somA and materialism

[V.V. Raman]

I am not so sure that (Bob Peck's assessment) that: <Modern materialism denies
somA.> is entirely accurate.
What materialism/science maintains (rightly or wrongly) is that there is a
<physical: atomic/molecular/chemical> basis for somA, and it tries to explore
via the rigid, empirical, observationally verifiable scientific methodology the
physical roots of somA and of a hundred other intangible experiences associated
with the human experience.  Giving due respect to many ancient
insights/intuiton/revelations, this methodology is fairly recent in human
history (less than five hundred years), and it has led to many fruitful results
(including antibiotics, pain-relievers and the e-mail, let alone the discovery
of entities like planet Pluto and helium gas which are not directly perceptible
to the normal channels of perception. Others have every right to
reject/decry/ignore this methodology, or even call it a Western prejudiced
worldview, but it is important not to misunderstand or (unwittingly)
misrepresent what scientific materialism maintains.
V. V. Raman
October 28, 2000