Ministry of Pseudoscience: How India's Ayush System Violates the Constitutional Duty of Scientific Temper

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 09:01:53 +0000

India is a country with a rich and diverse heritage of traditional medicine systems, such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homeopathy. These systems are collectively known as Ayush, an acronym derived from their names. The Ministry of Ayush, a ministry of the Government of India, is responsible for developing education, research and propagation of these systems in India. However, not everyone is convinced of the validity and efficacy of these systems. Many critics have accused the Ministry of Ayush of promoting pseudoscience, which is defined as "a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method" They argue that the Ayush systems lack empirical evidence, rigorous testing, and logical consistency, and that they are based on outdated and unscientific concepts, such as the five elements, the humors, the vital force, and the meridians. They also claim that the Ministry of Ayush is violating the constitutional duty of scientific temper, which is enshrined in Article 51A (h) of the Indian Constitution. This article states that "It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform" What is scientific temper and why is it important?