Was Aśoka really a secularist <i>avant-la-lettre</i>? Ancient Indian pluralism and toleration in historical perspective

Scientific Pluralism, Consistency Preservation, and Inconsistency Toleration

Scientific (disunity) pluralism is the view according to which there is a plurality of scientific domains and of scientific theories, and these theories are empirically adequate relative to their own respective domains. Scientific monism is the view according to which there is a single domain to which all scientific theories apply. How are these views impacted by the presence of inconsistent sc...

Treatment of anaemia with special reference to iron in ancient Indian medicine Ayurveda: a historical perspective.

The two main texts of Ayurveda viz. Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. which were said to be written around 1500 B.C. mentioned the use of iron. Iron powder pocessed along with herbs like Amalaki (Emb/ica officina/is), a rich source of ascorbic acid, is indicated in Pandu (anaemia). Vagbhata, a 4th Cent. A.D. author of Ashtangahridaya considered iron as the best among drugs used for Pandu (a...

Acupuncture in ancient China: how important was it really?

Although acupuncture theory is a fundamental part of the Huangdi Neijing, the clinical application of the needle therapy in ancient China was always a limited one. From early times there have been warnings that acupuncture might do harm. In books like Zhang Zhongjing's Shanghanlun it plays only a marginal role. Among the 400 emperors in Chinese history, acupuncture was hardly ever applied. Afte...

Historical perspective on the usage of perfumes and scented Articles in ancient Indian literatures

In India perfumes and scented articles were in use from pre Vedic and Vedic periods for religious practices, social customs, and domestic rituals and later gradually became part and parcel of human life. Perfumes were also used in cosmetics and beauty aids. Medicinal values of many perfumes were well known to ancient Indians and were used in both rituals and to treat diseases. Medicated fumigat...

Ancient law and Indian Rights: an historical perspective from the Argentine Chaco.