Note to Fragments From Bohr,Einstein,Feynman....

7/28/2019 Note to Fragments From Bohr,Einstein,Feynman....

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A NOTE SCIENCE PICKED UP FRAGMENTS OF PERCEPTIONS

Picker :Subhas Chandra Ganguly 1

U

A NOTE ON SOME PICKED UP FRAGMENTS OF PERCEPTION From Authentic Records Of Journeys , Into Mysterious Regions, By Some Wonder-Struck Pioneer Tra

Eddington, Einstein, Feynman, Schrdinger ) Of Known Authenticity Following The Rules-BooScientific Method

By the Picker, Subhas Chandra Ganguly U

Nature of Scientific Insights :

LIMITATION OF LANGUAGE/REACH OF SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS

APPROXIMATE/TENTATIVE/SUBJECTIVE/ INTUITION/FANTASY/POEM /L&

Science Vs., Mysticism/Wonder

AWE, UNCERTAINTY, RELEGION HUMAN PSYCHE, IMPENRTRABILITY,

[Advanced warning in place of apology! . The note below is in the nature of a mildly edited recflowing reveries, surfacing in pickers mind from time to time, interspersed with some frommentioned above and a few others, including some English translations from original in BengaliTPF* FPT,So has no finalityand at times, may perhaps sound repet

TP

*PT Original Bengali versions of the translated (by t, S.C. Ganguly, the present Picker)ones (6 in all) can be seen inEnd Note 1(P.25-28

A few from the PICKED UP FRAGMENTS OF PERCEPTION

Scientific knowledgeis a body of statements of varying degrees of certainty some most unsure, some nenonabsolutely certain. TU RICHARD_FEYNMAN UT,

..not only are we free to drop a long-accepted principle when we think we have found something moviewpoint of physical research, but thatwe are also free to re-adopt the rejected principle when we find we have mmistake in laying it aside. This mistake may easily come to light with the discovery of new facts. A devneed not andmust not be afraid of being taunted with a lack of consistencybetween its announcements at subepochs. Erwin Schrdinger

I haveapproximateanswersand possible beliefs in different degrees of certainty about different things, butI'm not absolut

sure of anything, ...I don't feel frightened by not knowing things, by beinglost in the mysterious universe

R.FeynmanIn the world of physics we watch ashadowgraph performance of familiar life. .. It is all symbolic, and physicist leaves it. . . . The frank realizationion thatphysical science is concerned with a world ofshadowsis one of th


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To the present picker, the above mentioned UPICKED UP FRAGMENTS OF PERCEPTION UTPF1FP presented togethetwo sections(NATURE/LIMITS/REACH OF SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS& SCIENCEvs ., MYSTICISM/WONDER) and to which thpersonal note, these fragmentsare fromrecords or travelogues, deeply revealing to the picker, ofsome spvariety of expedition. These travelogues or records offer first hand accounts of a part of the dexperieperceptions and the consequent understanding, realizations, insights, in most general termspecificities),as presented by a special kind ofwonder-struck pioneertravelers (of known authenticity)what they report, as theirrepeated, thrilling journey-cum-expedition-exploration,spread over last hundr

or so. These journeys, often beset withdoubt, trepidation, faltering steps, backtrackingand the like. through, according to their own description again,regions, covered with deep, unending mystery.These regioto be found in any tourist guide/map!), are calleddeeper reality/recesses, hidden behind/inside theapparent phyrealityof nature/universe at macro or/and micro level. The unmistakablycommon(or so it seems to the picker)strain across these travelogues is a overwhelming feeling ofawe andwonderbefore the mystery regions and that of utter inadequacy of what one of the travelers( Albert Einstein) has described aspoor [hufacultiesto unravel this bottomless mystery beyond its gross forms .

Therules-bookthat the travelers, according to their own declaration (explicit or impli

finding/excavating their way through those labyrinth of criss-crossing regions without any know

TP

1PT But for a few fragments from other sources, all other fragments cited in this note are from thetwo sections,mentioned above. Iw

going to thosetwo sections, containing a muchlarger numberof fragments,only if the fragments contextually cited in this nhavesome appeal. Those interested to get those two sections are welcome to ask for the same to the e-mail addrespersonal note

most significant of recent advances. A. Eddington,

Thefinest emotionof which we are capable is themysticemotion. Herein lies thegerm ofall art and alltrue science. know that what isimpenetrablefor us really exists and manifests itself as the highest wisdom and the mostwhosegross forms alone areintelligibleto ourpoor faculties this knowledge, this feeling that is the ctruereligioussentiment. In this sense, and in this sense alone, I rank myself among profoundly religious m

Albert Einstein ,

Quantum theory provides us with a striking illustration of the fact that we can fully understand a connectiowe canonly speak of it inimages and parables. Werner Heisenberg

For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory. . . we must turn to those kinds of epistemological problems withthinkers like theBuddha and Lao Tzuhave been confronted, when trying to harmonize our position as spectatothe great drama of existence. Niels Bohr


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most general terms, is labeled asscientific methodTPF 2, developed more or less over last four hundred yfact, dependability/validity of these reports are judged, by brethren of the professional communscientists) to which these travelers belong, in the light of above rules-book to be followeddefinitely in essence or spirit. As to words, there is lack of consensus, as the fragments will show, witself around some of the words, usually used in the context of this rules-book as for example, the implicatio

used notions ofcause, effect, chance.

Accumulated body of fundamental insights about the visited regions together with demuch, larger in volume), drawn there from, following the same rules-book, are termedscientific knowledge.And

book together with this scientific knowledge is labeled asscienceTPF*

FPT.

The time span around last four hundred years (roughly from the time of Galileo) or so, book has come to dominate the pursuit of knowledge and understanding behind the apparennature/universe is broadly designated asscientific age, widely and proudly depicted as being at a civilization, as compared with all earlier ages of human history across millennia. There are minacross the continents, about this self-trumpeting claim. Earlier, this broad designation (scient

TP

2PT Innumerable treatises have been written on this scientific method. One briefest way to put the essence of t

method of gaining knowledge whereby hypotheses are tested (instrumentally or experimentally) by reference t ("data") potentially public, or open to repetition (confirmation or refutation) by peers.(Quantum Questions Mystical Writings of ThePhysicists Edited byKen Wilber ,, Shambhala Publications, Massachusetts,USA,1991,Page24). Obviously, it implies, witdeviation, some predictability, whenever required, in the corresponding field or domain. Some fuller details, frombook may be obtained from the Links:1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method ,2)http://www.scientificpsychic.com/workbook/scientific-method.htm 3)http://physics.ucr.edu/~wudka/Physics7/Notes_www/node3.html

TP

*PT This term science or scientific has come to dominate across all fields or domains of human understanding

has become almost a standard, compulsive practice to add this kind of words one way or other at the tail end honorific, of many a pursued field of human understanding e.g., social science, economic science, political sciespite the fact that, generally speaking, in any of these kind of fields, in its very nature, there is hardly validity/verification test (as briefly mentioned in preceding footnote) scientific method requires, with respechave been reached through this method. Even then, in some of these fields, to remain true to this honorific, attemmade, for predictions, which, but for some rare exceptions, expectedly, turn out to be off the reality much bedeviation, . If the term science at the tail ends were replaced by simply study, the corresponding field woul

but without this dubious claim. The claim apparently is purported to lend a kind of rigour, which is neither possible, nor requnderstandings in the concerned field. The practice seem to have a smell, as if, of an wish, conscious or uncoconsidered as a fashion of the time to earn some imaginary respectability in the eyes of standard bearers of possibly of lay persons, claiming to have scientific temperament . The following newspaper article (availabl6-monts ago, deals with such like issues in a very real context, without explicitly using any term, exclusively us

Dealing with unknown unknowns by Andrew Sheng (The Statesman, Kolkata, 26 October 2012) (http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=428409:dealing-with-unknown-unknowns&catid=39:perspective&from_page=search H)


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western hemisphere. But with time, as the technology, based on detailed inferences, gradually sthe designation seems to have been, by and large, accepted by the other regions of the planet as w

