Vedic Science and Technology to Realize Cultural Integrity and Invincibility of Every Nation ➚
The modern world is the outcome of the European scientific revolution, which started around 1500 AD. From then on modern science and technology, modern education, modern health care, modern society and modern administration rapidly spread around the globe. The attribute “modern” signifies expansion of the territory of influence, growth through specialization and competitive behavior, increase in mobility of persons, goods, capital and information, growing regulation, standardization, and mechanization by neglecting the qualities of coherence, unity, synergy, and harmony. Why has this style of development started in Europe and not in other parts of the world? This question has been posed by the Indian theoretical Physicist Virendra Singh in an article first published in The Indian Journal of History of Science 22(4); 341 – 354 (1987) and is freely available on the internet. V. Singh locates three factors which are responsible for the modern development; 1st: individuals capable of transgressing mental boundaries, 2nd: the ability to formally structure the world through mathematics, 3rd: the organizing power of artist-engineers, surgeons, instrument makers, surveyors, navigators, traders, and administrators making ideas practical. A hidden 4th factor already had been recognized by Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804 ): the transcendental reality which alone makes experience and cognition possible. Lasting progress in thinking and acting depends on the degree to which the transcendental reality is lively. The liveliness of the transcendence is based on the intrinsic dynamics of consciousness, the phenomenon of self-interaction. In the 20th century, this insight lead to the emergence of Quantum Mechanics – the mathematics of Self-interaction, and to Transcendental Meditation – the mental technique to realize Self-interaction. As a result, Transcendental Consciousness became a global phenomenon having two main effects:
(a) bridging the gap between East and West by explicitly including the unifying power of consciousness into science, as Hans Primas(1928 - 2014) from ETH Zurich argued in a textbook for students of Chemistry (1984);
(b) gradual shift towards a post-modern world in which cultural conflicts are dissolved through transcendental consciousness as envisioned by Václav Havel (1936 - 2011) in a speech delivered 1994 at Independence Hall, Philadelphia and published in The Futurist 29(1995).
Both trends are highly significant for the future global cultural development.
A universally applicable practical initiative to support every government in utilizing the transcendental reality to achieve cultural integrity and invincibility is the Global Research Program developed by the scientists of Maharishi European Research University in 1978.
Historians when studying long-term cultural developments in different parts of the world have repeatedly recognized a relationship between culture and climate change. The two geologists - Werner Schneider, from Germany, and Elias Salameh, from Jordan, - confirm the interplay between culture and climate objectively by investigating modern climatic data comprising isotope analysis, acid and aerosol events, and greenhouse gases, Greenland ice cores as well as other astro-/geophysical and geological parameters: The relationship between climate and culture observed by the two geologist is published in the Open Journal of Geology (work licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0).
(1) "The Last 15,000 Years: Climate-Controlled and “Rare-Event”-Triggered/Rise and Fall of Holocene Cultures in the Near/Middle East and in Central Europe—Evidence and Background.” Open Journal of Geology, 2015, 5, 743-769.(2) "Historical Course Follows Climate Change: Patterns of the Northern Hemisphere—From Peoples' Migration until the Industrial Revolution (3rd-18th Century)." Open Journal of Geology, 2018, 8, 1167-1194 .
The first paper covering the time span starting 15000 years ago at the last ice age, comes to the conclusion: “The Great Temperature Maximum (1100-1250 A.D.) and the modern temperature rise (since 1890) indicate: higher thermal energy has to be transformed in activities of different quality as suitable to the geographic position and to physical/spiritual/psychic state of the concerned Cultures and Societies.”
In the second paper covering the time span from 3rd to 18th century the authors observe: “An average temperature difference of 1.0 °C - 2.0 °C seems sufficient for incising climatic/cultural consequences. It has become obvious that a Climate Optimum primarily provides constructive life conditions; however with a problematic final as the following “Effect-Chain” tells:
- balanced agricultural/cultural population growth → rich harvests → satisfying nourishment → health, encouragement → overpopulation under favorable materialistic conditions → increasing stress → lack of food, high prices → revolts → migration."
"In contrast, cool/wet/resp. dry conditions originate destructive/depressive conditions (see Peoples’ Migration) which initiate the following “Effect Chain”:
- bad agricultural conditions → poor/no harvesting → famine → disease, growing death rate → social, political revolts, wars → human cruelties with psychic/religious background (inquisition, witch-combustion) → general chaos (30 yr-war) → death, migration (maritime endeavors, colonization)."
"Furthermore, volcanic aerosols play, besides the solar influx variation—an important role on climate/cultural change." These quotes are from the abstract of the second paper by Werner Schneider, and Elias Salameh (2018).
Climate change is a challenge to modern civilization, since it requires a paradigmatic leap towards an Alliance with Natural Law. The international expert response to the problems related to climate change reveals one fundamental and crucial limitation of modern science and technology: “Modern natural science does not deal with nature as a whole but is still based on the Cartesian dualism of mind and body ('res cogitans' and 'res extensa'), as well as on Francis Bacon's motto “dissecare naturam”. " Hans Primas from ETH Zurich has explained convincingly the required kind of rethinking (Umdenken):
The distinction between phenomenon of nature and nature as a whole or between the laws of nature and the totality of Natural Law has not yet come to the awareness of the general public and also not to the leaders of society. The still dominating fragmenting methodology of thinking formulated by Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626), René Descartes (1596 – 1650) and others, is heavily depending on data collection and information processing. But what has to be done, if information is fake and/or manipulated by interests? In problem-solving ignored is the reality of consciousnesses, the field of pure subjectivity, which is the common basis of both experience and understanding. As Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) has already pointed out, Transcendental Consciousness is the lamp at the door which illuminates all sides of any conflict or decision process. This is the one and only reality which can eliminate and prevent the danger of wrong decisions.Through Transcendental Consciousness, the creative and destructive forces of nature are recognized as working together in the evolutionary direction. The practically tested problem-solving and preventative strategy developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi(1918 - 2008) realizes the harmonious togetherness of opposites by combining the most ancient knowledge with the most modern advances in science. The ancient Vedic tradition which is recognized as common cultural heritage of humanity has been given by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi the status of a modern science of consciousness which bridges all cultural, religious and ideological differences. How Maharishi Vedic science contributes to solve the problems of climate change is carefully analysed in an article entitled “Responding to climate change: The contribution of Maharishi Vedic Science." published in the Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute, 5, 79-120, and reprinted in the Journal of Health and Environmental Research Volume 3, Issue 3-1, May 2017, Pages: 63-78. The authors are G. Wells, L. Fergusson, D. Kettle, and A. Bonshek (2017).