The Metaphysical Foundation of Buddhism and Modern Science
The Metaphysical Foundations of Buddhism and Modern Science: Nagarjuna and Alfred North Whitehead
The Metaphysical Foundations of Buddhism and Modern Science: Nagarjuna and Alfred North Whitehead
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Between them, Plato <strong>and</strong> Aristotle succeed in illustrating the chief<br />
connections between science <strong>and</strong> philosophy. <strong>The</strong> emphasis <strong>of</strong> science is<br />
upon observation <strong>of</strong> particular occurences, <strong>and</strong> upon inductive<br />
generalization, issuing in wide classifications <strong>of</strong> things according to their<br />
modes <strong>of</strong> functioning, in other words according to the laws <strong>of</strong> nature<br />
which they illustrate. <strong>The</strong> emphasis <strong>of</strong> philosophy is upon generalizations<br />
which almost fail to classify by reason <strong>of</strong> their universal application. For<br />
example, all things are involved in the creative advance <strong>of</strong> the Universe,<br />
that is, in the general temporality which affects all things, even if at all<br />
times they remain self-identical. Thus the consideration <strong>of</strong> weight led<br />
Aristotle to his four-fold classification.<br />
Now Plato had already emphasized the importance <strong>of</strong> this Aristotelian<br />
notion <strong>of</strong> classification, that is to say, <strong>of</strong> 'division' as he called it.<br />
Perhaps indeed he invented the method. It would have been quite in<br />
accordance with his clear-cut intellectual subtlety to have done so. We<br />
find in his dialogues the first explicit formulations <strong>of</strong> the science <strong>of</strong><br />
Logic. But his applications <strong>of</strong> the method are feeble in the extreme, from<br />
the point <strong>of</strong> view <strong>of</strong> the advancement <strong>of</strong> natural science. Whereas<br />
Aristotle in his life's work seized upon the general notion <strong>of</strong><br />
classification, he gave a masterly analysis <strong>of</strong> the complexities inherent in<br />
the mutual relation <strong>of</strong> classes. He also applied his theoretical doctrine to<br />
the immense material to be collected by direct observation in the field<br />
<strong>of</strong> zoology, physics, sociology. Indeed we must trace to him nearly all our<br />
special sciences, both the natural sciences, <strong>and</strong> those concerning the