Vedas and the skeptical pursuit of Truth

Now that I've established the premise of modern science... it's time to look at faith..specifically that of the Vedas.

The credibility of modern scientific beliefs comes in no small measure from their openness to critical scrutiny. Books of religious faith, in contrast, normally allow no such liberties. [When the Bible says "In the beginning, God created..", the followers of the Bible do not humor the question "What was there before 'the beginning'?"]

That's one reason for me to be glad that science, not faith was the underpinning of my schooling.

The Vedic books, are perhaps the only books of faith that allow an individual to challenge and critique their wisdom.

Vedic scholars such as Swami Dayananda (1824-1883)- who is arguably the greatest champion of the Vedas and died for it - promote that before accepting any postulation from any belief system, the postulation should be skeptically integgorated.

Swami Dayananda laid down 5 tests of truth in the 3rd chapter of Satyartha Prakash :

1. (Accordance with) The Vedas and nature of God:
All that stands in conformity to the teachings of the Vedas and the nature and attributes of God is true; the reverse is not.
2. (Accordance with) Laws of Nature: All that tallies with the laws of nature is true and the reverse untrue.
3. (Accordance with) The practice and teaching of the pious, truthful, unprejudiced, honest and learned men/women.
4. (Accordance with) The purity and conviction of one's ownself or soul.
5. Eight kinds of evidence ("Pramanas"): Direct Perception, Inference, Analogy, Testimony, History, Deduction, Possibility and Negation.

The Satyartha Prakash says that ALL of the above 5 categories of tests should be used in concluding a fact as truth, not just one.

This is an amazing statement coming from a theosophical standpoint.
Accordance with "the laws of nature" opens the door for accepting Physics and the eight kinds of evidence open the door to Logical/Deductive Reasoning which underpins modern science. It immediately closes the door on assertions like giants swallowing the Earth or Sun (like the fabled Hanuman) or Medusa giving birth to a giant when her head was severed.

Wow for a theology!!

Let's test drive a couple of assertions.
A). France is a nation on the face of the Earth.
B). God created the Universe.

I could try to go to France and see for myself if it exists ("Direct Perception") but that is something I have never done.
So, if my little child asked me to prove France exists, how do I explain my conviction?

Well test#1 ,#2 and #4 cannot help me about the truth of assertion A but #3 and #5 can.
But the reason I believe France exists is because Test #3, and Test#5 (specifically Inference, Testimony and Deduction) support it for me. To buttonhole it for clarity:
-I have met people who claim to be from France. (Inference, Testimony)
-I have heard a language that owes alegiance to France. (Deduction)
-I have reason to believe that media is not lying when telling me about France. (Test #3, Testimony)
-I have seen pictures of France. (Testimony)

So the 5 tests of truth principle works.

What about assertion B? I'll make it the subject of my next post.