As a regular reader of The Science Reporter during my school days, the popular science articles published in the monthly magazine always fascinated me. But, in the years that followed, I could hardly get myself to read any of that stuff. However, the long wait to immerse myself in a book that urged one to explore and understand the ‘Truth’ finally culminated at last year’s Kolkata Book Fair.
Mantra, Magic & Miracle: A Scientific Exploration: The name was captivating enough and I picked it up almost immediately. The authors, Badiuddin Khan and Hasan Jawaid Khan are well-known science writers and communicators. And this book goes a long way in debunking a great deal of the quackery that lies behind the many so-called miracles resorted to by godmen – the yogis, maulvis, fakirs, gurus & swamis) in our country. Each of the nine chapters incorporates a section illustrating some well-known miracles and magic, and attempts to explain them scientifically. Some of them being making an amulet shed holy ash, twisting a spoon by psychic power, lighting a havan by simply reciting mantras, levitating in the air etc. etc.
The book is a humble and well-intentioned attempt to free us of the many baseless and irrational beliefs that have conditioned our minds since ages. The book first explains the genesis of the old religion versus science dichotomy in our society and then examines the mutual compatibility of science and religion towards realising their common goal of seeking the truth. It is the difference of their respective search methodologies that the authors bring out very well throughout all the chapters. The failure of the religious approach in achieving divine values of stability, selflessness and non-violence is well depicted through various pictorial and tabular illustrations throughout the text.
The authors argue that the religious approach is akin to ‘producing something out of nothing’ which is just not possible. The various chapters of this book discuss vital issues like gullibility and blind faith, irrational beliefs – their origins & their social impacts, heaven & hell, angels & devils and the entire web of illusion surrounding them.
Far from being an exercise in ‘religion-bashing’, the book is a great documentary on the need to build scientific temper. The entire text succinctly explains that miracle and magic always happen in the minds of the people – never outside. The 150 pages present science and human behavior in very easy to understand terms.
For all those interested in science, philosophy or theology, or anyone looking to understand the truth about natural phenomena, this book would intrigue you. It would shake your superstition. Even those who think that they hate science – this book is well worth reading. It would rid you of your insecurities, your ignorance of the laws of nature. It would stimulate you to free your mind from the muddle of magic and from the fears not based on fact. And most importantly, it would endow you with the capacity to reason.