It needs to be mentioned that a part of the later (roughly from a little before the begiPthP ceninsights, forming the general background of the perceptions reflected in these fragments, rema

earlier travelers, as authentic as the later ones. At the root,revelationabout thedeeper reality behindthe appexperience/ notionof (1) space and time (Special Theory of relativity)as well as of(2) space, time and gtaken together (General Theory of relativity)on the one hand and reality behind thesub-atomic world (QuTheory)on the other, heralded these newer insights, causing in the process, re-appraisal and reviearlier insights about the universe/nature. But even in this later period, theinsights,as communicated so fexplorers/travelers, corresponding to the reality related to regions ofspace, time and gravity taken t(General Theory of relativity) ,and insights corresponding to regions ofsub-atomic world (Quantum remain, till today mutuallyincompatible1 . In other words, As they are currently formulated, general quantum mechanicscannot both be right2 This is so, in spite of ongoing attempts to bring in compatib

or other proposed all-encompassing theory (e.g. String theory, Bootstrap theory) aimed at general consensus of scientists on these proposed theories . Strangely enough,even then,in their respectivvalidity of further inferences/predictions,drawn from these twoun-reconciled insights, has been sepconfirmedto almost unimaginable accuracy3. on experimental basis. All these remind the present pickerfragments from two among these travelers/explorers:

Not only is the Universe stranger than we think, it is stranger than we can think.THTWerner Heisenberg,Across the Frontiers H

HTUhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/64309.Werner_HeisenbergUTH

One may say "the eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility." TUAlbert Einstein: PHYSICS AJNTD REALITY, Ideas and Opinions

In this context, it is necessary to remind ourselves the common message of all these ear which sometimes is missed that complexity of the contours of these regions, called reality behnature/universe, with no visible border, being what it is, it can become clearer and clearer in huover time, spread over millennia andnot in one stroke.

This understanding has been very succinctly caught through a beautifulborrowed imageryin the follow

cited statement of Isaac Newton, one of the authentic travelers of the earlier period, though theand perhaps unknowingly, for wrong reason, viz. as an evidence of modesty, which almost imforms sake, said something about himself which he believed to be not correct or true:

1 Resolution of Contradictions , http://theory.caltech.edu/people/jhs/strings/string11.html 2 The E l e g a n t U n i v e r s e By Brian Greene, (Vintage Books,1999 ), Chapter 1, Tied Up with String, Page 3) 3 The E l e g a n t U n i v e r s e By Brian Greene, (Vintage Books,1999 ), Chapter 1, Tied Up with String, Page 3)


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I could see further because I was sitting on the shoulder of the giants . Newton, In a letter (15 February 1676) to T HTTURobert Hooke UTHT T (known to the formal students of

science for Hooks Law on elasticity), a contemporary scientist, with whom Newton had a far from happyrelation. T

N.B . But for some marginal difference, the words Newton used are very close to Tutterances T comfrom different sources of catholic origin during earlier periods. On this, more can be seen from the Link

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_on_the_shoulders_of_giantsUTH

) Obviously, Newton borrowed this imageryfrom his predecessors because the imagery must have had a deep appeal to him for communicating what hefelt . This is perhaps a common experience with many of us on many an occasion.

Another more direct statement to the same effect is from Albert Einstein, a traveler of the later p ****Bcreating a new theory is not like destroying an old barn and erecting a

kyscraper in its place. It is rather like climbing a mountain, gaining new andwider views, discovering unexpected connections between our starting pointand its rich environment. But the point from which we started out still exists andcan be seen, although it appears smaller and forms a tiny part of our broadview gained by the mastery of the obstacles on our adventurous way . AlEinstein (The evolution of physics) ( From Timeless Aphorisms Under DISCOVERY ANCREATIVITY ) ( HTUhttp://www.websophia.com/faces/einstein.html UTHHTUhttp://www.websophia.com/faces/einstein.html

In this context, a very relevant example within the very limited understanding of the picterms, comes to mind. Among other things, in place of earlier,classicalnotion (primarily attributed to Newttime, mass, length, which were thought to be absolutein character i.e. independent of observers locationEinstein'sSpecial theory of relativity(appearing for the first time in 1905) leads to the notion thnoneof attributes isabsolute(i.e. has any meaning without any reference to or independent of some orcharacter but is dependent on therelative motion/velocityof the observer with respect to the observed

other way round. For example,mass of an objectwith respect to an observer is greater when the object is,relative observer, at higher velocity than when it is at same velocity. In latter case both can be looked upeach other. In case oflengthof the object measured along line of higher velocity, the case is just theshrinks. As totime, clock placed on an object, or any other change (e.g. wear and tear) of the place(e.g. aging process) over time would go slower with respect to an observer, ifthe former is at a higher velocity as covelocity of the latter,Interestingly enough, this changes will not felt to be so by the object/person at a velocity. Feverything will felt to be as unchanged.But, and this is of fundamental importance,magnitudeof these changes in thslower observer becomesignificant enough forlending themselves todetection through humanly possible o(even with possible instrumental help) and so have to be taken into account only when the mrelative velocity approaches the speed of light.

At thelevel of velocity we are familiar with, including, say, even the movements of artificial actions taken on the basis of classical notion turn out,in practiceor in effect, to beas right as before. At thimagnitude of change, originating in change in relative velocity is so small that it, as just mentiorepetition,cannot be detectedat all even when aided by any humanly devised instrument and so caccount in practice. And, nor is it necessary for working out the corresponding plan of action.


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the notion of time, space etc.cannotbe said to have nullified the earlier notion about the same, in the swrongnotion by arightone in absolute sense. Instead, this later notion shows theinadequacy and limitationin agrave, fundamental sense of the earlier notion, if extended beyond certain range of human experiof that range, it is the earlier inadequate/incomplete notion, which is of practical use and not the

The overpowering sense ofwonder, awe, inadequacy, ignorance, limitations of human facuhumility(Widely and often confused with modestyPTF*FPT leading to serious distortion of the spirit of the conveany context), unequivocally expressed, in their respective ways, by all thesetravelers, called scientist(named afrules-book they follow) of both earlier and later period, verges on special kind of, what, in all rebe calledspiritual/mystic/religious feeling at personal level,before glimpses of theoverwhelming, impen(i.e. impenetrable beyond gross forms) mystery, vastness a vastness without end surrounding the regicould come in contact with at any given moment of time. Thisspiritual/mystic/religious feeling,as the travthemselves point out , has got nothing to do with organized religion per se of any denomination, no matter traveler concerned had formal allegiance (many had) to any of this denomination. One such exp

The finest emotion of which we are capable is the mystic emotion . Herein lies thegerm of all art and all true science . To know that what is impenetrable forreally exists and manifests itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty,whose gross forms alone are intelligible to our poor faculties this in this this sensesense alone, I rank knowledge, this feeling that is the core of the true religioussentiment. In, and myself among profoundly religious men.

Albert Einstein, letter to Hoffman and Dukas, 1946; from T HTTUAlbert Einstein the Human Side UTH,, Helen Duand Banesh Hoffman, eds., Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 198

A variant of the above, found in an article is as below : The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious . It is the fundamental

emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. .. It was theexperience of mystery even if mixed with fearthat engendered religionknowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate , our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their mprimitive forms are accessible to our minds it is this knowledge and this emotion tlconstitute true religiosity ; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man.

TP

*PT

In common parlance, unfortunately, the word modesty, which has got more to do with exemplary social beoften (unknowingly) interchangeably used with the word humility, which (like, say, joy), has got nothing tospontaneous felt state of mind, expressed or not, one cannot help having, while passing through some particuhumility is felt before presence of something, experienced as invitingly and intensely overwhelming. For expersona of one of the pioneer travelers, Isaac Newton, this difference surfaced into bold relief. Newton, as the av(e.g., vide,TA_Brief_History_Of_Time T by TStephen_Hawking _ T) unmistakably show, was not particularly known for few glimpses he gained during his travel into the kind of regions being alluded to in this note, generated that sexpressed in the two fragments cited above (P.4) and below(P.7).


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Albert Einstein, The World as I See It , Ideas And Opinions , Page 11, Rupa& Co.,Kolkata,1989

Another expression from another traveler of the same community (scientist):

It is a great pleasure to contemplate the universe, beyond man, to contemplatewhat it would be like without man, as it was in a grea t pa rt of its long history .. . Toview life a s part of this universal mystery of grea test depth is to sense a n experienc ewhich is very rare and very exciting . Well, these scientific views end in awe andmystery, lost at the edge in uncertainty Some will tell me that I have justdescribed a religious experience. Very well, you may call it what you will

T HTRichard P. Feynman , The Meaning of It All: Thoughts of a Citizen-Scientist H A third, and again a partly borrowed, oft cited (beginning right from school textbooks) and though, as another above, is often quoted for same wrong reason, viz., as an evidence of modest

..to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore , adiverting myself in now a nd then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.

