On the Tao OF Physics#1

What follows is a series of e-mail conversations between myself and Mr.R.Sankara Narayanan (copyright protected etc. etc.) sparked off by the book "The Tao of Physics" by Fritzof Kapra. They include the tossing back and forth of our own meager ideas about what constitutes the difference between skill and knowledge and the playoff(???) between mysticism and the world-view modern physics is beginning to uncover. That, of course, is also the principal theme of the book.

This post contains the text of my first mail in this regard and the subsequent posts contain the replies and counter-replies.

Hi,

I was busy with a training program for the past 2 days so not much time for the TAO.But the internal conflict has started from Chapter-2 itself.It'll be great if you can answer these questions for me,considering that you have already read the book:

1. What is the difference between religion and philosophy?
2. What is mysticism, as distinct from religioug and philosophical movements?
3. Do you agree that mathematical symbols are not talking about reality just because we can not perceive the reality they describe as such?
4. What is instinct?
5. If instinct is something fundamental to all humans, then why can a layman not find the answers to quantum physics problems instinctively?If this insight/intuition is enabled in a scientist due to the years he has spent in research and study, can this form of epiphany/brainwave/sudden insight be called intuituion at all?

I am going to have a good time reading this one I'm sure.

More question when I have read more chapters.

Take care,
Kislay Verma

A footnote to this series of posts-if you are interested in science and/or philosophy, don't miss this book.