Course Description
We are thus impelled to the conclusion to which so many things point, although they do not amount to a coercive scientific proof, that besides this material world there exists another purely spiritual order of things, with activities as various, as the present, and that this world of spirit we shall one day inherit.
— Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss
Mathematics is an unbelievable gift for all of us, as in the words of renowned physicist Eugene Wigner, “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences”. From physics and biological systems to unknown areas of cosmos, mathematics allows us to penetrate where our instruments cannot reach. Can it also help us to provide insights about what is mentioned in our age-old spiritual traditions? For example, can the preciseness of mathematics help us to present more clearly foundational questions of life, such as the core of all questions – Is there a God? What about Consciousness, Soul and Karma – can they be explored in the light of mathematical concepts we have today?
Interestingly, and which is lesser known, that besides algebras, curves and planes, many renowned mathematicians worked seriously from centuries about these foundational questions talked in spirituality besides their regular mathematical contributions – whether God exists and how can this be logically and mathematically established. From Euler, Cantor and Gauss to Boole, Pascal, Ramanujan and many other mathematicians, there were important works penned by them, ranging from their precise logical thoughts to even mathematical analysis and ‘proofs’ for deeply exploring these questions.
The present short video course with contributions from five serious scholars will highlight and provide deep insights about the unique connection between mathematics and spirituality. These scholars who are faculties and alumni of IITs (Indian Institute of Technology – IIT BHU, IIT Guwahati and IIT Kanpur) have been working at the interface of science and spirituality for decades. With introduction to the various areas, such as the Foundations of Mathematics, Logic, Computation, Space, Natural selection, Evolution, Incompleteness theorems, and their possible connection with spiritual wisdom, the course would be an insightful journey on a lesser known but highly soul-stirring road.