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Reflections

Expanding the boundaries of knowledge

Lopa Mukherjee

Abstract
Scientific methodology plays an important role in mainstream thought-systems all over the world. It
started during the Enlightenment in Europe, was codified by the scientist, René Descartes and applied
in Newton’s laws of mechanics. This mindset or worldview, called Cartesian or Cartesian-Newtonian,
spread to the rest of the world through colonisation. The indigenous methods were abandoned, since
this scientific methodology provided a surer ground. Lesser mistakes were made in practical life when
the source of knowledge did not rely on human subjectivity. But practical life is just one aspect of life,
and a small one at that. Now, this surer footing seems wanting, because it leaves out many questions
of life, particularly the big ones. Psychology tries to tackle the big questions that are asked by a human
subject. How can it then ignore the lived experiences of this human being? This article shows how the
limits of the Cartesian worldview are overcome by new knowledge-systems.

The solution set sound came first here. Or think of the movie
industry. The pictures came before the talkies.
Suppose someone were to ask you, “What So, light came first. In all the answers above,
came first: light or sound?” How would you we are assuming the question implies that
answer? Since we hear the thunder after we the source of light and sound are the same.
see the lightning, you may be tempted to say If the sources are different, the answers will
“Light came first.” Let’s say you want to step be different too. We are also assuming the
back in time and think of the origins of light measurer of light and sound is the same —
and sound. Science says nothing could be an instrument or a person who can see and
seen before the Big Bang. Even light could hear. For a deaf person, sound never came.
not escape from the gravitational pull of the
dense ball of matter. And the Big Bang, did it We may also wonder if it is light with a
make a ‘bang’ sound? If so, then sound and capital L, and sound with a capital S? In
light came at the same time — at time zero. other words, is it asking about the origins of
In a pitch-dark room, you hear the scratch of Light and Sound? John’s Gospel starts this
the matchstick before you see the flame. So, way: “In the beginning was the Word, and the

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