Why should I draw a line in between Physics and Philosophy

When I was in my 12th (Intermediate as it is called in our native state), once, our Physics sir named Rahamathulla, had asked us the question, "What is physics?". Each one of us in the class gave different answers, like, "study of motion", "study of light', "study of energy". He again asked, "What is motion, light, energy?". we all were left blank. He waited for a minute for us to ponder over the question. Silence prevailed in the class for that minute. Some of us are pondering and some of us are waiting for the answer. But he continued to ask "Where do you find all this, motion, light, energy". This was easy for us, so we answered, "Everywhere". He said, "Yes, is there light, energy,motion on a leaf that is falling down from a tree? Is any of these factors acting on a rock ? " We said, "Yes" and he continued to ask "how". We said, "Due to some force". He continued, "Yes, Physics is that. Study of that nature. Study of that natural phenomenon."

Woow, till then I was only looking at the subject as just listen to the class, answer the questions, and break your head to solve the problems and forget it, as we finally land up not cracking it. lol !! But, this definition of Physics had actually given me a new thought of understanding the subject. Looking at nature and trying to understand the science of it. Though it sounded like biology in the beginning, as we gave a clear thought, we felt, what he told made sense. Physics is actually study of natural phenomenon that takes place in and around us, in the universe, in the system, in the space, and everywhere. 

On another day, the same physics sir, asked us, "Do you all read anything else, apart from academic books?" Some said, "yes", some said "Weekly movie magazines". He gave a disgraceful look and said, "Is this what your age kids read in your free time?" We were again blank. All of us again waiting to listen, what he would ask us to read. He said, " You are supposed to read books on Swami Vivekananda or by any such masters. This is the age for you to understand the natural phenomenon clearly. These help to solve your subject topics as well." 

We were dumbstruck. Physics sir is talking about philosophical leaders. What is happening. That's the first time as 16 year old kids, we all heard this thought process. Physics books and philosophical leaders books together can make your subject stronger. 

Well, since, we found it sense, we all heard, but never put in practice, as we all got involved in preparing for entrance exams, practising day in and day out to crack all the exams, to get the best result. 

But, just one or two truthful sessions by the teacher really make a great impact on the young minds. I was also impacted to understand what is in Swami Vivekananda's books.Along with me, my desire to know more about philosophy had grew. Though I couldn't continue in Science stream in my academics, my desire, to connect with the unknown force which is making this natural phenomenons occur the way it has to be, is always awake in my conscious mind. I enjoyed the beauty of everything that is happening around me as scientific and spiritual process. I could easily erase the broad line I drew, when I was a kid, between physics and philosophy. Don't know who influenced me to draw a line between physics and philosophy, but I know exactly, who created an impact for me to remove the line. As I started exploring and understanding Sanskrit texts, I found the texts convey the origin of universe, formation, existence, etc. Precisely, exactly the subject we need to master in physics and other science streams , law of universe, motion, force, energy, etc. 

I wondered, did our science masters we read about in our school like Einstein and Newton also were reading philosophical texts or spiritual texts? Because, I never studied in school text books about their learning base for their theoretical physics analogies. So, I researched about their lives and their foundations. I also wanted to know the so called NASA, ISRO , scientists also look at any spiritual tests or philosophical texts, what forms their research basis. How do they know the distance between one planet to other, our earth to moon, etc. Who laid it down so that they could formulate everything. Well, what is the present day scientists base? 

Well, I found, in my research, Einstein had a library filled with Sanskrit books like Gita and Upanishads and told an Indian scientist named B.N.Gupta, that Sanskrit texts form the basis of his research. Can you imagine, Einstein, a German physicist referring to Sanskrit texts to formulate his theory and published all his papers in German, in 20th century. Wow. So, no line drawn by our world famous physics scientists too. But, how a German scientist can know all our Sanskrit texts? Why does he have to have a library of Sanskrit books? Did he find logic in Sanskrit texts? This is because, Germans never colonised India, instead looked upon India as a land of knowledge. 

Infact, our science demigod, who was famous for the 3 laws, Newton, was also known as philosopher. Newton's most famous work came with the publication of his "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica" ("Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy"), generally called Principia. In it, he determined the three laws of motion for the universe.And this is written in Latin, in 17th century. 

If I have to really ask again, who drew a line between Physics and Philosophy, my answer is very much similar to anybody else's, my English education, which emerged in India in 19th century. 

