Mysticism in the Fractal Structure of the Universe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12726/tjp.8.8Keywords:
Fractal Geometry, Mathematical Philosophy, Philosophy of Mathematics, Philosophy, EnglishAbstract
In this paper a critical enquiry is made into the mystical dimension of science with specific reference to contemporary developments in fractal Geometry. The paper begins with a historical synthesis of the mystical roots of science to see how science lost its mystical nature, especially in the modern era, corresponding to the emergence of a dualistics world-view in philosophy. However, contemporary science, very specially 'fractals', takes us to a mystical realm in which the dichotomised world-views of matter-spirit, finite-infinite, microcosm and macrocosm are blurred. Such a mystical understanding re-defines and transcends the traditional understanding of mysticism which is confined to the sacred spheres.
References
Barbour, Ian G. Religion in an Age of Science. Vol. 1, SCM Press, London, 1990.
Davies, Paul. God and the New Physics. Simon & Schuster, Touchstone, New York, 1983.
Dawkins, Richard. The God Delusion. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2006.
Dorricott, Jean. SCM Study guide to Science and Religion. SCM Press, London, 2005.
Fractals: An Introductory Lesson in http:// www.arcytech.org/java/fractals/, accessed on 20-04-2010.
Gordon-Lesmoir, Nigel, Will Food and Ralph Edney (ed.), Introducing Fractal Geometry, Icon Books, Cambridge, 2000.
Herbert, Nick. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics. Anchor Books, New York, 1987.
Jacquette, Dale, Philosophy of Mathematics: An Anthology, Blackwell publishers Inc., Malden, USA, 2002.
Kaplan, Robert. The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero. Oxford University Press, New York, 1999.
Kozhamthadam, Job(ed.), Science, Technology and Values, ASSR Publications, Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, 2003.
McLaughlin, P.J. Modern Science and God. Clonmore & Reynolds Ltd., Dublin, 2000.
Noorokariyil, Siji. Children of the Rainbow - An Integral Vision and Spirituality for Our Wounded Planet, media House, Delhi, 2007.
Pandikkattu, Kuruvilla, Bliss of Being Human. Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth Pune, 2004.
Peacock, Arthur. Theology for A Scientific Age: Being and Becoming Natural, Divine and Human. Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 1993.
Suzuki, Daisetsu T. Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist. George Allen and Unwin LTD, London, 1970.
Xavier S.J., Francis P., God of the Atoms, LIFE/ISPCK, 2006.
Fractals in http://www.bugman123.com/Fractals/Fractals.html,accessed on 18-04-2010.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2012 Binoy Pichalakkattu, PhD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).