Posted on: 9 August 2010

Digital Book :
Hindu Achievements In Exact Science - A study in the history of scientific development.
By Benoy Kumar Sarkar
Published by Longmans, Green & Co., New York - 1918.


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Read Book Online : http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924031220126#page/n5/mode/2up

Download pdf Book : http://ia341317.us.archive.org/3/items/cu31924031220126/cu31924031220126.pdf

Interesting; thanks so much

I am presently reading this book online. While there is not much said that is not known already all that is made available in the brief compass of a small book is what makes it interesting. The language is typically 19th century.

This is a rushed up argument, but contains a lot of useful information, above all, a wonderful bibliography. Sarkar's vigorous argument is confined to: "We natives are or were not backward people, we had made significant independent discoveries and contributions in quantitative sciences as well as mathematics. The world is not Euro-centric". Like most Indian Nationalists, he fails to even attempt answering the question: Exactly why and at what point did we give up our scientific pursuits? Europe had also languished for centuries till Renaissance. Why did Indian renaissance not come? The answer perhaps lies in our social system (caste), dominance of Sanskrit as the language of learning and absence of State support to education. Political uncertainty and fragmentation was prevalent in Europe too. They too had the dominance of Latin, which at Renaissance demolished to bring science (and technology) within the reach of creative commoners.

@Sekhar Sathe: Yes, subsequent to this post I have completed reading on line some 30 to 40 pages. Whateve I had seen upto that point was known to me from earlier sources. I plan to complete the reading a get back to this topic for this interests me-- it is directly in the line of my thinking. As for the reasons for why there hasn't been much scientific progress.I have my counter argument. Right I have to rush to a meeting I will definitely give a parallel...

Mahadeva Sarma : We are still waiting..... : )

I wanted to make a "Note" of what I have to say on this subject..