Causality in Science and Vedaanta
By Late Sri Swami Paramaananda Bhaartai (IIT Physics Professor)
Entire world is an effect. The quest is to find its cause. Universe consists of two essential categories: observers and observables. The cause of the universe is dependent on them. How to fix the cause of observers and observables?
Whenever such discussions take place for understanding things we adopt a pramaana (the means of understanding). The pramaanas are the same in science and vedanta. For example pratyaksha pramaana is the direct observation.Both the science and vedanta reject anything that is not experiential.
Aim and the means of achieving it is the same in science and vedanta. Where they differ is in the method of approach.
Science adopts bits and pieces like molecules, atoms, nuclei, subatomic particles, etc.
In the case of vedanta it is holistic. Vedaanta takes into account the whole universe
We know that a molecule is that part of the object which is the smallest. The smallest particle of salt is the molecule NaCl for example. This line of approach is adopted by vaiseshikas.
Molecules are effects only. One has to search for the cause of the universe and molecules. Molecule is not the ultimate kaarana but intermediate cause (avaantara kaarana).
We know that a molecule is a collection of atoms. Atom is also an effect. Break it further and arrive at nucleus. Nucleus can be further broken into subatomic particles. Ultimately we end up with quantum fields which can't be broken
The divide and conquer approach didn't work any more.
The purpose of doing all this is to find the cause of the universe. Unlike molecules and atoms the subatomic particles are unsteady. They are explosive. How can an explosive (highly reactive) material be the cause of the universe? It is impossible to find a stable cause using science.
The methodology however revealed so many secrets of the world. It is not the same kind of mechanisms of classical physics. It gave raise to tremendous technology.
Science is unable to find the cause of the universe. Science has made enormous progress without knowing the cause.
When something is unavailable for pratyaksha pramaana then we try anumana pramaana (where there is fire, there is smoke). There should not be conflict in the pramaanas.
Science of particle physics finally ended up in quantum fields. Now consider the observables and observers. Vedanta uses objects and properties as observables. One has to find the common cause of observer and observables. Till they obtained quantum fields, no one thought of observer. Now they realized the role of the observer needs to be studied.
How to obtain the common cause? From vEdaanta the essential difference is the knowledge of the observer. Take a window. The knowledge of the window which certifies that we are the knower and the window is the object, knows both observer and observable. We have to investigate this knowledge.
There is a certain law in the intermediate causes. Take any effect and its previous cause atoms, molecules, nuclei, particles, fields, etc. The exclusive features of cause are absent in the effect.
What is the nature of the cause? It must be holistic and must simultaneously include observer and observed. Suppose we hear a sound. Sound is the observable and ears are hearing it. If the sound is of veena the musical notes come into the ear. Where do they go? The sound signal can't be independent of the sound field. The signal is a singularity in the field. You have to conclude, it is the sound field that connects the sound and the hearer. Anything produced in the field must be consumed in the field. Saastra says such a field is ether. Ether is not vacuum. Sight field is electro-magnetic.
Wherever there is a communication the same field is there in the observer and observed.
The 5 elements (pancha bhootaas) are holistic. The field does not have the features of the signal. The cause does not contain the effect.
Quantum measurement problem: the probability field takes a definitive field upon taking a measurement. For example, the position and charge of an electron cannot be measured simultaneously. Once a position is measured, the charge can't be measured. Vice-versa.
Every apparatus for measurement is a classical object and also has quantum fields. Depending on the experimental situation it will be either classical or quantum .
Features of effects can't be found
in the cause. Both observables and observer are
changing. So change is the fundamental feature.
The whole set up is inert. Even the observer
(mind/body) is also inert. So we identify
change and inertia as the quintessensial
features of the ultimate cause.
The cause should not contain change (asat) and inertia. The cause has to be satya. Inertia should be absent in the cause. Where is the anti-inertia hiding? That which doesn't do work by itself is inertia. A conscious person has to use force to change it. Consider the act of throwing a stone. Some anti-inertial entity is hiding in the observer. When using the arm to throw the stone, we will have to have some knowledge. Such knowledge is qualified (knowledge of the stone, distance of throw, etc.)
The anti-inertia is still hiding. But the qualified knowledge is changing. Knowledge per se is not changing and is anti-inertia. That is gnaana.
So the cause of the entire universe has to be satya (unchanging), gnaana.
Thus we determine, the cause is satyam-gnaanam-anantam. How to verify? You can't verify it in laboratory. It is not accessible to instruments or mind. To verify, have a sound sleep and experience sushupti.
