Science shines when dealing with the measurable—elements, compounds, or planets. But it struggles with emotions and thoughts, which are fundamental to human experience. Pattanaik argues that science, based on measurement, can’t capture the subjective world of feelings and emotions.
Ancient Indian philosophy differentiated between the measurable (‘sa-guna’) and the immeasurable (‘nir-guna’). Science only grasps the tangible world, leaving the intangible uncharted.
This understanding helps clarify why science can’t address issues like love, fear, or identity.
The tech age has made us believe science can fix everything, but many societal issues persist. For example, hunger isn’t due to a lack of food but a failure in distribution, driven by emotional and power dynamics.
Science has its strengths, but we must not ignore its limits. Embracing both the scientific and the spiritual can provide a more holistic understanding of life, balancing the material with the emotional.