SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE
United Nations Organization says: For the next 10 years we must focus
on educationfor sustainable development.
Development that meets the needs of the presentwithout compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs issustainable. It includes aspects such as peace, environmental integrity and humanrights, and requires us to reassess our concept of “progress”. The U.N. Earth Charter says, “…… it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility toone another, to the greater community of life and to future generations”.(The Times of India, January 25, 2005)To achieve the aforesaid goal of sustaibability, we will have to draw knowledge fromthe richest veins of human wisdom, both past and present.To-day our survival requires a total change within ourselves. To achieve this, eduationneeds enhancing and strengthing the following human capacities:The wisdom to perceive the interconnectedness of life and living; the courage not tofear or deny difference, but to respect and strive to undersand people of differentcultures, and to grow from encounters with them; the compassion to maintain animaginative empathy that reaches beyond one’s immediate surroundings and extendsto those suffering in distant places.
Now, I pose following questions that need answers in connection with ancient wisdomof India:
1. Why is there an advanced scientific language like Sanskrit?2. Why did the ancients need sub-micro measurements to the level of a trasrenu (nano range)?3. Why is there such an advanced Architecture as Vaastu Shastra?4. Why is there such an advanced mathematics as Vedic Ganit?5. Why is there a science of life as Ayurveda?6. Why is there a discipline like Yoga?7. Why is there Indian Surgery, Metallurgy, numerals, chemistry, agriculture, ecologicalconcepts, time concepts, Ancient aviation science of Hindus, etc.?Apparent combined answer to all the above raised questions is: There was an advancedscientific Hindu Society in the remote past. The principles of its sciences are so dvanced thatnot only these are applicable to-day but these are also suitable for the future base building of modern science.I shall continue to write my impressions about it and shall solicit querries.3