What is the relationship between science and Krishna consciousness?
Answer Podcast
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Yes. What is the relationship between science and Krishna consciousness? Answer It depends on how we define science. Normally in today’s mainstream academic world science is equated with materialistic science wherein science looks for natural explanation for natural phenomena.
If we define science that way, then science deals with material world and gives us knowledge about material things. And Krishna consciousness looks at the source of everything in this world and beyond this world. At the material level and beyond the material level.
So that means if we look for an explanation, science goes from the present point to a cause at a material level behind it. But Krishna consciousness goes to the cause of all causes. So that means that if somebody is playing billiards so when they are playing billiards, we could say a particular ball hits a particular ball and then the ball goes into a hole.
We could explain this in terms of the laws of physics. This ball hit at this angle and it hit at this angle at this velocity it created this much momentum and that’s how this ball went into the hole. It’s a correct explanation.
At the same time, it is not the complete explanation. Because that ball didn’t just hit this ball, there is a player expertly playing using a billiard stick and he or she hit the ball and that’s how the ball acquired that velocity, angle and momentum. So the explanation of the ball going into the hole has been caused by the velocity of the ball and has been caused by the skill of the player.
So the explanation in terms of the laws of physics and in terms of the expertise of the player these are complementary explanations. They are not contradictory explanations. They are complementary because they are focusing on different areas of observation.
So when we look at things in material terms science gives us answers to certain questions. And when we go beyond material terms to the root of explanations then we get answers from the spiritual wisdom that is there in Krishna consciousness. So for example, science can enable us to control things in the outer world.
Science can enable us to produce technology by which we can achieve amazing things through technological gadgets. At the same time there are many things which science cannot do. So for example, science cannot tell us answers to questions about values.
What is right? What is wrong? Science cannot tell us answers about what is the ultimate purpose of life. These are questions which are outside the scope of science. So in that sense science can help us to deal with the outer world.
But spirituality, Krishna consciousness helps us to not only deal with the inner world by cultivating right values, by discerning life’s ultimate purpose, but it also enables us to use the outer resources provided by science constructively. So we as human beings, we are neither scientists nor are we religionists. We are human beings and we should avail of knowledge from whichever source it comes.
So we can use scientific knowledge and we can use spiritual knowledge. And if we are well guided, then we will know how to balance and integrate the two. So broadly speaking science can help us to improve outer things.
Spirituality can help us to improve ourselves internally so that whatever is improved externally by science, we will be able to use it positively. Science makes things better. Spirituality makes people better.
Thank you.