what have been the impediments of growth of science in India?
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This answer is on Impediments of Science in Medieval India in contrast to its continuous growth in Medieval Europe.
The following are the major impediments of growth of Science in India :
(1)
India was mostly peaceful: Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan wrote –
“Fate called India to a spot where nature was free with her gifts and every prospect was pleasing… Bounteous nature yielded abundant food, and man was relieved of the toil and struggle for existence.”
There was relatively considerable stability in Indian Society regardless of periodic wars between rulers of various regions. Advancement of knowledge and technology takes place when there is a necessity of satisfying human needs. More or less every individual was able to meet the basic requirements of sub sistence. Also, unquestionable acceptance of religious orders of things allowed a peculiar kind of satisfaction to prevail, which did not allow pressures to build up for either enhancing production through technological innovation, or to change the society.
(2)
No revolt against dogmatic mindset: India had many schools of philosophy and theology and, unlike European’s, they provided variety of answers to the profound questions humans could come up with. Controversy over these variations in answers made Indian thinkers too busy to think outside the box. And if somebody did think outside the box, they had no effective way to communicate and convince the populace. On the other hand, the condition in contemporary Europe was altogether different. In Europe a heretic (disbeliever) was stoned to death whereas in India, a heretic was simply challenged to debate. This relative rigidity of European tradition, as far as intellectual freedom was concerned, led to revolts against dogmatic mindset. Quoting Philosopher Bertrand Russell –
“Theologies have professed to give answers, all too definite; but their very definiteness causes modern minds to view them with suspicion.”
The oldest and the most prestigious European scientific academy called The Royal Society still has the same motto that its founders adopted in A.D. 1660 - Nullius in Verba (English: take no one’s word for it).
(3)
Idea of printed book wasn’t adopted in India: Perhaps the most dominant hampering factors for the growth of science in Medieval India was lack of appreciation of possibilities of printed books. When King Jahangir was presented with a printed book, he is said to have thrown it away upon comparing its ugly appearance with that of the designs of Royal Calligraphy. Perhaps he wasn’t aware of the enormous possibilities books presented. In Europe, on the other hand, printed books were welcomed.
And therefore, (1) skeptical thinking with (2) an aid in their communication (i.e., books) in Europe led to scientific progress whereas the lack of these in India turned out to be among the major impediments of growth of Science.
Hope this will help you
The following are the major impediments of growth of Science in India :
(1)
India was mostly peaceful: Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan wrote –
“Fate called India to a spot where nature was free with her gifts and every prospect was pleasing… Bounteous nature yielded abundant food, and man was relieved of the toil and struggle for existence.”
There was relatively considerable stability in Indian Society regardless of periodic wars between rulers of various regions. Advancement of knowledge and technology takes place when there is a necessity of satisfying human needs. More or less every individual was able to meet the basic requirements of sub sistence. Also, unquestionable acceptance of religious orders of things allowed a peculiar kind of satisfaction to prevail, which did not allow pressures to build up for either enhancing production through technological innovation, or to change the society.
(2)
No revolt against dogmatic mindset: India had many schools of philosophy and theology and, unlike European’s, they provided variety of answers to the profound questions humans could come up with. Controversy over these variations in answers made Indian thinkers too busy to think outside the box. And if somebody did think outside the box, they had no effective way to communicate and convince the populace. On the other hand, the condition in contemporary Europe was altogether different. In Europe a heretic (disbeliever) was stoned to death whereas in India, a heretic was simply challenged to debate. This relative rigidity of European tradition, as far as intellectual freedom was concerned, led to revolts against dogmatic mindset. Quoting Philosopher Bertrand Russell –
“Theologies have professed to give answers, all too definite; but their very definiteness causes modern minds to view them with suspicion.”
The oldest and the most prestigious European scientific academy called The Royal Society still has the same motto that its founders adopted in A.D. 1660 - Nullius in Verba (English: take no one’s word for it).
(3)
Idea of printed book wasn’t adopted in India: Perhaps the most dominant hampering factors for the growth of science in Medieval India was lack of appreciation of possibilities of printed books. When King Jahangir was presented with a printed book, he is said to have thrown it away upon comparing its ugly appearance with that of the designs of Royal Calligraphy. Perhaps he wasn’t aware of the enormous possibilities books presented. In Europe, on the other hand, printed books were welcomed.
And therefore, (1) skeptical thinking with (2) an aid in their communication (i.e., books) in Europe led to scientific progress whereas the lack of these in India turned out to be among the major impediments of growth of Science.
Hope this will help you
Answered by
4
By the end of eighteenth century,india society had became very complex. Hence it is difficult to discuss even on aspect of it, that of science , as it arose from this society and contributed to it , without over-simplifying. However, if simplification makes sense and does not distort the picture ,it is good things because it gives ud an overview which helps in understandinthe interaction between science and society.
Hoping that ans wil help you
Hoping that ans wil help you
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