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I think this is in a way duplicate to my other question here but that's for questioning and I recently hit a bump with a user where he was asking for a scientific reason.

When I tried to explain that site is on Hinduism and we don't answer scientifically, if they want scientific reasons, refer other websites on Stackexchange but still the user asks for scientific reason behind a practice so what should we do in this particular scenario?

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    When doing suggested edits, closing questions, giving 'other' reasons to off-topic posts, please point to this post. Also add the faq tag to it, as we have to have this in the help center as and when it is constructed. Cheers! Jul 1, 2014 at 14:28
  • @AwalGarg Need your opinions on this as you are one of the most active users who is good with the site concepts
    – Mr. Alien
    Jul 1, 2014 at 14:29
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    hehe, I just agree with your answer. No other comments. Jul 1, 2014 at 14:30
  • @Mr.Alien: Actually both answers for the question has the same reference. And one is considered science and other religious. So it is just happening, what I told in this answer is just happening right now with science questions.
    – user11
    Jul 5, 2014 at 10:24
  • Since the vote close help references this meta post, I am here voicing my concern with the use of "scientific speculation." I had thought it was against the rules to speculate. In fact, it's against the rules to apply the scientific method in any way. This unfortunate inaccurate use of language has lead to a years-long misunderstandings and frustrations for me, thus we should assume for others as well. Let's all strive to increase our accuracy. Aug 20, 2023 at 23:15

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This is a site with a community of experts in Hinduism, it is not a site with a community of scientists. The one huge problem with giving scientific answers in this case is that the community cannot properly judge whether those answers are right or wrong. This is not a theoretical issue, there are currently upvoted answers on the site that contain completely wrong scientific explanations.

This is a common issue to the religion sites, and Christianity.SE for example solved it by only allowing religious questions and answers. Any answer has to be from a doctrinal point of view, scientific answers are not allowed, and questions that ask for scientific answers are closed.

I would recommend that this site adopts a similar stance.

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    So according to you the scientific answers should be disallowed totally?
    – Mr. Alien
    Aug 23, 2014 at 12:12
  • Hinduism has most traditions related to some good habits or scientific reasons. I think earlier vedic era was more advanced than us even in science, use of brain, use of natural energy & of-course use of natural medicine which is still the case with Ayurved. Just don't want this community to be just religious & not knowing correct facts why we did things. Debatable but still we have some reason for any habit or tradition in Hindusim. Mar 2, 2016 at 12:21
  • Unlike Christianity.SE however, Hinduism has long tradition of skepticism and humility about what is known. Shutting down curious discussion will drive away high quality contributors and turn Hinduism.SE into fanfic aggregator.
    – tejasvi88
    Feb 17, 2022 at 8:48
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According to me we shouldn't answer questions by providing scientific reasons behind a particular thing. For example, I had read a similar question before which we closed because the user was asking for a scientific reason, I would request not to provide science based answers as they are redundant in a way.

Science never believes in myths or miracles as it has its own ways of solving things.

For example, if a user asks "Who created our solar system, planets etc.? According to the science, a user will explain him the big bang theory, whereas we are expecting mythological answers here, so if a user answers that Lord Brahma made the universe, that would make much more sense.

The funny part is, I can never prove scientifically that how some of our gods have 5 heads, 4 arms, 10 arms etc, so it's impossible to answer such questions scientifically.

So I would request users not to ask scientific reasons, answers may sound funny but this is a totally religion related website where we don't have proofs, and science works on proofs, so if you are looking for scientific answers behind an act, your question will be closed as off-topic


Also, I commented on @pritywiz post, I don't agree but anyways I'll end my discussion here, the only reason I'm emphasizing on this topic is because this will create an issue in the long run, users will answer scientific as well as religious questions thus leading to science-mythology wars.

Conclusion: Science is off-topic on Hinduism.SE, be it a question or an answer. A question asking for scientific reasons will be closed and questions answering scientific answers should be discouraged by downvoting and eventually deleting them from the site.

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  • Allowing scientific answers as add-ons doesn't solve the problem. You still have completely wrong scientific answers on the site that are even upvotes. This drags down the quality of the site.
    – user174
    Aug 23, 2014 at 10:55
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    Hinduism has most traditions related to some good habits or scientific reasons. I think earlier vedic era was more advanced than us even in science, use of brain, use of natural energy & of-course use of natural medicine which is still the case with Ayurved. Just don't want this community to be just religious & not knowing correct facts why we did things. Debatable but still we have some reason for any habit or tradition in Hindusim. Mar 2, 2016 at 12:22
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    "we don't have proofs, and science works on proofs". I disagree, our proof is the Vedas, since it's a valid Pramana that is of divine origin. Science works on evidence, whereas Mathematics works on proofs, which means that science collects empirical observations and then creates models to explain the observations. When new evidence comes along, the models change to fit the evidence (or they should change, but scientific enterprise is not always honest).
    – Ikshvaku
    Sep 30, 2017 at 20:09
  • Does it applicable for logical reasoning questions also?
    – Kiran RS
    Apr 8, 2021 at 17:13
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The answer suggest a scientific answers. Science is an eternal part of Hinduism. Most of the practice and rituals are all due to their scientific significance. So, when answering any questions science should be referred. It is the reason why most of us have developed more belief in the religion. Ayurveda, Yoga and Astronomy are all integrated with our religion. All of them are based on maths and science.

When you are aware that any of the practices are followed also because of its scientific significance which is known to Hinduism, then it should be mentioned and answered. Mythological answers are necessary but scientific point is part of the answer.

