cientific temper is a way of thinking and acting which uses a method, including observing physical reality, questioning, testing, hypothesizing, analysing and communicating. It involves the application of logic and the avoidance of bias and preconceived notions in arriving at decisions, and becomes particularly valuable while deciding what is best for the community or the nation.  Article 51A of the Constitution lists the fundamental duties of citizens, which include development of scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and reform. It means the Indians must have an open mind to learn new things.

Body:

Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the first persons to use and advocate this term, in Discovery of India. According to him, “…it is necessary, not merely for the application of science but for life itself and the solution of its many problems”. Discussion, argument and analysis are its vital parts.

Need for inculcating scientific temper among the masses:

• Elements of fairness, equality and democracy are built-in in scientific temper.
• Twin features of internal pluralism and external receptivity have been woven into the development of Indian thought over the ages.
• This richness of the tradition of argument has shaped India’s social world and the nature of Indian culture. It has deeply influenced Indian politics and the development of democracy in India and emergence of its secular priorities.
• To weed out the ignorance. E.g.: Even literate and well-educated people believe in superstitions and follow those.
• To reduce the intolerance in the society. E.g.: Killing of rational thinkers like Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi etc.
• To curb the fake news, rumours and wrong influence of Social Media. Instead of thinking rationally and researching about something, people blindly follow what social media propagates.
• Improve the status of women. E.g: Issues like temple entry during menstruation, child marriages, triple talaq etc. which are not based on rational thinking.
• Scientists are hitting the street because they feel the climate of scientific enquiry in India is at threat of being compromised by political and religious interference by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and associated groups such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
• Scientists are now concerned that instead of ring-fencing the Indian scientific community, the government has allowed intrusions that threaten to distract from areas of research that need the urgent attention of researchers, including in fields directly related to Indian economic development.
• For instance, the elite Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, has been told by the ministry of science and technology to conduct “verifiable scientific research to establish the benefits”—reportedly, medicinal and other—derived from Panchagavya, a concoction of cow dung, cow urine, cow milk, curd and clarified butter (ghee) that is used in some traditional Hindu rituals.
• We are seeing an increasing intrusion of theology into science. The influence of a variety of godmen and miracle makers is increasing alarmingly.
• In an age when man has travelled to the moon and returned safely, astrological predictions based on the movements of planets or the lines of one’s palm or the number of alphabets in one’s name, are widely believed. Food fads, irrational health practices are on the increase.

Methods to inculcate Scientific temper:

• In such a situation of social and cultural malaise, a major role of Scientific Temper is to revive confidence and hope and to dispel fatalistic outlook.
• The campaign to promote Scientific Temper must inculcate values like equality and dignity of all human beings, distributive justice, dignity of labour, and social accountability of one’s actions.
• Although big science (space probes, cosmic ray physics, etc.,) has served India well, the nation must also look at areas that are less eyeball-grabbing, such as water resources, agriculture and the environment, he said, requesting anonymity because he is not allowed to talk to the press.
• science and scientists must have a position of pride in society which can influence many young students to move into scientific fields.
• A nationwide science policy which should be able to anticipate problem areas, devise course correction.
• Better funding of Science and Technology initiatives which would help in development of the society.
• All these are essential for bringing about social, economic and cultural transformation of our country.

Conclusion:

Scientific temper needs to be promoted across all sections of the society systematically, using tools like National Knowledge Network. Public and political understanding of science should be based on evidence and debate with open mind.