T HTTIsaac TH Newton , as cited in Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton T T(1855) by Sir David

Brewster (Volume II. Ch. 27). Compare: "As children gath'ring pebbles on the shore", T HTTU J ohn Milton UTH, T TParadise RegainedBook iv. Line 330. ( H http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton )

These are very akin to what has been felt bytravelers from altogether a different world, viz. poets anlittrateur. For example, following are two such lines (in translation from original in Bengali)Tagores songs:

Amidst the vast universe, vast sky and the eternityI, a mere mortal, roa m around a lone, roa m in wonder

[ Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present Picker. For Original in Bengali , Vide:, 1. in End Note 1, ( P.26-28

A few more lines(in translation from original in Bengali), in the same spirit from the same Tagor

The sky, studded with suns, and stars, the universe throbbing with life,In its very midst I have found my song,So, my songs swell up in wonder

[ Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present Picker. For Original in Bengali , Vide:,2. in End Note 1, ( P.26

Below are two more passages ( again in translation from original in Bengali) this time ifrom a novel, Aparaajita (meaning, unvanquished) by a Bengali novelist (Bibhuti Bhusan Bandopadhyay) of eera, i.e., in the earlier part of last century. He is known particularly for his deep feeling of kinshi


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in, and scattered all over his writings. The passages contain the reveries of Apu, the central character of theback for a short while to his ancestral village Nischindipur, decades after his family had left it du

His mind became filled up with an indescribable joy, hope, feeling, and mystery.His hope is throbbing with life. That hope brings in the message of immortal andeternal life through the bitter smell of sun-burnt branches of the wild creepers.

That hope is heard in the whistling sound from the flapping wings of the flyingteals in the blue emptiness. No body has the power to deprive him from the rightto that life . .He is the soul on travel from birth to birth. His move is alongthe pathless path, from far to faraway and new everyday. This vast blue sky,countless star world, great bear, milky way, the world of Andromeda, nebula this centuries and millennia is the walking path from him . That great life,untouched by death, is spread unaffec ted before all, as the great oc ean wasbefore the Newton - let that motion along the pa th of limitless time remainunobstructed for whole of human race across the ages.

[ Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present Picker. For Original in Bengali, Vide:,3. in End Note 1(P..26-28)

These da ys, whenever he sits in solitariness, it appears to him that this earth has aspiritual face. Bec ause of being born amidst its fruits and flowers, its light andshadow and because of close acquaintance with the same from the verychildhood, its this rea l face escapes our attention. No matter that it is made of visible and audible stuff, the truth that it is tota lly unknown to us and of utmostmystery and that its every grain is covered with endless complexity do not comeunder our notice, just like that, all of a sudden.

[ Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present Picker. For Original in Bengali, Vide:,4. in End Note 1 (P..26-28),]

Like in a few examples presented below, in many a fragment from these travelers theretheir feeling of what they themselves designate as religious:

a third stage of religious experience .: I shall call it cosmic religious feeling. It is vedifficult to elucidate this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it ... itcan give rise to no definite notion of a God and no theology . In my view, it is the mimportant function of art and science to awaken this feeling and keep it alive in thosewho are receptive to it. We thus arrive at a conception of the relation of science toreligion very different from the usual one I maintain that the cosmic religious feeling isthe strongest and noblest motive for scientific research . Those whose acquaintance with

scientific research is derived chiefly from its practical results easily develop a completelyfalse notion.A contemporary has said, not unjustly, that in this materialistic age of ours the serious scientific workers are the only profoundly religious people. Tindividual feels the futility of human desires and aims and the sublimity and marvelousorder which reveal themselves both in nature and in the world of thought. Individualexistence impresses him as a sort of prison and he wants to experienc e the universe as asingle significant whole. The beginnings of cosmic religious feeling already appear at an


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early stage of development, e.g., in many of the Psalms of David and in some of theProphets. Buddhism , ..

The religious geniuses of all ages have been distinguished by this kind of religious feeling,which knows no dogma and no God conceived in man's image ; so that there c an be nochurch whose central teachings are based on it. Hence it is precisely among the

heretics of every age that we find men who were filled with this highest kind of religiousfeeling and were in many cases regarded by their contemporaries as atheists,sometimes also as saints. Looked at in this light, men like Democritus, Francis of Assisi, andSpinoza are c losely akin to one another. Albert Einstein: Scieand Religion

For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory . . . we must turn to those kinds of epistemological problems with which already thinkers like the Buddha and Lao Tzu have been confronted, when trying to harmonize our position as spectators andactors in the great drama of existence. Niels Bohr,BIOLOGY AND ATOMIC PHYSICS 13Physical and Biological Congress in memory of Luigi Galvani, Bologna, October 1937.

The general notions about human understanding . . . which are illustrated bydiscoveries in atomic physics are not in the nature of things whollyunfamiliar, wholly unheard of, or new. Even in our own culture they have ahistory, and in Buddhist and Hindu thought a more considerable and centralplace. What we shall find is an exemplification, an encouragement, and arefinement of old wisdom. Julius Robert Oppenheimer TU Science and the CommonUnderstanding (Simon And Schuster, Inc. New York, ,1954)Page 9-10

Everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinceda spirit is

manifest in the laws of the Universe a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the faof whichwewith our modest powersmust feel humble. In this way the pursuit of science leaareligious feeling of a special sort,which is indeed quite different of the religiosity of somnave Albert Einstein : THE HUMAN SIDE, new glimpses from hisarchives ( HTUhttp://www.websophia.com/faces/einstein.htmlUTH)

In the history of science, eversince the famoustrial of Galileo, it has repeatedly been clascientific truth cannot be reconciled with the religious interpretationof the world. Althoughconvinced that scientific truth is unassailable in its own field,I have never found it possible tothe content of religious thinking as simply part of an outmoded phase in the conmankind, a part we shall have to give up from now on, Thus in the course of my life compelled to ponder on the relationship of these two regions of thought, for I have nthe reality of that to which they point.T T

HTU Werner Heisenberg UTHTU, UT TUScientific and Religious Truth UT (1973) (TU Across the Frontiers, UTchapter 26-page 213 - TU) UT TU( UHUhttp://www.google.co.in/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=Scientific+and+Religious+Truth%2C+HEISENBE RG&btnG UHU=] )


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Widespread mind-set of many of us, the well meaning, devotedscience-lovers,perhaps is, in its mildsomewhatanalogousto the claim,scientific truth cannot be reconciled with the religious interpreHeisenberg refers to, (and obviously does not share) in the fragment, cited just above. Actual eis many a time much harsher, and almost allergic to the very word religion. It may be noted

fragments above (more can be found under two sections mentioned at the beginning) show,does not seem to talperceptions, coming as they do, from some of those, looked upon among the pathfinders, heraldthese latter perceptions perhaps deserve some attention of us, the well meaning science-lovTPF and , who c

whether the same may even induce to some re-thinking on the issue.*

It must be added in parenthesis, that there need not be any misunderstanding on this scorproposed lack of irreconcilability betweenscientificandreligiousperception, as the fragments above allumeans be interpreted as any one of the two can be the substitute for other in this journey of explregions of the unknown.Eachhas its own method, place and field of enquiry, and in their very naturirreplace

by the other.

As perhaps is to be only expected that from this kind of journey by the travelers tograsp the ungraspabBengali, adharaake dharar chesta karaa), there are likely to beunmistakable differences in perceptio, respect to the particularities of shades, emphasis and glimpses from different traveler as reflecte fragments, throbbing with live, intensely personalized experience allowing for no grey uniformity across

And beyond that, there remainunresolved differences,some quite serious (mentioned above), sominterpretingthe apparent glimpses/insights arrived at relating to various aspects of the cosmos, of

The fragments here arenot meant to reflector cover theseongoing debateswithin the community of thexcept in the form of perhaps some brief/condensed references or vague allusion here and there.

Besides, there may sometimes be some mildlyself-contradictorystatements from same traveler, ingeneralities too. It needs to be reminded that, with respect to some specifics related to nature, relater observations, ones earlier expressed understanding by newly arrived one(s) or re-adunderstanding is, as pointed out bySchrdinger (Page 1 above & 11 below and) not self-contradiction. Aare sometimesslips in historical allusion.These last two characteristics, with perhaps somewhat eyebabout them are simply human and remind us the obvious, often missed, that travelers/explorers,

journey in their respective fields , are no more and no less than human beings, like any of us, and

* In the context of this paragraph, starting with Widespread mind-set and the related fragments above the patwoNotes: 2 & 3under the headings,Private, inner world of religion vs. institutionalized denominational (& Group violence/persecution is not a monopoly of groups with a sense of religious identities(P.29), ,respecan be seen below this Personal Note.


