Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 29: Prof Manoj Dhar, Vice Chancellor of Jammu University, chaired 14th Nalanda Dialogue series on the topic “Causality in Philosophy and Modern Science”, held at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, University, Bihar.
In his inaugural address, Prof Dhar stressed the need for blending ancient philosophy and modern science to uplift humanity. He said that the students, scholars and academic community should be encouraged to visit Nalanda and be apprised about the historical perceptive of this place, which will surely help to develop the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara as an international centre of excellence.
Prof Dhar said that causality in its most generic sense may be understood as an abstraction that indicates how world progresses, such a basic concept that it appeared more to be an explanation of other concepts than as something to be explained by other more basic. Furthermore, he added, the concept of causation has emerged in Pre-Socratic philosophy and it was probably Plato who first stated the principle of causality, according to which “everything that becomes or changes must do so owing to some cause, for nothing can come to be without a cause.”
“In western philosophy and metaphysics, the concept has been discussed in all its ramifications right from 450 BC when Lefkipos gave the complete statement of causation as a scientific principle and defined all phenomena as derived from existing causes,” he further added.
Prof R C Sinha, Chairman, Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Delhi, was the guest of honour on the occasion. Earlier Prof Lakshman Lal, Director, Medical Education, Jharkhand, spoke in length about the various parameters and components which cover causality in Philosophy and Modern Science.
In his presidential address, Prof Baidyanath Labh, Vice-Chancellor, NNM,Nalanda talked about the Buddhist concept of causation from the dependent arising of the early sutras, though the Madhyamaka notion of emptiness, to the holographic cosomos of Huayan Buddhism.
Dr Dhamma Jyoti and Monk students of NNM Nalanda presented formal welcome address. The dialogue covered variety of themes. Dr B K Choudhary, Convener, Nalanda Dialogue presented formal vote of thanks.
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