Fritjof Capra's book sold over one million copies since it first got published in 1975. It is an exploration of connections between Eastern mysticism and modern physics coming from the insight that Eastern traditions have a coherent philosophical framework and also that there are philosophical implications of modern science. Fritjof draws from the writings of ancient texts of Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Zen as well as from the writings of Oppenheimer, Bohr, Heisenberg, Einstein to establish a space where it all seems to merge - the comparison between exact science and spiritual disciplines based on meditation where insights cannot be verbally communicated!
He goes back to the roots of Physics in the first period of Greek philosophy in 6th century BC where science, philosophy and religion were not separate. The themes were of perpetual change, of becoming, of opposites as unity.
In Eastern philosophy the ultimate reality can never be an object of reasoning or of demonstrable knowledge. The Tao that can be expressed is not the Eternal Tao says Taoism. Thus absolute knowledge is an experience in a non-ordinary state of consciousness which may be called a meditative or mystical state.
While physics consists of mathematical models that consist of three stage - gathering experimental evidence, corelating experimental facts with mathematical symbols and using them to predict results, the Eastern methods seems to go into direct experience through the science of the mind - through meditation, physical movement, art and other forms which lead to similar insights. Experience of oneness with the surrounding environment is the main characteristic of this meditative state. It is a state of extreme alertness - the mind of someone facing death. Both need years of training, both need to repeat experiments and produce demonstrable results.
While the student of Zen is told to 'discover his original face', the sudden discovery of his original face is what they call enlightenment. Interestingly they also say that a spiritual insight and the understanding of a joke are a moment of enlightenment - which is why enlightened souls have a great sense of humour they say. 'If it were not laughed at, it would not be sufficient to be Tao' - Taoism.
Fritjof explains that while Newton's classical physics based on the laws of motion made everything easier to understand in a mechanical way where objects were made of a large number of atoms and velocities were small compared to the speed of light, it began showing its limitations when quantum theory challenged the first limitation and relativity challenged the second. It moved into an area which is more experiential than something that could be articulated. Atomic physics provided scientists with the first glimpse of essential nature of things - a non-sensory experience of reality and paradoxical aspects of this experience.
The language problem in these areas was dealt with differently by different Eastern traditions - Hinduism used myth, metaphor, symbols which were less restricted by logic and common sense, the Chinese used factual language to expose the limitations of language through use of paradoxes, Zen Buddhists used koans which were nonsensical riddles and Haikus with 17 syllables - all exposing the limitation of language and linear thought. According to Eastern mystics the direct mystical experience of reality is a momentous event which shakes the very foundation of one's world view.
Fritjof looks at each of the Eastern traditions. Hinduism in its essence teaches that to be free of the spell of maya, to break the bonds of karma, means to realise that all the phenomena we perceive with our senses are part of the same reality. All Gods are manifestations of Brahman. Buddhism has its central theme of unity and interrelation of all things and events. Chinese thought, Confucianism speaks of the yin and yang, of dynamic change, Taoism that by displaying the feminine, yielding qualities of human nature it is easiest to lead a perfectly balanced life. In Zen people practice Zazen, tea ceremonies and find that state through each act.
The author explores themes such as the Unity of things, going beyond the world of opposites, space and time, emptiness and form, the cosmic dance etc. Overall he says that the Eastern world view of awareness of the unity and material interrelation of all things and events holds for physics as well.
Capra has also given 6 suggestions for a new paradigm in science:
1) consider the part and the whole as more symmetrically conditioning one another
2) replace thinking in terms of structure with thinking in terms of process
3) replace objective science with epistemic science where the approach to decide what counts as knowledge adapts to the subject studied
4) replace the idea of knowledge as buildings based on foundations with an idea of knowledge as networks
5) abandon the quest for truth with quest for better approximations
6) abandon the ideas of domination of nature with one of cooperation and non-violence
I tried to piece together what I could understand and it makes sense. Definitely need another, deeper reading to get more insights but this was good as it was and provides a fine answer to those who treat science and the world of the mystics as separate. If there's one thing we learn from this book it's that anything definite is not definite! To look on, to wonder, to form opinions and principles, to be open is what our life is about. Thanks old pal for gifting me this book.
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