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god-like quality of omniscience, perfection, infallibility, and the like even in their respective ficlaiming any such impossible non-human virtues, they were at pains to repeatedly emphasizeviz ., limitations, as the fragments show .

But, notwithstanding all these variations, a common presence of some identifiable groups

sometimes implicit, sometimes explicit cutting across all these fragments, can perhaps be hardly missthesecommonalities (in broadest sense), the present picker felt to have perceived and is struck wi are soto be covered through the fragments presented together under two sections . A few among tbeing alluded to in this note, in a rather free flowing manner. The picker intends to present in relatively more systematic summing up of the same (commonalities), as he understands it at presacquiring the necessary drive for the same. It bears repetition that these fragments are aimedsaspects of the general message emerging out of the insights andnot insights in their specificities(in the fowhat are calledlaws/theories),except ascontextual allusion,related to different regions of physical reainto by the explorers.

The, impression, as mentioned in the beginning and which bears repetition, these fragmconvey (at least to the present picker) is one of repeated, unending journeys/attempts , figuratito gwhat is ever suggestive but ever eludingto the human mind and what is subject, as if, to play of lighinbuilt eluding character seems to have been felt, by the explorers, to bestrongly alluringrather than frustratingdiscouraging.Northis running after the same was felt to bein vain. On the contrary, the records are satuprofound sense offascinationwith this eluding character, beckoning ever more powerfully the tratheir journey again and again, stumbling, here and there, now and then , on ever fresh glimpseshadow of the realityi.e. mystery, behind. The following fragments, alluding to these characteristic

in the least, any tone of disappointment on such counts:

In the world of physics we watch ashadowgraphperformance of familiar life. .. It is alla symbol the physicist leaves it. . . . The frank realizationion thatphysical science is concernedworld of shadows is one of the most significant of recent advances."

A. Eddington, The Nature of the Physical World, Introduction (Macmillan, 1929) page. xiv-xv.

The essential fact is simply thatall the pictures which science now draws of nature,and which alone scapable of according with observational fact,are mathematical pictures. . . . They arenothing more

pictures-fictionsif you like, if by fiction you mean that science is not yet in contact with would hold that, from the broad philosophical standpoint, the outstanding achieveme


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physics isB* * * * * * *B the general recognition that we arenot yet in contact with ultimate reality. To spterms of Plato's well-known simileTPF FPT, we arestill imprisoned in our cave,with our backs to the light, aonly watch the shadows on the wall.

James Jeans, The Mysterious Universe (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2009 Page-111, First published 1930(HTUhttp://depositfiles.com/files/pydzv886z UTH)

Therealitywe canput into wordsisnever reality itself.We have to remember that what we onot nature itself,butnature exposed to our method of questioning.T T

T HTTUWerner HeisenbergUTH,T HTTUPhysics and PhilosophyUTH (HTUhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/64309.Werner_HeisenbergUTH)

..not only are we free to drop a long-accepted principle when we think we haveconvenient from the viewpoint of physical research, but thatwe are also free to re-adopt the reprinciple when we find we have made a mistake in laying it aside. This mistake may e

the discovery of new facts. A developing empirical science need not andmust not be afraid of being with a lack of consistencybetween its announcements at subsequent epochs.

TUErwin Schrdinger , Science And The Human Temperament, Page : :93-94) UT

"He who findsa thoughtthat lets uspenetrate even a little deeperinto theeternal mysteryof nature hagrantedgreat grace. .."

TU Albert Einstein, 1925, response to the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society

"SuddenlyEinsteinlooked upward at the clear skies and said, 'We know nothing about it all. Abut the knowledge of schoolchildren. Thereal nature of thingsthat weshall never know, never.' "

TUTo Dr. Chaim Tschernowitz, one of Einstein's many visitors (1931)

UTI think and think for months and years.Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false.The hundredth time I am Albert Einstein, Atlantic Monthly, November 1945 , (http://www.websophia.com/faces/einstein.html )

TP

PT Plato's Cave, or theParable of the Caveis anallegorypresented by theGreekphilosopher Platoin his workThe Republic to illustra

nature in its education and want ofeducation" (514a). It is written as a dialogue between Plato's brotherGlauconand Plato's mentorSoc[469 to 399 B.C.]..Plato[430 to347 BC].. has Socrates [put to death, earlier for his heretic views, through self-admAthenian state of the time] describe a group of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all (continued to footnote on (continued from footnote in previous page)of their lives, facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on th

in front of a fire behind them, and begin to ascribe forms to these shadows. According to Plato's Socrates, the prisoners get to viewing reality. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cathe shadows the wall do not make up reality at all, as he can perceive the true form of reality rather than theprisoners.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave ).But apparently, as the fragments indicate, latest realization of the freed prisoners, i.e., scientists, (appearinthat their own vision is also incapable of going beyond shadows.


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Apparently, if not evidently, these travels according to the above rules-book, wernodemystification,a term often alluded to through widely prevalent misunderstanding, it appescience, but at what is only humanly possible and richly rewarding, viz.,going deeperand deeper into whatravelers, in their respective way, has depicted as eternal mystery.There is unmistakable, or so it seems t

picker,reverberationof the yearning spirit, as reflected above, in the following lines(in translaBengali) coming from sources, sometimes supposed to be almost of contrary character:

No matter who of you say what, my brothers, I want the deer made of gold Yes, I do want the gold deer with its restless dancing feet, and captivating demeanourOh! it startles, evades the eye and cant be tied,If ever within reach, it dashes out, gives the slip, and confounds the eye, I shall run behind in vain, no matter whether I get it or not,Lost within myself, I vanish away in fields and forests

[ Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present Picker.F or Original in Bengali, Vide:,5. in End Note 1(P.25-The lines are from the pen of a traveler of different credential, not bound by the rules-

These are from a Tagores song.

While on this, it surfaces to the pickers mind that perhaps this awareness can be of sommore open-endedrather thanclose-endedtowards possiblebreadth of human understanding onother fieldpossiblewidervariety of approaches from which many other understandings on these other fields open-endedness can help us to come out of having a blind, indiscriminate, advanced (i.e. bknowing, sneering, dismissive attitude towards all other claimed branches of human understscientific method to back the same, even when we know nothing about these branches and the beyond hearsay. In any such claimed branches, one happens to know nothing about; I dont

dismissive attitude would perhaps be the more appropriate one.

In this context it is perhaps not out of place to remember one oft cited dialogue from thedrama (Act 1, scene 5), named after the same character, by Shakespeare, ..There are more things iHoratio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. It is redundant to emphasize that there is not timplicit, here that even in cases these other claimed branches and/or approaches may have unknown) in their respective field of knowledge, these can at all and under any circumstancealternative/substitute to understanding, reached through scientific method. And in any case , tthe day, from its very birth, is exclusively wedded to the approach called scientific metho

approaches relate to fields, other than those addressed by purely scientific method

Again, citing the well-known and conscious fraudulent practices of some of the practibranches of understanding at the cost of gullible is no acceptable ground for such off hand dism beyond sadont know, that is of such branches. Widely known practice of frauds indulged in many othbranches of scientific knowledge does not lead us, merely on that ground, to reject or shu


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unfounded. For example, in the field of modern medicines, many a drug are released by multithe market, suppressing or being vague about the possible adverse side-effects of these drugs. Othey are caught, that becomes big news. These may cause justified public campaign against cusually not a general drug boycott call. One is likely get considerable materials on such like Internet.

In continuation of thepictures-fictions orshadowgraphaspect of the communicated insights, little earlier,glimpses, as expressed/communicatedthrough words, are, as the travelers emphaticallynecessarily ofapproximate, provisional, uncertainas well asinteractive (between the observed and thei.e.subjective, in contrast towidely presumed detached,objective character. For example, the fewbelow reflect or hint at some of these feelings, perceptions and realizations:

I haveapproximate answersand possible beliefs in different degrees of certainty about diI'm not absolutely sure of anything, and of many things I don't know anything about, but I

an answer.I don't feel frightened by not knowing things, by beinglost in the mysterious unwithout having any purpose which is the way it really is as far as I can tell possibly. It RichardTU Feynman, during an interview in BBC's Horizon program (1981).

