Recent Advances In Science May Justify Santhara

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Recent Advances in Science may Justify Santhara" by Surendra Singh Pokharna:

The text argues that recent scientific advancements, particularly in understanding consciousness, may provide a scientific basis for justifying Santhara, a traditional Jain practice.

Understanding Santhara:

• Definition: Santhara is a Jain custom where an individual voluntarily ceases all life-sustaining inputs like food, water, and medicine, and waits for a peaceful death.
• Motivation: The practice is undertaken with the wish for a favorable rebirth.
• Jain Beliefs: This is rooted in Jainism's core principles of a soul (permanent, made of karma) and a body (temporary, material). Death is seen as the dissolution of the body, while the soul transmigrates to a new birth based on past actions (karmas). Jainism emphasizes the soul's journey through potentially 8.4 million life forms (yonis).
• Social Aspect: Santhara is only undertaken with the consent of family and relatives.

The Legal and Scientific Context:

• Rajasthan High Court Ruling: The text mentions a recent decision by the Rajasthan High Court that declared Santhara a crime, equating it to suicide.
• The Need for a Scientific Perspective: The author asserts that due to the Jain belief in soul and rebirth, a scientific viewpoint is crucial to understand and potentially justify Santhara.

Scientific Exploration of Consciousness and the Soul:

• Distinction and Overlap: The author clarifies that while "consciousness" in science differs from the "soul" in Indian philosophy, the terms are often used interchangeably and the concept of consciousness is being taken more seriously by scientists.
• Key Scientists: Several prominent scientists are cited as believing in or exploring the concept of consciousness and the soul, including B.D. Josephson, E.P. Wigner, George Gamow, Kurtz Gödel, Ilya Prigogine, David Bohm, Roger Penrose, Deepak Chopra, and E.C.G. Sudarshan.
• International Conference: The existence of an international conference on consciousness at the University of Arizona, attended by around 1000 scientists from 60 countries across diverse fields, highlights the growing scientific interest.

Scientific Concepts Relevant to Santhara:

• Free Will and Consciousness: The existence of multiple choices and free will is seen as a fundamental aspect of human decision-making.

• Holographic Memory and Non-Locality: The brain's memory is described as holographic and non-localized, meaning it's not confined to a single point. Non-locality also helps explain how different sensory inputs (color, shape, motion) are integrated into a coherent perception.

• Quantum Physics and Consciousness:

  • Wave-Particle Duality: The behavior of electrons as both waves and particles, and the inherent uncertainty in quantum mechanics, are suggested as potential explanations for aspects of consciousness.
  • Wave Function: The non-local nature of quantum wave functions could explain the non-local memory of the brain.
  • Entanglement: The principle of entanglement, where quantum systems are interconnected, is also considered relevant.
  • Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR): Profs. Penrose and Hameroff's theory suggests that microtubules within neurons act as quantum systems (qubits). These can oscillate and form "quantum superposition states," leading to consciousness when they collapse into a single state. The subconscious mind, responsible for most brain functions, might operate as a quantum computer.

• Quantum Gravity and the "Quantum Soul":

  • Reconciling Relativity and Quantum Mechanics: Recent theories in quantum gravity aim to reconcile Einstein's General Relativity (space-time geometry) with quantum physics.
  • Planck Scale and Information Storage: At the smallest scales (Planck level), space-time might consist of "Planck's polygons" that carry information.
  • Deepak Chopra's Hypothesis: Inspired by these ideas, Deepak Chopra, in collaboration with Stuart Hameroff, proposed the "Quantum Soul" hypothesis. This suggests that an individual's space-time geometry can store information and interact with the information stored in the brain's microtubules.
  • Implications for Rebirth and Karma: This theory offers a potential scientific explanation for concepts like "life after life" and out-of-body experiences. It posits that information stored in one's space-time geometry, possibly determined by past karmas, influences future births. While the physical brain and its information decay upon death, the information in space-time geometry might persist, dictating future existences.

Conclusion and Appeal:

• Justification for Re-examination: In light of these scientific developments that explore concepts akin to rebirth and the persistence of information beyond the physical body, the author urges the judges to re-examine the Santhara ruling.
• Respect for Jain Beliefs: The appeal emphasizes that Santhara involves sound logic and deep emotions for millions of Jain people, and scientific understanding could contribute to a more informed perspective.