Evolution of discoveries and inventions.

Note:Draft

Few days ago I was done with reading the book “Is God a mathematician” by Mario Livio.Mario Livio beautifully explains the perceptive of many philosophers and scientists towards mathematics. He views the world as dual pronged -----Plaotnists-the ones who believe mathematics as discovery and the other group which considers it as external reality-an invention.He also explains how mathematics has evolved from simple addition during the times of Pythagorus—a philosopher and a religious thinker ,to be the basis of most complex system of today’s world.

I have a different discourse here which has nothing in common to the thoughts projected by Mario Livio except work, thoughts, inventions and discoveries by scientists/philosophers he mentions. I write here how the nature of discoveries and inventions has changed over a long period of time (centuries and millennia).The discoveries/inventions/thoughts of antiquity sprouted exclusively by observing nature and its complex/simple phenomenon.Mario Livio explains “Pythagorous and Pythagoreans were so enraptured by the dependency of geometrical figures,stellar constellations and musical harmony on numbers that numbers became both the building blocks from which the universe was constructed and the principles behind its existence”. The study of Pythagoreans was oriented towards the study of universe .It could be that nature is all they had that time and brain aligns itself to what it imbibes ideating those wonderful processes of universe.Like in today’s world,computer has gotten in everybodys’ mind and all minds are aligned towards creating robots,making it more like humans, creating programs or talk about 50-60 years ago ,when minds were aligned towards creating the world of digital computers.The contemplation of Pythagoreans of the universe lead a great step for the mankind.

Another hero of antiquity Mario Livio discusses is Plato.He explains “Plato was the relentless seeker of pure knowledge, absolute conduct and eternal truths”. Look at the powerful words used by Mario Livio to describe the knowledge Plato sought—“Pure knowledge”,”absolute conduct” and “eternal truths”. Usage of any such words to describe the knowledge floating around in today’s world will sound humorous, say eternal truths of computer, absolute conduct of robots.We, living at this age are far away from being considered the seekers of pure knowledge. People like Plato have acquired considerable amount of such knowledge centuries ago and large part is yet left but there are plethora of things existing in today’s world that divert man’s mind to things which are either superficial or loose meaning in short span.

Please keep in mind that I don’t intend to compartmentalize present and past into good or bad, rather the colossal difference between the two which in turn has enormously affected the thought process of humans.The way we work,think today is indescribable to our ancestors or lets take a step back and imagine explaining ANALOG computers(the ones which used punched cards) to people who have lived before their existence.Now lets take step a further and imagine shopping on the moon and be back before dusk, it would be denounced as baloney if you try to explain this to someone today.So at every stage(say after centuries), the brain of a human adjusts (or should I say evolves) to the surrounding created by himself and it cascades to the whole generation existing at that particular time and to generations further down till there is another major adjustment needed and the process continues.

Another great man Mario Livio describes in his book is Galilio Galili.Galio, in one of the letters to his student Castelli writes –(paraphrased)—There are truths about nature which are far above man’s understanding and cannot be made credible by any learning or any other means.According to Galilio-Mathematics is the language of God.Galilio talks about the truths of nature, universe and God which by all means are related.Its incredibly amazing how the scientists and philosophers who existed centuries ago emphasized the existence of divine power The depth of their studies about nature gathered huge information for posterity.

I think rather I am forced to think that there will be some truths about universe beyond the reach of man’s imagination and with complexity orders of magnitude higher than man’s understanding. The antiquity left us a platform, a base, we have grown our world on.The deafening music, crazy dance, artificial intelligence, anti-aging, artificial growth and all modern day buzz words which are so-called the boon for humans, sometimes feel a huge regiment piling up for the disaster(may be otherwise) of humans.

Mario Livio then writes about Newton.He formulated the fundamental laws of mechanics, deciphered the laws describing the planetary motion, erected the theoretical basis for the phenomenon of light and colours and founded the study of differential calculus and did a great work on gravity.All this together would have called for a great deal of contemplation and thoughts.

As I proceed reading the book, I notice how a man started with observing/studying things which involve nature/God/universe, drifting slowly towards creating things which virtually benefit him, giving his explanation/solutions/theories for natural phenomenon while eliminating the hand of divine power from these beautiful complex systems of nature.

Newton was confronted with a question for a long time…why is solar system as stable as it is. Newton, in addition to gravitational force involved the God’s hand(any divine power) in keeping the solar system intact.But the question was answered by Laplace –a great mathematician who wrote 5 volumes of a book giving virtually complete solution to the motion in solar system.Mario Livio writes, Laplace had different views,instead of relying on God’s handiwork, he simply proved mathematically that solar system is stable over long period of time , much longer than anticipated by Newton. Now, this is the drift I talked about earlier though a negligible but a significant one considering the time span over which the evolution of discoveries/inventions/thoughts has occurred.

Astronomers learned only in 20th century, it is the gravity which keeps 100 billion stars wheeling in the arms and thronging in the centers of spiral galaxies As the harmony exhibited by stars, planets and all celestial bodies necessitates the prevalence of some force(in this case gravitational force),we can continue with the argument to penetrate to the level of prevalence of some force which produces gravitation. There might be some force responsible for the movement of protons ,neutrons, gravitons or any other particle which in turn produces gravitation(the reason for such force is yet unanswered).I am sure there is a limit to what a human mind can understand beyond which his intelligence does not suffice. It could be because of these reasons that scientists/philosophers of antiquity had pulled the God’s handiwork in the simple/complex phenomenon of nature. I believe that there are magnitude of other things existing out there yet to be explored by man.

As the time passed, man utilized his creativity to give birth to myriad things, discoveries and inventions, each step leaving the foundation for the next big invention and a slow drift away from nature, God and universe. Every invention put a stepping stone forward towards the advancement of man in every field.

If computers and internet were not into existence, I wouldn’t have been able to publish this piece of writing but wait….without even realizing man has started to dig his own grave. He has reached to a point where he is engrossed in entertaining himself and is constantly trying to change nature and universe created by the divine power to suit his needs and in the process creating an environment hostile(perhaps otherwise) to his own existence.