HTUhttp://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Richard_FeynmanUTH

What we callscientific knowledge todayis a body of statements of varying degrees of cermost unsure, some nearly sure, butnone absolutely certain.

TU RICHARD_FEYNMAN UT, The Meaning of It AllUncertainty being alluded to above, relates to all fields of insights in general and in that s

perhaps may be termed as most basic and covering travels in all regions of deeper reality. But thof uncertainty, which, though equally basic, is specific to a particular realm of reality, which clater phase i.e., 20th century, as mentioned earlier. This relates to the sub-atomic world, where tsomething happening or not happening in that realm is always in terms of probability and ncertainty and the very act of observation changes some aspect(s) of the reality, as the two fraconvey:

In theexperiments about atomic eventswe have to do with things and facts, withphenomena that are jureal as any phenomena in daily life. Butthe atoms or the elementary particles themselves are notas' rthey forma world of potentialities or possibilitiesrather than one of things or fact

T Werner Heisenberg , Physics & Philosophy,( ALLEN & UNWIN, LONDON, 1971) Page-160

Nothing is more important about thequantum principlethan this, thatit destroys the concept of the wsitting out there,with the observer safely separated from itB* * * * *.B It is up to him to decide whethmeasure position or momentum. To install the equipment to measure the one prevents anthe equipment to measure the other. Moreover, themeasurement changes the state of the electr


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universe will never afterwards be the same. To describe what has happened, one hasto cross out that oldobserver and put in its place the new word participator.In some strange sensethe universeparticipatory universe.

J. A. Wheeler , in J. Mehra (ed.), The Physicists Conception of Nature, p. 244[Quoted in Tao of Physics, by F.Capra., Page 153, Chap. 10 :The Unity Of All Things ,

What is more is that in case of quantum theory, which has provided us with many of ttechnology, there are, depending on the philosophical disposition, many a contending interpretconsensus among the scientists preoccupied with the theme, of the same mathematical formobservations ! The situation has been put in a very simple manner thus:

Nobody questions what the theory predicts, only what it means. TU Paul Davies, - Introduction to Heisenberg,_Physics_and_philosophy(,Penguin edit2000) Page:(viii-x

It may be reminded that both theapproximationand the uncertaintyin generalabout all basic insi

quantum uncertainty in particular,reflected in the above fragments are, as the fragments unambiguointrinsic or inherentto the very nature of things, and arenotdue to any currentpractical limitsof human cawhich, with improvement of technology may perhaps be at least partially outgrown here and the

But, a little and necessary diversion is called for here it needs to be kept in mind that, there isanotherof uncertainty/approximation,whichcannot be called intrinsic or inherentin nature in the above senuncertainty/approximation is related topractical stepsto be taken on the basis of derived inferences finsights, and not directly related to those basic insights per se. This kind ofuncertainty/approximation surfaform of practical (in contrast to innate) limitation in human capacityor technological limitation to gatheinformationrelating to all the contributing factors or variables (including those which may sorequired to make exact prediction about any observed phenomenon. One such example is the weather forecast. Another example is prediction of stock prices in Stockmarket. There are others.

In continuationof the above diversion, there isstill another kindof closely similar uncertainty or aporiginating from the same source as above,viz ., practical ortechnological limitations. This relates to the situatunder a well defined practical condition, in spite all clearly identifiable/controllable/observable/factors, technically termed as assignable cause(s) being same, the resultant outcome is uncintervention of innumerable ,what are technically termed as Chance causes. By Chance causcontributing factors, which, though guessable within a limit, cannot be, either at present or separately . A well known, although trivial or playful, example of this kind is one of predictunbiased coin by the same person in any particular throw. Here are two more examples, nonature: 1)exact measurement of any measurable attribute (e.g. length, weight) of any object can2) Confirmation or otherwise of guessed relationship between two (or more) phenomena or twophenomenon (represented by symbols, called variables), cannot be achieved with 100% certrespective quantifiable results. Under such situations there is no other alternative but to look fo


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which can be of use, with reasonable degree of confidence, even if allowing, in the process, for or error, however small. A separate, whole subject calledStatistics, mainly speaking through mathemaand with very satisfactory record of performance, has grown to address these specific kind ogeneral term Statistical, is used to cover all situations of uncertainty (including uncertainty of ntrinsic or inhnature) as mentioned above

After these small diversions, it needs to be emphasized that this personal note and the fragmsections, mentioned at the beginning) this note relates to, are primarilyabout the inherent, basic unceapproximate character of all human understanding at the most fundamental level, alluded to innot athe kind of uncertainty/approximation mentioned in last two paragraphs.

Reverting back to where we left before this passing diversion, the limitation or inability of day-to-day lanto directly communicatethe hidden reality becomes particularly obvious in sub-atomic i.e. qufollowing fragments from travelers in that region point out :

.the smallest units of matter arenot physical objects in the ordinary sense;theyare forms, ideaswhcan be expressed unambiguously only inmathematical language.T TQuantum theoryprovides us with a sillustration of the fact thatwe can fully understand a connection though we can only speak of and parables.T T

T HTTUWerner HeisenbergUTH , PHYSICS AND BEYOND, ( Harper & Row,) Page- 210 (HTUhttp://bookos.org/dl/580697/ad7b39HTU http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/64309.Werner_HeisenbergUT )

We must be clear thatwhen it comes to atoms, language can be used only as in poetry.T TThe poet, toonearly so concerned with describing facts as with creating images and establishing ment

TU Niels_Bohr UT In his first meeting withT HTTWerner HeisenbergTHT Tin early summer 1920, in respon

questions on the nature of language, as reported inT TDiscussions about Language T T(1933); quoted inT TDefense Implications of International Indeterminacy T T(1972) by Robert J. Pranger, p. 11, andT TTheorizing Modernism : Critical Theory T T(1993) by Steve Giles, p. 28(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Niels_BohrH)

It is true that the whole scientific inquiry starts from the familiar world and in the endfamiliar world; but the part of the journey over which the physicist has charge is in foreign

there was a much closer linkage;the physicist used to borrow the raw material of his world

familiar world, but he does so no longer. His raw materials are electrons, quanta, potentialsHamilfunctions, etc., We do not even desire ..to "explain" the electron.

A. Eddington, The Nature of the Physical World, Introduction p. xiii. (Macmillan, 1929)

Lest there should be any misapprehension born out of our widely held, conditioned, habitu


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habitually value science , as contrasted to non-science , for formers supposedly objectivityneeds to be clearly realized that this real, inevitablyapproximate, subjective/interactive,(as contrastesupposedly objective in absolute sense) aspects of the basic insights,when properly internalizedis not likely toin the least the perceived immense worth and importance of science in shaping and transforming o

whether inevitably or always for the better is a moot question .

The case, in all probability, is likely to turn justthe opposite. Awareness about these aspects may much needed appropriate perspective and thus may help us to outgrow our acquired and shabituadelusional mindsetin this respect. And in the process, this awareness can open our eyes (which admclosed eyes!) in thousand and one ways and thus enrich us further through appreciation of tprofoutransforming, indispensablerole of science without any substitute for what it is really worth rathnot. That is also likely to be of help to realize its proper place in the long march of mankind thrdeeper and deeper understanding of the very universe, to which it belongs and of which it forms

Also, this may be of some help to us of to outgrow certain unhelpful unhelpful to ourselves, that is minwhich misses thebeautyof subjective as against thedetached coldnessof the objective, the kind of bwithin a limit, can be compared with what is found in the world of art and literature. Yes, within a limit onlyarena of science, ultimate formulation of any fundamental insight, even with its subjective aspliterature, have the freedom to indulge in fantasy in a way which is deliberately meant to go bewithin the limits of human faculties.

This is so, notwithstanding the fact and which may sound somewhat paradoxical, that capway to arrive at the fundamental insights is of substantial importance as one fragment from amon

When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that thegift of fantasy has more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.

TUEINSTEIN UT Atlantic Monthly, November 1945 (HTUhttp://www.websophia.com/faces/einstein.htmlH )

In fact, these fragments and some of the corresponding accounts helped the picker togradually growing over decades that, contrary to his long back earlier acquired understanding, i& literature,intuition, imagination, fantasyand the like and notanalysis and logic, which play thepivotal r

arriving at any humanly possible basic scientific insights. Primary role of analysis and logic their proper places)comes laterin deriving the details inferences (much larger in volume), put to useother branches and the technology, associated with the same, from these basic insights. But efields, the other non-logical attributes and capacities of mind are, under many a situation, likelyin developing anything new in those sub-fields. Here are a few fragments communicating such p


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I think thatonly daring speculationcan lead us further andnot accumulation of facts. Albert Einstein, Michele Besso: Correspondance 1903-1955

There isno logical wayto the discovery of these elemental laws. There isonly the way of intuition,which ihelped bya feeling for the order lying behind the appearance.

