Science and Knowledge as a Tool of Subjugation: Perspectives of European Colonialism in India

The development of science as an integral part of society is evolutionary and goes hand in hand with the prosperity of the human intellect, resources available and the freedom accorded the society to think and prosper. India’s scientific heritage had reached its pinnacle in its own perspectives that are difficult to compare with western philosophy and thinking. The underpinning of India-centric eastern philosophies that knowledge i.e. truth can be approached by diverse means had epistemologically led to the evolutionof wide array of methodologies and inculcation of multidisciplinary learning processes in India’s indigenous education system. Hence science has historically been an inevitable aspect of India’s education curriculum since the ancient and medieval periods. Though the Islamic invasions and European colonisation of the Indian sub-continent during the medieval period were resisted, they had caused tantrums in the regular and active functioning of society and had therefore disrupted societal components such as education, economy and trade, culture, polity, agriculture, taxation system, etc. as there had been various external factors and tools such as colonisation, imperialism, mercantilism, exploitation, monopolistic trade, loot, slavery, inquisitions, violence, genocide, etc. that influenced the internal affairs thereby causing subjugation of the Indian minds. The pursuit of science and technology as a tool with an unethical intention to subjugate the Indian sub-continent and its polity has been explored in this paper. The introduction of the telegraph, railways and steam ships as a means of faster communication and transportation for militaristic, political and trade purposes proves that scientific superiority wasalso a means of subjugation by the European colonial powers, particularly the British. The paper also explores how the distortion of history, unethical misappropriation of India’s knowledge systems and dismantling of indigenous education concepts and structures such as gurukulas and patshalas by cutting off rural financial mechanisms through the adverse taxation system and the introductionof urban-based western education system had ultimately led to the subjugation of India’s national conscience

Ecocentric Approach of Science from the Perspective of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore: Exploring Sustainability and Ethics amidst British Colonialism

Just as the ‘Renaissance’ in Europe led to a stronger urge in the individuals to explore new avenues of arts and science there was also a spurt in gradual scientific inventions and technological interventions. Much importantly the invention of the steam engine revolutionised Europe’s industries and transportation in terms of speed and efficiency. The demand for finished goods propelled the European nations, particularly Britain, to explore trade options for the importing of raw materials from overseas, including India, which later took the shape of colonial political plundering amidst regional political instabilities in the Indian sub-continent. The British imperialism, mercantilism, forced cultivation of cash crops, exploitative trade practices, procurement of raw materials from the sub-continent and elsewhere, selling of foreign products at exorbitant prices and colonial superiority were all intended to support the fledgling industrial development of the British homeland. This unmindful nature of unsustainable development gave rise to a fresh era of ethical and moral questioning, particularly by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore as to ‘what science and development should stand for?’ Gandhi’s questioning of the British on these lines evolved into the nationalistic tone of ‘Hind Swaraj’ while Tagore’s views employ the context of ‘Universality’. The paper discusses the perspectives of Gandhi and Tagore as to whether the applications of science and technology should be ecocentric i.e. taking into concern the environmental, humanitarian and ethical aspects or should it be anthropocentric i.e. development and exploitative centric. The paper also details the humanitarianism emphasised by Gandhi and Tagore from the Indian philosophical perspective and sustainability in the possible role that science and technology can actually play in ‘real human advancement’

Science and Knowledge as a Tool of Subjugation Perspectives of European Colonialism in India

177-190The development of science as an integral part of society is evolutionary and goes hand in hand with the prosperity of the human intellect, resources available and the freedom accorded the society to think and prosper. India’s scientific heritage had reached its pinnacle in its own perspectives that are difficult to compare with western philosophy and thinking. The underpinning of India-centric eastern philosophies that knowledge i.e. truth can be approached by diverse means had epistemologically led to the evolutionof wide array of methodologies and inculcation of multidisciplinary learning processes in India’s indigenous education system. Hence science has historically been an inevitable aspect of India’s education curriculum since the ancient and medieval periods. Though the Islamic invasions and European colonisation of the Indian sub-continent during the medieval period were resisted, they had caused tantrums in the regular and active functioning of society and had therefore disrupted societal components such as education, economy and trade, culture, polity, agriculture, taxation system, etc. as there had been various external factors and tools such as colonisation, imperialism, mercantilism, exploitation, monopolistic trade, loot, slavery, inquisitions, violence, genocide, etc. that influenced the internal affairs thereby causing subjugation of the Indian minds. The pursuit of science and technology as a tool with an unethical intention to subjugate the Indian sub-continent and its polity has been explored in this paper. The introduction of the telegraph, railways and steam ships as a means of faster communication and transportation for militaristic, political and trade purposes proves that scientific superiority wasalso a means of subjugation by the European colonial powers, particularly the British. The paper also explores how the distortion of history, unethical misappropriation of India’s knowledge systems and dismantling of indigenous education concepts and structures such as gurukulas and patshalas by cutting off rural financial mechanisms through the adverse taxation system and the introductionof urban-based western education system had ultimately led to the subjugation of India’s national conscience

Ecocentric Approach of Science from the Perspective of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore: Exploring Sustainability and Ethics amidst British Colonialism

121-131Just as the ‘Renaissance’ in Europe led to a stronger urge in the individuals to explore new avenues of arts and science there was also a spurt in gradual scientific inventions and technological interventions. Much importantly the invention of the steam engine revolutionised Europe’s industries and transportation in terms of speed and efficiency. The demand for finished goods propelled the European nations, particularly Britain, to explore trade options for the importing of raw materials from overseas, including India, which later took the shape of colonial political plundering amidst regional political instabilities in the Indian sub-continent. The British imperialism, mercantilism, forced cultivation of cash crops, exploitative trade practices, procurement of raw materials from the sub-continent and elsewhere, selling of foreign products at exorbitant prices and colonial superiority were all intended to support the fledgling industrial development of the British homeland. This unmindful nature of unsustainable development gave rise to a fresh era of ethical and moral questioning, particularly by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore as to ‘what science and development should stand for?’ Gandhi’s questioning of the British on these lines evolved into the nationalistic tone of ‘Hind Swaraj’ while Tagore’s views employ the context of ‘Universality’. The paper discusses the perspectives of Gandhi and Tagore as to whether the applications of science and technology should be ecocentric i.e. taking into concern the environmental, humanitarian and ethical aspects or should it be anthropocentric i.e. development and exploitative centric. The paper also details the humanitarianism emphasised by Gandhi and Tagore from the Indian philosophical perspective and sustainability in the possible role that science and technology can actually play in ‘real human advancement’