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  • Answer a scientific reason for this question "Why do we hang chillies and lemon outside our house"
    – Mr. Alien
    Jul 1, 2014 at 14:00
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    Is this any of the ritual written in hindu religious text book? Answer is No.. We cannot debate about something that is followed as culture and something that is part of our religious text. These blogs are a quest for sharing knowledge, which cannot be constrained.. as Hinduism is very large ..
    – pritywiz
    Jul 1, 2014 at 14:03
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    I get your points, but this site is pure religion based, science will have a war with mythological answers, will you provide a scientific answer for How the universe was made right? so the same way, we cannot ask for scientific answers, it will result in opinion based answers and a war between mythological answers and science answers
    – Mr. Alien
    Jul 1, 2014 at 14:05
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    You think what is known is only knowledge.. Anything that is left to be found still exists.. Even if no one in this world can answer on the grounds of Hinduism that on how the universe is made.. it does not mean there is nothing as such.. We can see that everyday we find new things and we acknowledge, so.. what you dont know now you will know later.. But what you know now lets share and spread..
    – pritywiz
    Jul 1, 2014 at 14:09
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    I will end the discussion over this from my side as I am opposed to Scientific reasons on this website because I know how stackexchange works, one wrong point and will degrade the sites quality, but its your decision so you can keep the answer posted, people will input their views soon :) if you want to discuss in group, you can join chatrooms as well, thank you..
    – Mr. Alien
    Jul 1, 2014 at 14:11
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    not a good idea buddy to have scientific stuff in answers. Mr. Alien is right.
    – Mr_Green
    Jul 1, 2014 at 15:08
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    @pritywiz: Science is an eternal part of Hinduism, completely agree on this.
    – user11
    Jul 1, 2014 at 19:35
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    @Mr.Alien, for you question 'How the universe was made', there is a complete chapter of Kakbhushundi, who was a 'Hansa', and there he has not only said about the big bang, but also about the yugas, of the starting phase of earth, which completly match, to what scientist say of formation of earth and universe. I read that in a book, but currently I don't have a valid link.
    – Mr. K
    Aug 26, 2014 at 11:19
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    Restricting user views relating Hinduism to valid science should not be done. It will make this community stronger with more following. How in universe it can degrade quality of posts with providing scientific & more logical facts in support of tradition, I can't understand. Mar 2, 2016 at 12:32
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I would like to clarify one thing, "Seven Chakras" or similar do not exist in science. Referring to them or anything similar will not make an answer scientific. When we say science, anybody would expect some thing that is not tied to any religion.

So users looking for pure scientific answers should look else where. Discussing only science would be off topic, even if it related to Hinduism.

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    Science has yet to explore many things & to my dismay you reject logical & scientific Indian knowledge as myths. Studies are going in Europe & US about magnetic fields, energy fields inside human body & using it to improve immunity & calibrate human body capabilities. Ridiculous to see where it origin from people mock it & reject it. Mar 2, 2016 at 12:25
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    The chakras are the points where there are glands in our body and science is now understanding its significance. Whatever we know till date is not all in science, but there are many more we still need to find and researches going on everyday, every minute. No practice in any religion is just an idea sprouted by one person and followed by the rest but the number of followers indicate that the practice has something in it that helps the follower physically, mentally, spiritually.. hence, knowing how it helps us in all the three will make the practice stronger.. as pointed out by @Pranav Singh
    – pritywiz
    Mar 3, 2016 at 7:03
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    I would love to see Mr.@PranavSingh prove that such a thing is even happening. Dec 6, 2017 at 11:18
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EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED

Science and religion should complement each other. In fact religion could provide thousands of new opportunities of new research for science. The problem lies with the lack of mutual respect and recognition.

For example if a cosmologist came to know about the following old sanskrit text

"... at that time, in the constellation of Libra, a Sun named Gabhasti, was giving birth to itself..."

His respect for religion and old sanskrit texts would increase manifold because he would realize that:

1) The author (some Rishi perhaps) knew that the small stars we see in the sky are in fact suns. 2) How suns are formed is a relatively new discovery for cosmology, so he would be astounded that the Rishi knew that suns give birth to themselves and also recorded the fact.

Now let us see the other side. If an Ayurvedaachaarya, well versed in Sushrut Samhita and Nadi parikshaa, tries to set a complex fracture without referring to an X-ray, the result may not be always positive.

Samudra Manthan

Some cosmologist could read science in the above.

1) First of all he would notice 'kshiira samudra', white ocean. He would perhaps think. Is this a galaxy they are talking about, instead of a sea?

2) 'Shesha Naag'. Are these the spiral arms of the galaxy?

3) Then he would turn to the the result of the churning. Perhaps he recognizes the moon as a celestial body. Let us assume he knows Lakshmii means earth (See note). Then he would look at Samudra Manthan as an celestial event rather than an earthly event. He may perhaps proceed to link Amrit with liquid water and Halaahala with the central black hole.

Note: Once I was visited by a Sanskrit Pandit who told me that the goddess Lakshmii has actually a physical form and that it was none other than prithvii - our Earth. I kept quiet because I did not want to argue with him but in my mind I was thinking 'what rot is this person talking?'. The surprise comes next. At that very moment I was encoding a stotra called 'Bilvaastaka' while talking to him and the very next line was 'laksmyaah stanatu utpanna ....' meaning : the bilva tree springs from the breasts of lakshmii. Tears sprang in my eyes as I told him about this and we started to discuss about the co-incidence. You have a doubt in your mind and at the very moment the UNIVERSE answers you. This long line of co-incidences perhaps has made me look at everything with an open mind.

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  • Unfortunate to see Hinduism.SE so anti-science. "Kali yuga" is here ;)
    – tejasvi88
    Feb 17, 2022 at 8:52

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