Albert Einstein, Preface in: Max Planck, Where is science going? Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the

Albert Einstein, The Saturday Evening Post, 26 October 1929(http://www.websophia.com/faces/einstein.html ) [For all the three above]

It will not perhaps be out of place to remind ourselves that thislack of objectivity, definitivenes(infundamental insights) inabsolute sense isnot same as arbitrary/anarchyand thatshadowgraph,thougexactly the reality (as the travellers feels and say),imitates, (and with better and better closeness over timthereality behind the apparent.

And so, though interesting enough, it is perhaps not surprising that despite this neceapproximshadowgraph, provisional, uncertaincharacter, interwoven with interactive/subjectiveaspect, of basic in

into the bottomless depth (or changing the metaphor, borderless expanse) of the universe, indrawn from these starting insightsdo work in practice, with a surprising degree of definiteness andobjectivmacro level. This is evident from the continuously expanding branches and sub-branches galorethe resultant dazzling technology (both beneficial and destructive) , built on the basis of these emphasized that even in these branches and sub-branches, definiteness is of a surprising degre

well-known example within the experience of many of us is diagnostic uncertainty in medical tre

Perhaps it is this apparently definitive, certain ,objective character of the derived inferthe applied sciences and dazzling technology, based on these inferences, at macro level, whichblinkeredthe eyes of not only the lay persons, infected with the malady of flaunting theirscientific temper,but(and even) those of the makers and implementers of theacademic curricula(across the world) in sciencdisabling the latter by and large, to let the learners become aware about the basically shadowyinterwoven with an element ofsubjectivity(considered earlier as an absolute domain of art and literaturto do with science, considered an epitome of objectivity) of all basic human understandin

nature/universe, arrived at through scientific method. And thus, fostering in the process, nmisleading perspectiveto what they are learning but alsoconsiderably reducingthe possibility to favoudevelopment of alertmindand sense ofwonder, predisposed towards listening tothe whispering, beckoning cthevast mysterious unknown, beyond the prefixed boundaries of routine learningand getting enricheprocess by having, to the extent possible, a feel of the profoundly moving human backgrounthey have to go through (or swallow) during learning.


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In the above context, some perceptions of one among these travellers -Albert Einstein about hiexperience as a young learner in the ongoing, from his time till today, system of academic scipickers mind:

It is nothing short of a miracle thatmodern methods of instructionhave not yet entirelystrangledthe hol

curiosityof inquiry. (Sometimes wrongly cited as I t i s a m i r a c l e t h a t c u r i o s i t y s u r v i v e s f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n )

Said on March 13, 1949 at EVANSTON,(USA), reported on March 13, 1949, the New York(NY) Times under ASSAILS EDUCATION TODAY; Einstein Says It Is Miracle Inquiry Is Not Strangled (http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/it_is_a_miracle_that_curiosity_survives_formal_education/

I soon learned to scent out that which was able to lead to fundamentals and to turn asidfrom the multitude of things which clutter up the mind and divert it from the essential. course, the fact thatone had to cram all this stuff into ones mind for the examinations, whether onnot. This coercion had such adeterring effect[upon me] that, after I had passed the final examinaconsideration of any scientific problems distastefulto mefor an entire year. In justice I must add, mthat in Switzerland we had to suffer far less under such coercion, which smothers every than is the case in many another locality.

Albert Einstein , AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES as included in A STUBBORNLYPERSISTENT ILLUSION THE ESSENTIAL SCIENTIFIC WRITINGS OF ALBERT EINSTEIN, with an introductionfrom Stephen Hawkins( RUNNING PRESS, PHILADELPHIA LONDON 2007 P. 345-346)

It needs to be added in this context, that mere inclusion of someroutine, purely formula based unareference to some of these basic insights, as is the current practice, does not basically alter the the profound implication of these insights, in terms of our understanding of the universeappropriately and integrated into the whole curriculums. Now, this seems to call for a radical rtradition. As an example, one such reference, part of all science curriculums across the planet amind viz. Heisenbergs uncertainty principle and the corresponding mathematical presentaphysicist teacher, sounds appropriate in this context., studentslearn quantum mechanicsprescriptivelyTPF

FPT

The present picker came across these fragments/travelogues byfits and starts,at different tim

decades, the most intense part of this growing familiarity occurring in last 4/5 years or so, i.e.probability, he came across these, not purely by accident but through search, partly conscious,something which could address many of his doubts, growing gradually over decades about halmost axiomatic, beliefs, related to what is termed as scientific view, once his life used to revto him.

TP

PT TU Paul Davies, - Introduction to Heisenberg,_Physics_and_philosophy(,Penguin edition,2000) Page ix


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Theseearlier beliefs, in their fundamentals, were imbibed initially and mainly throughacademic ambienstudent), ofsciencesteaching. And then it was powerfully reinforced through participation in somovement,, that deeply attracted him because of itsideological stanceof supposedly scientific understandsociety, which would pave the way for almost certain (or so it was perceived) liberation from wiborn out of social deprivation. These beliefs, which, in a way, had a pivotal role in moulding his bo

life in a fundamental sense relate to the misconception about the character andlimitations of humanly pinsightsand about lattersfield of applicabilityin most general terms. At physical plane, as mentionedthe very insights, different stages of which heralded newer and newer level of dazzling technologdetails inferences (taught in academic curricula) derived from those insights, and the basic natbehind this dazzle. Apparently, or so it seems to the picker, the scientific method, when applied tosociety, was liexpected to bring about equallyspectacular changein terms of human welfare.

It goes without saying thatchoice of the fragmentsunder two sections, from which, ones in this notcited, is purely subjectiveand was shaped by their special appeal to the picker, circumscribed, natu

was, by his present predisposition, as shaped by his earlier journey through life, and by verypresent understanding. There isno impossible(impossible to the picker, that is)attemptat anyexhaustive coverthe messages sought to be conveyed in the corresponding full accounts.

To put in a different way, these fragments were picked up primarily for ones own sake, ain a way is more in the nature ofself-talkingto bring clarity to oneself than anything else. All these gradual awareness, developing, as pointed out earlier, over decades, about theearlier unawareness of depth oown immeasurable ignorance. If, in addition, these fragments are found to be of some interest bencourage possiblemutual exchange, no matter whether participants in the possible exchange are ipickers current perception/understanding ( which, as pointed out in the heading of this noteprovisional and cannot have any finality about it), as reflected in this note, that will be an additiIn any case, these fragments are sought to be sharednot with farthest intention of tryingto proveanythinginitiating anyself-righteous debate,polemical or not. Nor for that matter, to provide materials for fbeautiful words with knowing admiration (indicative of absence of pre-disposition to pay attenas if of some smart/clever oratorical performance of the respective perceivers corresponding to t

In this context, it is perhaps good to remind ourselves the obvious that theignorancebeing alluded toabout thenature of basic insights,andnot about knowledge about the massive body of accumudetinferences/ technicalities,indispensable in their own right in respective fields and in parts thereofbasic insights. Only a miniscule fraction (size of fraction varies from person to person) of these by any single individual in one life. That explains the expanding number of fields and subfieldknowledge with corresponding experts, specialized only in a few of such subfields

In terms of such details, poet Rabindranath, for example, would be considered an ignorstudents in science even at secondary level, no matter that he dared write a book (in Bengali


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(meaning nature of the universe), which seeks (with whatever imperfection) to go into such bhis time, though Rabindranath had no background of institutional training in science. Perhaps nhelp to him! His attempt was an aftereffect of his coming into contact and the consequent enchis life, with some of the emerging basic scientific insights, , about the universe!

But for any one withonlysuch science background (however strong or weak) as providroutine institutionalized educational tradition or under latters direct or indirect influence and nothing bfacing for the first time with the fundamental messages of these accounts, and getting involvedprocess of possible internalization of the same, may (yes, may; no certainty about it)undermineones own asense of axiomatic, certain, wisdom, suffered by overwhelming majority of us, the self-declared votaries/worshiof science.And this is due to ourunawareness of our own ignoranceabout the inherent, shadowynature oknowledge relating to secrets of the physical universe. . And it will perhaps not be very suexperience is not felt to be a pleasant one. And in that case it may perhaps sometimes tend to way, so as to avoid this unpleasant sensation.

