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December 29, 2015

Book Announcement: Science in Saffron - Skeptical Essays on History of Science (Meera Nanda)

SCIENCE IN SAFFRON
Skeptical Essays on History of Science
by Meera Nanda

First Edition
2016

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There is much talk of the glories of ancient Hindu sciences in India today. Landmark discoveries in every field of science, from mathematics to medicine, are being credited to ancient scientists-sages of India. This book places such priority claims in a comparative global history of science. While fully acknowledging the substantial contributions of Indian geometers, mathematicians, physicians, artisans and craftsmen, it challenges their glorification for nationalistic purposes. It also questions the neo-Hindu scientization of yoga and Vedanta pioneered by Swami Vivekananda. Backed by the best available scholarship on history of science, this book offers a reading of history of Indian science without the hype that has come to surround it.

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Meera Nanda is a visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Mohali, where she teaches history of science. Trained in science as well as the humanities, she is author of several books including 'Breaking the Spell of Dharma'; 'The Wrongs of the Religious Right'; 'Prophets Facing Backward' and 'The God Market'.

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Contents:
Introduction
1. Who Discovered the Pythagorean Theorem?
2. Nothing That Is: Zero’s Fleeting Footsteps
3. Genetics, Plastic Surgery and Other Wonders of Ancient Indian Medicine
4. Yoga Scientized: How Swami Vivekananda rewrote Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtra
References and Index

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pp viii+196, 8 pages of color plates; demy octavo 8.5 x 5.5 in.,
includes bibliography and index
ISBN 978-93-83968-08-4 Paperback Rs475

Available at major bookstores and with IPD Alternatives 35A/1 Shahpur Jatt, New Delhi 110049 Tel. 011-26491448/26492040 e-mail ipd.alternatives@gmail.com

You could also buy online from here http://www.threeessays.com/books/science-in-saffron/
or straightaway from Scholars without Borders.