I have worked at different levels in K-12 school systems, textbook publishing, elearning and Education NGOs. I have held memberships in The Association for Science Education (UK), American Association of Physics Teachers and The Malaysian Institute of Physics. I hold a 1st class B Sc Degree in Physics followed by B Ed [English and Physical Science] and M A [Childcare and Education] degrees. My published works include 59 articles in teacher development magazines in India and the US and a book entitled `Creative Classrooms and Child Friendly Schools' (listed in Amazon). This book is almost an anecdotal account of my professional experience in six countries (including Cambodia where I worked as Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Education, Youth And Sports). I served as mentor in the Certificate of Teaching Mastery Program offered by Teachers Without Borders.