Log on Aug, 01
In Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda, Sister Christine writes:
"[According to Swami Vivekananda, when education is imparted] Mathematics must become a discipline for the mind, a training in accuracy and truth; History a practice in tracting effects to their cause, a warning against repetition of the mistakes of the past"
In Jayant Kaikini's programme on D. R. Bendre ( who was much influenced by Sri Aurobindo), Shri Chandrashekhar Vastrad had appeared. In his later days Bendre had been obsessed with numbers and equations. It made little sense to people around him, and talk was that "old man has gone mad". Vastrad mentioned of Bendre's meeting with a NASA scientist when Bendre was being treated at a hospital due to old age illness. After the meeting, the scientist said "this (Bendre's) methods and my methods of looking at a problem and analysing them are different. I follow the conventional method. But there is somthing about him and his method of analysis that continues to haunt me". There is another instance of Bendre's verbatim quoting formulae related to Fibonacci sequence, while a methamatician was searching for the book. This 'madness of Bendre' was much criticised by fellow men of literature and media. And Bendre, a sort of 'i dont care' old man, continued with this game of his. In fact many of his peoms in "Naaku Tanti" which won him Jnanapeetha, have been considered as too esoteric.
According to Vastrad, to Bendre, love for mathematics was no different from love for truth. Bendre, a poet believed in "Satyam shivam sundaram", aesthetics. But Bendre, the spiritual seeker was mad after numbers. He seemed to have quipped "In poet's imagination - one plus one could either remain one or could become three. But mathematically it always results in definite answer of two". And truth is without a second.
Even otherwise, mathematics has always meant to be logical thinking and methodic approach. Who can forget geometric theorems taught to us and 'mathematical induction'. Unfortunately it is only now that people have been focussing on "pick one of four given answers in 30 seconds" sort of questions. Or thinking that mathematics means counting money or investing in share market. It's the logical steps and methodical analysis that has to be taught, while teaching mathematics.
Regarding teaching of history, less said is better. People are more concerned of their community leaders' name appearing in text book, and 'eminent historians' are trying to push their view points and hidden agendas. Textbooks thus have become a sort of telephone directory, carrying the names of kings and years of their birth/death (or battles and years in which they were fought). In order to be 'politically correct', we never discuss in details causes and effects of different battles. {For example, reason for rise of buddhism is discussed, but never about the disappearance of buddhism}. With uniform history textbooks throughout country, with an over emphasis on power struggle at Delhi - slave dynasties, Moguls etc. south indians neither feel themselves connected with events nor are able to know more about their local leaders (such as Abbakka devi of Tulunaadu who defeated the Dutch or Mallamma of Belavadi who defeated Maratha army or Obavva who single handedly caused loss to Haidar Ali's army) No wonder history is least liked subject.
Ever wondered what happens and how society is being benefited by education imparted at hundreds of universities across the nation under the courses "political science" or say "literature" (man hours wasted, with no measurable output). Nothing objectionable about the subjects, but have these humanities subjects been able to make men more humane or produce good administrators/leaders etc.
"[According to Swami Vivekananda, when education is imparted] Mathematics must become a discipline for the mind, a training in accuracy and truth; History a practice in tracting effects to their cause, a warning against repetition of the mistakes of the past"
In Jayant Kaikini's programme on D. R. Bendre ( who was much influenced by Sri Aurobindo), Shri Chandrashekhar Vastrad had appeared. In his later days Bendre had been obsessed with numbers and equations. It made little sense to people around him, and talk was that "old man has gone mad". Vastrad mentioned of Bendre's meeting with a NASA scientist when Bendre was being treated at a hospital due to old age illness. After the meeting, the scientist said "this (Bendre's) methods and my methods of looking at a problem and analysing them are different. I follow the conventional method. But there is somthing about him and his method of analysis that continues to haunt me". There is another instance of Bendre's verbatim quoting formulae related to Fibonacci sequence, while a methamatician was searching for the book. This 'madness of Bendre' was much criticised by fellow men of literature and media. And Bendre, a sort of 'i dont care' old man, continued with this game of his. In fact many of his peoms in "Naaku Tanti" which won him Jnanapeetha, have been considered as too esoteric.
According to Vastrad, to Bendre, love for mathematics was no different from love for truth. Bendre, a poet believed in "Satyam shivam sundaram", aesthetics. But Bendre, the spiritual seeker was mad after numbers. He seemed to have quipped "In poet's imagination - one plus one could either remain one or could become three. But mathematically it always results in definite answer of two". And truth is without a second.
Even otherwise, mathematics has always meant to be logical thinking and methodic approach. Who can forget geometric theorems taught to us and 'mathematical induction'. Unfortunately it is only now that people have been focussing on "pick one of four given answers in 30 seconds" sort of questions. Or thinking that mathematics means counting money or investing in share market. It's the logical steps and methodical analysis that has to be taught, while teaching mathematics.
Regarding teaching of history, less said is better. People are more concerned of their community leaders' name appearing in text book, and 'eminent historians' are trying to push their view points and hidden agendas. Textbooks thus have become a sort of telephone directory, carrying the names of kings and years of their birth/death (or battles and years in which they were fought). In order to be 'politically correct', we never discuss in details causes and effects of different battles. {For example, reason for rise of buddhism is discussed, but never about the disappearance of buddhism}. With uniform history textbooks throughout country, with an over emphasis on power struggle at Delhi - slave dynasties, Moguls etc. south indians neither feel themselves connected with events nor are able to know more about their local leaders (such as Abbakka devi of Tulunaadu who defeated the Dutch or Mallamma of Belavadi who defeated Maratha army or Obavva who single handedly caused loss to Haidar Ali's army) No wonder history is least liked subject.
Ever wondered what happens and how society is being benefited by education imparted at hundreds of universities across the nation under the courses "political science" or say "literature" (man hours wasted, with no measurable output). Nothing objectionable about the subjects, but have these humanities subjects been able to make men more humane or produce good administrators/leaders etc.
posted by Ramashray at 8:59 AM
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