All for the cause of science and scientists
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The meet at Heggodu helped foster better understanding of scientists and their work
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IT WAS a valuable educational experience for scientists and laymen alike. Vijnaana Jijnaase (Inquisitiveness for science), a three-day interactive workshop, was held at Heggodu in Sagar taluk of Shimoga district recently to help scientists and non-scientists, including authors and artists, keep themselves abreast of what is happening in each other's areas of study.
The workshop was jointly organised by NINASAM (Sri Neelakanteshwar Natya Sangh) of Heggodu, a cultural institution, and JNCASR (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research) of Bangalore.
"We are happy that we could do what any university has not been able to do'' said K.V. Akshara of NINASAM and one of the convenors of the workshop, adding that it was also of great help in removing a fear of sorts about scientists. The papers presented generated a lively discussion on several issues of topical interest. Mr. Akshara said the participants dwelt, among other things, on how to improve the quality of science teaching and develop scientific terms in Kannada.
C.V. Vishveshwara of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, and Education for Science Education, Bangalore, who spoke on "Space, Time and Gravitation" said "today, there are still unanswered questions especially those related to quantum theory of gravity and its unification with the other fundamental forces in nature."
N.D. Haridas of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, speaking on "Classical Mask and Quantum Reality" asked "is the classical world today only a mask to a quantum reality that is not real at all?''
Amitabh Joshi of the Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, whose topic was "Evolution,'' spoke on why the concept occupies a unique position in the history of ideas.
Speaking on "War and peace: Conflict and cooperation in insect societies," Raghavendra Gadagkar of the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, said that many insects live in societies that parallel if not better human societies in the sophistication and complexity of their organisation.
Shobhini Rao of NIMHANS, Bangalore, speaking on "Windows to the mind'' said that loss of functional capacities during ageing can be prevented by exercising the brain and learning new skills.
Speaking on "Does God play dice,'' Roddam Narasimha of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, said that the chaos in throwing a dice is also present to varying degrees in the orbits of the planets. "If God is non-linear (and if He is Reality it cannot be otherwise), He can be deterministic and chaotic at the same time, without being inconsistent or arbitrary.''
Sanjay Jain of the Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, who spoke on "Complexity: an integrative theme in the sciences" referred to some properties that both unite the most interesting products of the biosphere as well as distinguish them from other things in the universe, one of which is "organisational complexity.''
PRAMOD MELLEGATTI
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