Science Philosophy & Society

Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya (1918-1993) was an eminent Marxist philosopher from Bengal. He made extensive contribution to the research and retrieval of the materialist and rationlist traditions of ancient Inian Philosophy. His most outstanding work in this regard was the compilation and exposition of the ancient philosophy of Lokayata. He is also acclaimed for his researches in the history of science and scientific method in ancient India.

Extracts:

“One of the main points to be established in the present paper is that the prodigious first step to natuarl science was actally taken in ancient India, some time presumably before the Buddha….Platonic philosophy, with its great power and prestige, works tenaciously towards its goal of wrecking of natural science…… The humble researches of men who hoped to relieve human suffering by a patient study of nature and its evershifting phenomena have absolutely no prestige in the new theoretical climate created in Upanishadic India, where the gods are alleged to detest the direct knowledge of nature – pratyaksa dvisab.”