Alternately, and which perhaps is more likely for most of us due to the firm hold of the eathe messages contained in the fragments may very well be missed in their real implication,mentionedknowing admiration(like, for example, Oh! How well-said! How beautiful ! What mrightly said, Exactly so ! and the like) of fragments, primarily because many the names assocare well-known ones in the respective fields. In that case, there is of course no above mentioneoown acquired sense of axiomatic, certain, wisdom being undermined! Two such fragments fromin this self-misleading spirit have been mentioned earlier in this note. Here is another example othe same spirit: Science without Religion is Lame, and Religion without Science is blind froliner, termed by the writer himself as an image, is at the end of a paragraph in an essayHTUScience and Religion(Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium , 1941 ). But cited without acquaintance with and a feel of threasoning, it is more like a clever soundingclich,produced to impress others, than anything else.

But, attempted internalization , even at the cost of initial unpleasant feeling of absundermined, may perhaps help us come out of ourdelusional, propagandistmind-set on behalf of sciencproperly appreciate the richness of scientific contribution for its real worth and its real place inhuman civilization, of which so-called scientific age is a continuation, with, as in the earlier and dark side. That appreciation is likely to discourage the oft found attempt, born out of ignotheme one is trumpeting about on a widespread scale, at trivializing the civilizations belonging ages stretching back to the hoary antiquity.

Also, this illusory sense (usually of - direct or indirect- science related academic origin)wisdom, accompanied with the sincere intention to enlighten the masses, may disable the weto separate the harmful social/religious customs/rituals ( needing to be pointed out so as to help


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outgrowing the same) from the harmless ones resulting in lumping these together and to go iagainst both. This reflect an incapacity to humbly (in place of superior air) appreciate the pharmless customs/rituals may serve for many. This disability sometimes leads to the attempt, in

interference, as if from a pulpit, with many a completely harmless social/religious customs/rimay play various beneficial roles too, like, e.g., adding to harmless joy , lessening the pain TPF*FPT, expressingconcern and the like. It also seems to reflect a failure to appreciate many of poetic imageries/idassociated with some such harmless customs/rituals, This is so, not withstanding the reality thatthese customs/rituals, themselves, may not be always consciously aware of the aspects, they thelatter case, campaign (however well-meaning) against, or still worse, interference with such hain the name of science does not seem to be less unwarranted than to force someone to obhis/her wish, as was the usual practice in earlier narrow rural societies in many a regions.

Further, this appreciation perhaps is likely to encourage us to pay more attention to enthrough open-minded deeper, wider and closer acquaintance , without loosing criticality, wscience and other non-science streams, of traditional human understanding and culture, ratheto enlighten others by trying to hoist flag of science as if on enemy territories designated as nunmixed panegyric to the new god called science. .At least so it seems to the picker from hinevitable subjective character.

To the picker, appeal of these fragments lies not in any supposedauthority(which names of maassociated travelers may smell of) per se , behind the accounts, but in illuminating, live and utterl(hallmarks ofauthenticity) of the accounts, which seems to draw out in bold reliefhis own regions of deep ignwhich he was unaware of earlier. In any case, in the context of travelogues it is authenticity andrelevance.

Above allusions to institutionalized educational tradition in possibly not a vecondemnatory implicationin the least aimed at any one, including the professional practitioners

*FPT For example, following excerpt (in translation from original in Bengali) from the above mentioned Bengali nov

Aparaajita. relating to funeral ceremony, conducted according to ancient Indian religious tradition (came to be calledHindu tradition much later) of Apus mother Sarbajayaa, .includes a ritualistic scriptural chant of the priest during the ceremonyand its effect on the son Apu, the central character of the novel :

. the priest is saying .. the beautiful message of hope Let the sky be full of nectar; let the air be full of nectar; let the dust on road be full of nectar; let the herbs be full of nectar; let the woods be full of nectar, let thesun, moon and our father in the firmament be full of nectar

After the day long fasting, fatigue and mourning, this message truly showered nectar on his mind and hecould no longer hold his tears .

[ Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present Picker. F or Original in Bengali, Vide:,6. in End Note 1(P.26-28)


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system e.g., teachers, research workers, syllabus makers, educational management and the like. Lattcarrying on as they themselves were conditioned by thistradition,as old as theinstitutionalized science-edacross the planet,during their own learning period. It only seeks to pose both to the picker himself andfeeling disturbed by the existing reality rather hesitantly, the question, whether in the light of the prehere, and the corresponding and other full accounts (absolutelyignored, shunned except perhaps some iso

with extremely harmful tenor of knowing admiration in institutional training in science world ovto explore the possibility, feasibility of starting a process of re-orientation of this institutional-cleast at the level of thought. This is perhaps dreaming of the impossibility, the strength of this dwhat it is. Still

This absence in academic ambience and the consequent ignorance hasspilled overinto the sciencepopulace beyond the academies in general, and into the social activism, self-declaredly beinscienunderstanding of societywith a loud air ofsuperior wisdomin particular, with many a time quitedistressingmany cases devastating consequencesin various forms at personal psychic plane for those, who, g

wordy, verbal exercises, got involved into active participation, drawing their inspiration primunderstanding and without, unlike professional politicians(of all denomination), having apossible personal command/power over other people.

If one goes through the fuller accounts of these travelers, from which the fragments havebe seen that none of these accounts contain this widely prevalent superior air towards the past wor of others. Rather the travelers appear to have adeep sense of the continuity,not withstanding theinevibreaks from time to time, with the earlier known phases of civilization across the planet. fragments and of the corresponding fuller accounts, may perhaps initiate some process of possicorresponding messages of this sense of continuity, as well as the accompanying sense ofbefore the vastness and mystery of the universe. This is very opposite to an attitude of victorythrough understanding of its working.

The effect on the picker of these gradual revelations has beenilluminating,but at the same timedestabitoo. It gave him some comfort to know that, in a different context, even some of these pioneer t journey through life, sometimes had somewhat similar feeling. For example, in the context of thof quantum mechanics, with which he was not in unison, Albert Einstein, in an autobiographic.Iif the ground had been pulled out from under one, with no firm foundation to be seen [ fuller version is incfragments under two sections]. Looking back over his own journey through life, an English apversion, sometimes comes to the present pickers mind, A blind man in a dark room looking for a black cais not sure of being there. Here, a fragment from a different source, he stumbled on about one andsuddenly floats into pickers mind:

. Thediscovery of truthmust be from the subjective side a process of disillusionment. Topposition to the development of reason is measured by the strength of our dislike of


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should all admit, if it were put to us directly, that it is good to get rid of illusions, butproof disillusionment is painful and disheartening..

Reason And Emotion by John Macmurry, (Faber and Faber, London, 1995, 1 Pst P Ed. 1935). Chap.I Reason in themotional life, Page, 9

With a vague feeling about he being somewhat like A blind man in a dark room, in sblack cat , the picker had been picking up fragments, having appeal to him, from different sodifferent times. Above was found out from such fragments, accumulated over decades.

As mentioned at the start, these fragments have been grouped and presented, in two sectioTPF*FPTunder twoheadings (LIMITS/REACH OF SCIENTIFICINSIGHTS & SCIENCEvs ., MYSTICISM/WONDER), on the bcentral messages in broadest sense, as perceived by the current picker. But this should not, antaken as too strict a division. Many a Fragments, expectedly, are overlapping in their respectivecould, perhaps come under any one of the two headings. There are a few fragments again, Bwhich have been put uthe section, for the simple reason that they very pronouncedly contain the central messages of bo

In addition, a few fragments are from composition(s) of some (there must be many othernot claiming to have had the direct experience of travel, seem to have been able (or so it appeof these fragments), to a considerable extent, tointernalize and communicate the messagessought communicated explicitly or implicitly by the direct travelers through their own reports. The considerable extent from these books and essays and isdeeply indebtedto these authors. Of these, a few nmention.

The present picker expresses hisspecial indebtednessto. Frifjof Capra, for his book TheTao Of Phy parallels between modern physics and Eastern Mysticism (Flamingo , London, 1991), in which he, withbrings together and sums up before the public eye, essence of some fundamental aspects of thenot withstanding somediffering perceptionson those aspects even of those, who appear to be on samehim in terms of generalities. This book has played a particularly important role in confirming, clight on many a growing doubts of the picker, accumulated over a long period.