Let me understand from the words of Stephen Hawking, the new age theoretical physicist. Extremely known for his best-selling books, where he drives home the ideas even to the non-scientific background readers. He is known for Black hole theory, which is again based on Indian physicist Chandrasekhar Subramanyan' s theory.  Stephen Hawking, in his book, " The theory of everything " had mentioned clearly the comedown of great tradition of philosophy from Aristotle. He says, "If we do discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists." 

Just like Krishna in Bhagavad Gita mentions about the lifespan of the existence, which is easily understood till now even to a common man and also to a growing kid. 

Krishna mentions in Chapter 8,from Shlokas 16 - 22, about different worlds, big bang, black hole.

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन।

मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते।।8.16।।

ābrahmabhuvanāllōkāḥ punarāvartinō.rjuna.

māmupētya tu kauntēya punarjanma na vidyatē৷৷8.16৷৷

Meaning - Arjuna, right from Brahma loka to bhu loka, everything has to come back to life. But, after reaching me, there is no birth. 

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः।

रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः।।8.17।।

sahasrayugaparyantamaharyadbrahmaṇō viduḥ.

rātriṅ yugasahasrāntāṅ tē.hōrātravidō janāḥ৷৷8.17৷৷

Meaning - The brahma's one day is formed as of comparison with human's thousand yugas and the same is the night of brahma, which ends in human's thousand yugas.

अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तयः सर्वाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे।

रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसंज्ञके।।8.18।।

avyaktādvyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgamē.

rātryāgamē pralīyantē tatraivāvyaktasaṅjñakē৷৷8.18৷৷

Meaning - When the day begins, the creation starts from that invisible and when night starts, everything merges into that invisible.  

भूतग्रामः स एवायं भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते।

रात्र्यागमेऽवशः पार्थ प्रभवत्यहरागमे।।8.19।।

bhūtagrāmaḥ sa ēvāyaṅ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē.

rātryāgamē.vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgamē৷৷8.19৷৷

Meaning - Like this, creation takes place again and again and also invariably ends at night and again life is created when the day is started. 

परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।

यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति।।8.20।।

parastasmāttu bhāvō.nyō.vyaktō.vyaktātsanātanaḥ.

yaḥ sa sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati৷৷8.20৷৷

Meaning - When all this creation, end, re-creation is taking place in cycles, there is something eternal, which is away from all this, which is always constant. 

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम्।

यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।8.21।।

avyaktō.kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṅ gatim.

yaṅ prāpya na nivartantē taddhāma paramaṅ mama৷৷8.21৷৷

Meaning - To reach that constant, eternal force is the ultimate goal. Once reached, there is no come back. That invisible, indestructible force is my ultimate place.

पुरुषः स परः पार्थ भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया।

यस्यान्तःस्थानि भूतानि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।।8.22।।

puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā.

yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yēna sarvamidaṅ tatam৷৷8.22৷৷

Meaning - Partha,to reach that ultimate place, absolute devoted concentration is necessary. That power or force which is present there is also present within every body and element.

Just 7 shlokas of Krishna had given me a miniature picture of the whole universe. Now, I understand, over ages, why every scientist refers to our sanskrit texts. Definitely, the texts summarises rightly, the years of education and exploration. Krishna could just hit the right button of both physics and philosophical elements, at a time. Krishna says, know the ultimate, set that as a goal "to know the ultimate". It is upto us whether we understand the natural phenomenon by looking at every being or want to search out of the universe. Because, where ever you go, it is the same natural power you find. Answer is revealed by Krishna. It is on us, how we find that ultimate truth. 

In 2015, India Today had published an article named  "Germans to be eventual custodians of Sanskrit."  In the article, Dr. Axel Michaels, one of the Indology professors from Heidelberg University, a German university says, Sanskrit texts have the earliest inventions and discoveries. Germany has already been a storehouse of Sanskrit scholars to the world. "The majority of Sanskrit scholars, including those at Harvard, California Berkeley and the UK, are Germans," he said.Dr. Michaels feels that instead of indulging in a political and religious debate, Indians should try to preserve their heritage. Linking Sanskrit with religion and a certain political ideology was "stupid" and "detrimental to the cause" of its rich heritage, the professor said.

Let's leave behind the old idea of physics and philosophy are different. I am surprised to find an article by Scientific American on the same lines, named "Physics need Philosophy / Philosophy needs Physics". Before the world explores our ancient texts and own them up through modern achievements, lets all educate ourselves and our kids simultaneously the amalgamation of science and spirituality which originated in our very own land,India. 

Let's all explore Bhagavad Gita as a text to clear many many doubts that happen in our life. Lets understand the natural phenomenon of occurrence. Because, right knowledge builds the right confidence and helps you fight your battle in the right way. 

------------Keerthi Peratla