Science and Spiritual Quest Sep-Oct 2016

S

CIENCE &
PIRITUAL

Bhaktivedanta Institute

Students' Ezine

आ नौ भ�ाः कतर्वो यन्तु िव�तोऽदर्ब्घासो अपर्रीतास उ��दर्ः । (ÅgVeda)

Q

UEST

Sep-Oct 2016, Issue No.23

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

Science-Spirituality Dialogue

Inside

'Mystery of Consciousness'
A Discussion with
Sir Roger Penrose (left),
Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor

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of Mathematics, Oxford University, U. K.

of
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and Dr. T. D. Singh (right);
Physical Organic Chemist,
Founding-Director of Bhaktivedanta Institute

Sir Roger Penrose (henceforth SRP): As I have said, our present scientific
knowledge cannot describe consciousness. On the other hand, the boundaries of
what we call scientific are not fixed on this view. To me, scientific means clearer
and rigorous thinking, in a sense. In my personal view, which I think is a scientific
point of view, these divisions will become blurred as we understand more.
Dr. T. D. Singh (henceforth TDS): : I would like to mention that the sages of
ancient Vedic India, by their practice of deep meditation, could realize that we
are conscious spiritual beings – aham brahmasmi (I am a conscious spiritual
being). Of course, they had to maintain rigorous spiritual discipline and could
experience that the consciousness is the very property of the spiriton and is
mainly expressed through the mind and brain. Mathematics certainly plays
an important role in rigorous scientific thinking. However, I don’t think it can
describe consciousness.
SRP: Yes, mathematics is a part of rigorous scientific thinking. Observation,
mathematical thinking and careful experimentation and so on are all parts of it.
…I suppose, in our point is that we certainly don’t believe that consciousness
can be understood in terms of present day science. But that doesn’t mean that
we won’t get an understanding in terms of notions, which are not part of present
day science, but may be some extended part of science, which will come in the
future.
My view is that consciousness is essential for understanding. If you don’t
have consciousness, you cannot have any understanding. Understanding is
something fundamental which requires consciousness. If you are a computer,

''The

John Eccles

V eSd cai ne tn ca e and
Education for Global
Citizenship

N e w s

Birds

f

Call for Participation
10th AISSQ Conference
8th – 9th October 2016

emergence of consciousness in the

animal kingdom is perhaps as great a mystery
as the origin of life itself."
— Karl Popper
Philosopher

To Know about Life, Matter, and their Interactions is called Knowledge
Copyright © 2016, The Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata

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