Another book, or more properly speaking, an anthology :Quantum Questions Mystical Writings Greatest Physicists Edited by Ken WilberT( TShambhala Publications, Massachusetts,USA,1991) with a very introductory beginning (Of Shadows and Symbols) by the editor, was of considerable help in knowing some

above mentioneddiffering perceptions.

TP

* In the context of presented fragments under two sections, there are, twoAdditional End Notes: End Note 4.Perception(

outside travelers Journey into the unknown are not included in the presented fragments(P.30)& End Note 5. perception/fevs. opinion/view, (P.33) at the end.


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The picker is indebted to John D. Barrow, for his bookThe Impossibility the limits of science andlimits (Vintage Books, London. 2005) brought to his notice by his younger friend ,Sudipto Sarasstumbled on it in Kolkata Book fair, which draws attention to an aspect, as the name of thefundamental importance but is hardly articulated in science circles (both inside and outsidmanner.

Two fragments one from the articleIntroduction to Heisenberg,_Physics_and_philedition,2000) by Paul Davies and another fromT TWhat We Can Say About Reality by Klaas Pieter van d(UtUniversityIndependent Project, HCSSH), very briefly and succinctly present overall message emergence of the two pivotal understanding viz., Theory of Relativity (special and general) aphysical universe.

All these books and articles were of considerable help in bringing greater clarity, thoughfor any possible omission and commission is solely pickers. Picker will feel grateful to any one

same. Further, these books were of almost indispensable help in coming in contact with some thbelow and tracing back the corresponding and other fuller accounts.

Another book, with one fragment from which the first section of the picked up fragments Teach Yto Study (The English Universities Press, London, 1945,) rather an apparently run of the mill Gibson Neill Wright. The fragment had a deep appeal to the picker , as if lending language to sothe picker It seemed to focus on something which is usually overlooked. The picker came into in 1975, while he along with his wife, under compulsion, had to fly their home and stay in somehouse under rather a difficult situation, related to civil/human right activities, he happened to be time. And the fragment got so deeply engraved in his mind thence, that it was found out and upiece of writing in 86, i.e. about 10 years later. Here is the fragment:

philosophy, science and scholarship as exist, are only humanitys incomplete answers tochilds questions.

Search in the Internet (for both fragments and books/accounts), one of the dazzling technoovershadowing the above mentioned fundamental perceptions, heralding the arrival of these margetting a considerable number of fragments and the corresponding and other fuller accounts, pfor the Internet, most of the books containing the accounts, would have remained beyond the remany of these fragments/accounts/books have been given at appropriate places.

Wednesday, June 22, 2013, 10:30:52 PM Subhas Chandra GangulySalt Lake,Kolkata (The Picker)

T TE-mai Tl: [email protected] UHU, U T TWebsite: HTUhttp://sites.google.com/site/subhascganguly/writings UTH

Profile: HTUhttps://plus.google.com/u/0/116677091262079379720/about UTH


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Five AdditionalEndNotes( re f e r re d t o o n d if fe re n t p a g e s a b o v e : ) EndNote No. 1.

Original Bengali versions of the 6 translated ones, cited on pages, 7,8,12,21 abo Translation (to English) bySubhas Chandra Ganguly, the present Picker

1. Amidst the vast universe, vast sky and the eternity

I, a mortal, roa m around a lone , roa m around

Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present picker. [on Page 7 above] of the lines below from a Ben g a li so ng o f Ra b ind ra na th Ta g ore

(The orig ina l Ben g a li version of t he Eng lish t ra nsla t ion a b ov e] :

-

e

s

,

s

..- , , p n , k , 337 [ g n ]

2. The sky, studded with suns, and stars, the universe throbbing with life,

In its very midst I have found my song,So, my songs swell up in wonder

Free English translation by S.C.Ganguly, the present picker. [on Page 7 above] of the lines below from a B e n g a lso n g o f Rabindrana th Tagore

(The orig ina l Ben g a li versio n o f the Eng lish t ran sla t ion a b o ve ]:

k - , p ,

, s i

- , , d n , p k , 8 [ g n ]

3. His mind became filled up with an indescribable joy, hope, feeling, and mystery.

His hope is throbbing with life. That hope brings in the message of immortal andeternal life through the bitter smell of sun-burnt branches of the wild creepers.

That hope is heard in the whistling sound from the flapping wings of the flyingteals in the blue emptiness. No body has the power to deprive him from the rightto that life . .He is the soul on travel from birth to birth. His move is alongthe pathless path, from far to faraway and new everyday. This vast blue sky,countless star world, great bear, milky way, the world of Andromeda, nebula


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this centuries and millennia is the walking path from him . That great life,untouched by death, is spread unaffec ted before all, as the great oc ean wasbefore the Newton - let that motion along the pa th of limitless time remainunobstructed for whole of human race across the ages.

Free English translation [cited on Page 8 above] by S.C.Ganguly, the present picker, of the paragraph below from the Beng a li nov e l Apara j i t a (meaning, unvanquished) by Bibhuti Bhusan Bandopadhyay


e a Z , , a , u p , a o a

d g t k i i a i o k i ...... t ,

i , ei , a , p o , n v , ... ei , s b

d a u d a k a

u - a , [ t o , , 1374], 433

4. These days, whenever he sits in solitariness, it appears to him that this earth has a

spiritual face. Because of being born amidst its fruits and flowers, its light andshadow and because of close acquaintance with the same from the verychildhood, its this rea l face escapes our attention. No matter that it is made of visible and audible stuff, the truth that it is tota lly unknown to us and of utmostmystery and that its every grain is covered with endless complexity do not comeunder our notice all of a sudden.

Free English translation [cited on Page 8 above] by S.C.Ganguly, the present picker. of the paragraph below from theBeng a li no ve l Apara j i t a (meaning, unvanquished) by Bibhuti Bhusan Bando padhyay


S i , ei e t , e , g e i e d , e p

e n o g i o m Z aj o

, e p a c e v - a , [ t o , , 1374], 430 5.

No matter who of you say what, my brothers, I want the deer made of gold Yes, I do want the gold deer with its restless dancing feet, and captivating demeanour Oh! it startles, evades the eye and cant be tied,If ever within reach, it dashes out, gives the slip, and confounds the eye,


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I shall run behind in vain, no matter whether I get it or not,Lost within myself, I vanish away in fields and forests

Free English translation[cited on Page13 above], by,S.c. Ganguly the present picker of the lines below from aBengali song of Rabindranath Tagore


i, i i

- , e , - ,

i i - u o i

- , , d n , p t k , 184 [ g n ]

6..the priest is saying .. the beautiful message of hope Let the sky be full of nectar; let the air befull of nectar; let the dust on road be full of nectar; let the herbs be full of nectar; let the woods be full of nectar, let the sun, moon and our father in the firmament be full of nectar

After the day long fasting, fatigue and mourning, this message showered nectar on his mind and he could no longer hold his tears

. Free English translation [cited in the footnote on Page22 above] by S.C. Ganguly, the present picker, of the paragraph below from the Bengali novel Apara j i t a (meaning, unvanquished) by Bibhuti BhusaBandopadhyay

(The orig ina l Ben g a li version of t he Eng lish t ra nsla t ion a b o ve ]:

... ... u , u , u , o u , u , k , a k s u

u , a , e a i o ...

- a , [ t o , , 1374], 170-171 EndNote No. 2.

Private, inner world of religion vs. institutionalized denominational religion(at their[Refer to footnote to page 10]


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It is necessary to remember that by religion or religious used in the fragments on pag& 8 what isalluded to is some experiential (i.e. experienced) feeling/perception which is individual/pernature and can neither be communicated through language nor be labeled under any denominatigot nothing to do with formal allegiance to any of the traditional, organized or institutionalizlabels, like e.g. Hindu, Muslim, Christian and many others. These latter ones have their own res

rituals, of formal worship ( accompanied with specially revered public places of worship), oat private and collective level, by the followers of these traditions.

At their very best, these religious practices under different denomination, are felt torespective followers at socio-psychological plane and have very colourful, imaginative, pocontribution in moulding the rich cultural tradition in many a land . Also, a spirit of deeply humis encouraged by the best of all these traditions.

At the worst, there are many, associated with many a label, which are connected with powexploitatative social stratification, cruelty and the like, well known to most of us. The pres

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