Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Science and Religion

The theory of relativity acknowledges the existence of the relative world. Although, I haven't studied the theory, I am sure it involves highly complicated mathematical equations. These equations in math rely heavily on axioms. And axioms are self-evident truths that needs no explanation/proof. Thus, science comes up with the notion of the relative world by assuming an absolute (self-evident truths or axioms). Is it not the same case with religion which assumes an Absolute and tries to come up with explanations to the manifold of relative phenomena? Isn't God a self-evident truth ?

10 comments:

Paavai said...

Using something definite, static and permanent to substantiate fluidity, change etc is interesting ..

Arvind Srinivasan said...

cool thought that - checkout my comment on Anand's Aham...post

you will have a thing or two to say :-)

krishna said...

yeah..just like the theorems that become baseless without the axioms , life on earth becomes baseless without the existence of "god"..:)

Anonymous said...

DEAR KASTHURI,

I find the idea of self-evident truth fascinating. I suppose there are truths whose veracity can never be accomplished (Goedel's theorem can be interpreted to mean that right?)
God or BRAHMAN or Narayana IS ONE SUCH TRUTH BEYOND THE CONSTRAINTS OF PROOF AND TIME.
I have answered Arvind's question and my views kinda concur with yours please check out my blog and see for logical inconsistencies in the arguments. Thanks
SARVAM SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!

TJ said...

Yes, Religion assumes and accepts the absolute truth, and then tries to come up with means of not forgetting that in day to day activities.

swami said...

"Isn't God a self-evident truth?"

Kasthuri - i expected that you would compare God to an unreachable truth (like the Continuum Hypothesis) rather than to self-evident truths (axioms - in the true sense of the word).

tt_giant said...

*after watching the cursor blink for a long time in the comment box*:

Seems like God is beyond religion and one does not need to follow religion in order to believe in God.

But if axioms are self-evident, why must we keep reminding ourselves that "X is an axiom - better believe it. Doesnt matter if you believe it or not, its still an axiom. So, you are better off believing it".

Isnt God more than a mere terrifyingly simple fact?

Dubukku said...

first timer here. very interesting!

Arvind Srinivasan said...

is God a truth or above & beyond that ??

Kasthuri said...

@ paavai : Yes, I guess that's the unique feature that's absent in Buddhism.

@ arvind : :-). Truth/falsity is again relative and He is both relative and absolute - that's what scriptures say.

@ krishna : Life is no more fun without That axiom.

@ anand : I too think we will never be able to prove the existence of God.

@ tj : Its interesting to note how He presents to us in day to day life.

@ swami : I kind have more faith in the reality of an axiom than in the doubtful nature of an hypothesis. That's why I am comparing God to an axiom. I don't want to live in a hypothetical world :-)

@ tt_giant : I agree with you that God is more than a simple fact. But many times simple facts are the ones that are most difficult to comprehend !

@ dubukku : Thanks for visiting.