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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<strong>The</strong> story <strong>of</strong> the breakdown extends over more than a century. For by<br />
far the greater part <strong>of</strong> that period men <strong>of</strong> science were quite unaware<br />
that the ideas which they were introducing, slowly, one after the other,<br />
were finally to accumulate into a body <strong>of</strong> thought inconsistent with the<br />
Newtonian ideas dominating their thoughts <strong>and</strong> shaping their modes <strong>of</strong><br />
expression. <strong>The</strong> story commences with the wave-theory <strong>of</strong> light <strong>and</strong> ends<br />
with the wave-theory <strong>of</strong> matter. It finally leaves us with the philosophic<br />
question, What are the concrete fact which exhibit this mathematical<br />
attribute <strong>of</strong> wave-vibration?<br />
<strong>The</strong> story in detail is the history <strong>of</strong> modern physics, which lies beyond<br />
the scope <strong>of</strong> this discussion. We merely require to underst<strong>and</strong> the<br />
contrast between the most general notions respectively underlying<br />
Newtonian physics <strong>and</strong> modern physics. Newtonian physics is based upon<br />
the independent individuality <strong>of</strong> each bit <strong>of</strong> matter. Each stone is<br />
conceived as fully describable apart from any reference to any other<br />
portion <strong>of</strong> matter. It might be alone in the Universe, the sole occupant <strong>of</strong><br />
uniform space. But it would still be that stone which it is. Also the stone<br />
could be adequately described without any reference to past or future.<br />
It is to be conceived fully <strong>and</strong> adequately as wholly constituted within<br />
the present moment.<br />
This is the full Newtonian concept, which bit by bit was given away, or<br />
dissolved, by the advance <strong>of</strong> modern physics. It is the thorough-going<br />
doctrine <strong>of</strong> 'simple location' <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> 'external relations'. <strong>The</strong>re was some