Is there more to Eastern philosophy than this...?

[madethesame]

I write this entirely from a western standpoint, meaning I don't wish to debate eastern philosophy as its applicable to easterners, but how its applicable and translatable to westerners.

So first to compare a generalization of the west to the east, the west is clearly more advanced. Just looking at the music and literature of the west from 1500-1900 alone shows this. But, furthermore one need only look at how so may of the technological innovations that the east now excels at were started in the west. But, that aside, its also clear that besides the west there's no other broad portion of civilization that is or was more advanced than the east.

The east has an aesthetic; its architecture especially, that is very beautiful. Furthermore its martial arts, concerning unarmed combat, is presumably far superior to any other.

Then, to the philosophy itself. When translated to a westerner it can help them take a more relaxed approach to living. Their techniques on mediation especially may help with this. But, it doesn't seem to go much further than that. The idea of obtaining some sort of mental state, whatever it may be called (zen, etc.), is only of so much use, and only to those who have a purpose for it. For the most part, the few westerners who take eastern philosophy more seriously than as a simple hobby do so as a way of escape - it adding nothing of value to their life.

East was most advanced in quantum Physics. The cosmic rules we find now are already mentioned in vedas.
west had popes who masccared people, this is not advanced thing.
west had more engineers who used the knowledge. don't forget euorpe ruled over east.
the winner is always best.

 

[Yazata]

East was most advanced in quantum Physics.

That's ridiculous.

The whole idea of there being something called 'the East' is a Western idea. (It's only east from Europe's geographical perspective.) In real life, Eurasia gave rise to several interacting civilizations that are quite distinct from each other in many ways, including philosophically.

The idea that 'the East' knew anything about quantum physics is probably a false conclusion drawn from the existence of layman's books like 'The Tao of Physics', where authors remark on superficial resemblances between their own interpretations of things like Madhyamaka and their interpretations of ideas from contemporary physics.

Again in real life, the cultures of southern and eastern Eurasia didn't know any more about quantum physics than the Europeans did, prior to a century ago. By the time quantum physics appeared on the intellectual scene, modern post-17th-century science had already spread worldwide. Quantum physics is obviously known and is the subject of research in places like Japan, China and India today, but that work is done in the same style as European or American physics and is done as part of a world-wide community of scientists.

I do think that the older and more traditional philosophies of Asia are fascinating and that they are often worth the attention of philosophers all around the world today. It's valuable to look at familiar problems from new perspectives and to be introduced to new question, issues and approaches. There's far more to these philosphies than Stuart's stereotypical idea that they are all just relaxing, blissing-out and going blank.

But having said that, it's important to understand these intellectual traditions in their context and not to misrepresent them as being things that they are not.

 

[madethesame]

“ Honest, guys East India company never stole Kerala Calculus and gave it to Newton. Isaac Newton is the old father of Calculus and I David Bressoud who is the modern father of Calculus and an expert having spontaneous knowledge , solemnly vouch for this !”
“When Vedic ideas are proved correct, it is just dreaming , come right. When Western work ( lifted from ancient Vedanta ) is proved right, it is scientific knowledge ” -- Nikola Tesla .

 

[madethesame]

That's ridiculous.

The whole idea of there being something called 'the East' is a Western idea. (It's only east from Europe's geographical perspective.) In real life, Eurasia gave rise to several interacting civilizations that are quite distinct from each other in many ways, including philosophically.

The idea that 'the East' knew anything about quantum physics is probably a false conclusion drawn from the existence of layman's books like 'The Tao of Physics', where authors remark on superficial resemblances between their own interpretations of things like Madhyamaka and their interpretations of ideas from contemporary physics.

Again in real life, the cultures of southern and eastern Eurasia didn't know any more about quantum physics than the Europeans did, prior to a century ago. By the time quantum physics appeared on the intellectual scene, modern post-17th-century science had already spread worldwide. Quantum physics is obviously known and is the subject of research in places like Japan, China and India today, but that work is done in the same style as European or American physics and is done as part of a world-wide community of scientists.

I do think that the older and more traditional philosophies of Asia are fascinating and that they are often worth the attention of philosophers all around the world today. It's valuable to look at familiar problems from new perspectives and to be introduced to new question, issues and approaches. There's far more to these philosphies than Stuart's stereotypical idea that they are all just relaxing, blissing-out and going blank.

But having said that, it's important to understand these intellectual traditions in their context and not to misrepresent them as being things that they are not.

good. nice i am not here against west. what dear 'west' is doing i dont like.
3rd law : whether a leaf falls on a thorn or a thron falls on a leaf, the effect is the same.
india never had philosophers, india has mystics.
i understand your point sir.

 

[Yazata]

india never had philosophers, india has mystics.

Again, that's ridiculous.

I thought that you were claiming that they had the original quantum physicists.

Now you are repeating what looks like Stuart's error.

Instead of veering wildly and crazily between fanciful historical exaggeration of Indian philosophical prowess and ignorant denials that they had any philosophy at all, why not start learning about the subject?

 

[madethesame]

Again, that's ridiculous.

I thought that you were claiming that they had the original quantum physicists.

Now you are repeating what looks like Stuart's error.

Instead of veering wildly and crazily between fanciful historical exaggeration of Indian philosophical prowess and ignorant denials that they had any philosophy at all, why not start learning about the subject?

india does have 'philosophers', this is not tradation of india. the brahman's were cosmologists~philosophers.
the mystics

 

[sculptor]

 

[iceaura]

Want to dig into it? Here: http://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/BOGWIT.html

Where is western mathematical treatment of music, musical metre, grammar of poetry?

The poetry and song of Wales has had significant influence on English and other poetic traditions (Auden recommended the writing of englyns as part of every English poet's education, Lowell and Hughes and others incorporated Welsh meters and structures, Dylan Thomas and others were of course Welsh to begin with, the Welsh influence is pervasive and manifold in Western poetry and song). Have a look at it: http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/ind...-meter-groups-i-englynion-ii-cywydd-iii-awdl/

 

[Amar Nath Reu]

For anyone interested in Indian classical music https://www.google.co.in/webhp?sour...assical+music&newwindow=1&safe=active&tbm=vid

 

[just me]

I write this entirely from a western standpoint, meaning I don't wish to debate eastern philosophy as its applicable to easterners, but how its applicable and translatable to westerners.

So first to compare a generalization of the west to the east, the west is clearly more advanced. Just looking at the music and literature of the west from 1500-1900 alone shows this. But, furthermore one need only look at how so may of the technological innovations that the east now excels at were started in the west. But, that aside, its also clear that besides the west there's no other broad portion of civilization that is or was more advanced than the east.

The east has an aesthetic; its architecture especially, that is very beautiful. Furthermore its martial arts, concerning unarmed combat, is presumably far superior to any other.

Then, to the philosophy itself. When translated to a westerner it can help them take a more relaxed approach to living. Their techniques on mediation especially may help with this. But, it doesn't seem to go much further than that. The idea of obtaining some sort of mental state, whatever it may be called (zen, etc.), is only of so much use, and only to those who have a purpose for it. For the most part, the few westerners who take eastern philosophy more seriously than as a simple hobby do so as a way of escape - it adding nothing of value to their life.

the west seems to excel at making stuff out of other stuff, e.g. light bulbs, machines extra, but not really excel at offering good explanations for why things work the way they do like the east does.
that's my impression anyway.