Vedanta and Science

Today, at the turn of the 21st century, genetic revolution has transformed the nature of our biological research and it is opening a new and unprecedented progress in various disciplines of life sciences. However, while the transformative potential of biotechnology has acquired an unbelievable eminence in biology and medicine, it has, perhaps, more than any other area of scientific and technological research, raised some of the most profound bioethical questions that humanity has ever faced. With serious implications for our health, the environment, the future of agriculture, the relationship between human societies and the rest of the nature, and the meaning and purpose of life, these genetic technologies have aroused worldwide attention. Fields such as stem research, cloning, euthanasia, abortion, gene therapy and so on have already become the subjects of heated public debate. Touching the latest biotechnologies from cloning to highly debatable stem cell research, the author, Dr. T. D. Singh, in this volume, summarizes the biotechnological revolutions, reviews some of the important bioethical questions raised by them and seeks possible guidance from Vedanta, the topmost scientific and philosophical treatise of Indian spiritual and cultural heritage to help resolve some of these issues. We hope these words by Dr. Singh, who himself witnessed biotechnological revolution in the last few decades, will provide stimulating insights into what has now become one of the most extraordinarily revealing arena of our times.

We are born and, as life moves on, we get so busy that we hardly turn around and look back at our birth. How did we come to this world? What were our experiences in the womb? Did that journey of nine months contribute to our personality that we have today? Human embryology is a fascinating field. From the time when we considered the embryo to be just an unknown tadpole-like structure, to today's advanced technologies such as ultrasound, we have learnt a great deal about life in the womb. These advanced technologies have helped us discover a startling picture of our intelligent and active life we had in the womb. However, there are still several questions that remain unanswered and mysteries yet to be unraveled. Embark on a voyage with Dr. T. D. Singh, the celebrated author of over two dozen renowned publications on the interface between science and spirituality, as he delves deeper into this enthralling subject. Dr. Singh, a scientist with a PhD from the University of California, Irvine and a Vedantist in the Bhakti-vedanta tradition of India, brings forth penetrating insights from both the latest scientific knowledge in this field and the age-old wisdom of Vedanta.

Aging is a uniquely personal as well as a universal experience. Everyone undergoes aging, whether a Hindu, Muslim or Christian; male or female; white or black; rich or poor; American, Indian or European. Bounded by birth at one end and terminated by death at the other, aging is an integral part of our life. Today, there is tremendous research trying to understand the mechanisms of aging. There are almost as many theories about the aging process as there are researchers working in the field. From exploring the use of hormone therapy and antioxidants to extending the human life span, aging, however, still remains far from our comprehension. Vedanta, the topmost scientific and philosophical treatise of ancient Indian spiritual and cultural heritage, has immense insights to provide towards aging, dying and end-of-life care for humanity throughout the world. In this volume, the author, Dr. T. D. Singh, a visionary who himself witnessed a wide spectrum of life, from his serious Ph.D. research days to deep Vedantic engagements, presents these invaluable insights in the light of modern developments. The volume, written in an easily accessible language for the scientist and layman alike, will be a great source of inspiration and wisdom into this timeless topic.