Science

Science (from Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge") is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. In an older and closely related meaning, "science" also refers to a body of knowledge itself, of the type that can be rationally explained and reliably applied.

Modern Science

Modern science is often restricted to those branches of study that seek to explain the phenomena of the material universe. From the 19th century, the word "science" became increasingly associated with the scientific method itself, as a disciplined way to study the natural world.

The scientific method seeks to explain the events of nature in a reproducible way. A hypothesis is put forward, which is generally expected to fit with other accepted facts related to the phenomena. This proposed explanation is used to make predictions that are testable by experiment or observation.

Given the fact that observation and experimentation depend on the use of the senses and current technology, the reach of science is inherently limited to both. The view that the methods of the natural sciences can be applied to all areas of investigation, be it philosophical, social scientific, or otherwise, has been associated with 'scientism'.

Occult Science

Occult Science is a phrase used by H. P. Blavatsky to denominate the knowledge of the hidden forces of nature and their manipulation. According to her, the occult sciences "are real, actual, and very dangerous sciences. They teach the secret potency of things in Nature, developing and cultivating the hidden powers 'latent in man', thus giving him tremendous advantages over more ignorant mortals." Those who engage in the study and practice of this science must commit to it and its laws:

One cannot study and profit by Occult Science, unless one gives himself up to it–heart, soul, and body. Some of its truths are too awful, too dangerous, for the average mind. None can toy and play with such terrible weapons with impunity.

Because of the danger of this knowledge in the hands of the selfish or the ignorant, these sciences are kept in secret:

These sciences are, and have been for ages, hidden from the vulgar for the very good reason that they would never be appreciated by the selfish educated classes, nor understood by the uneducated; whilst the former might misuse them for their own profit, and thus turn the divine science into black magic. It is often brought forward as an accusation against the Esoteric philosophy and the Kabbalah that their literature is full of “a barbarous and meaningless jargon” unintelligible to the ordinary mind . . . The facts of Occult Science are of so abstruse a nature, that in most cases no words exist in European languages to express them; in addition to which our “jargon” is a double necessity—(a) for the purpose of describing clearly these facts to him who is versed in the Occult terminology; and (b) to conceal them from the profane.

Although the adept knowledgeable in the occult sciences can perform phenomena which would seem miraculous to the uninitiated, every effect produced is based on laws of nature, whether known or unknown to modern science:

To say that occult sciences claim to command nature arbitrarily, is equivalent to saying that the sun commands the day-star to shine. Occult sciences are nature itself; intimate knowledge of their secrets does not give to the Initiates the power to command them. The truth of it is that this knowledge teaches the Adepts the manner in which to furnish certain conditions for the production of phenomena, always due to natural causes, and to the combination of forces analogous to those used by the scientists. The real difference between modern science and occult science consists in this: The first opposes to a natural force another natural force more powerful on the physical plane; the second opposes to a physical force, a spiritual or psychic force, in other words, the soul of that same force.

Mr. Sinnett requested Master K.H. to share with him his scientific knowledge. However, the Master said that this was tried in the past, and was never successful. He wrote:

Every "planet and mineral" that exists in space or inside the earth, are known and recorded in our books thousands of years ago; more; many a true hypothesis was timidly brought forward by their own scientific men and as constantly rejected by the majority with whose preconceptions it interfered. Your intention is laudable but nothing that I may give you in answer will ever be accepted from us. Whenever discovered that "it is verily so," the discovery will be attributed to him who corroborated the evidence — as in the case of Copernicus and Galileo, the latter having availed himself but of the Pythagorean MSS.

Additional resources

Articles and pamphlets from early Theosophists

• Occult or Exact Science? by H. P. Blavatsky.
• The Wrong Turn of Science by H. P. Blavatsky.
• Ancient Magic in Modern Science by H. P. Blavatsky.
• The Negators of Science by H. P. Blavatsky.
• Black Magic in Science by H. P. Blavatsky.
• The Imperfections of Science by H. P. Blavatsky.
• The Substantial Nature of Magnetism by H. P. Blavatsky.
• Ancient and Modern Science by Annie Besant.
• Materialism Undermined by Science by Annie Besant.
• Modern Science and the Higher Self by Annie Besant.
• Nature's Finer Forces by Annie Besant.
• The Secret Doctrine and Modern Science by Bertram A. Tomes. 1922.
• Theosophy and Modern Science by H.T. Edge. Theosophical Siftings 6. Reprinted in The Theosophical Forum – May 1941.
• The Scientific Explanation of the Influence of Celestial Bodies on Earth-Life and Human Affairs by H. Groot
• The Adepts and Modern Science by William Q. Judge
• The Synthesis of Occult Science by W. Q. Judge
• The Occult Sciences by Henry S. Olcott
• Studies in Occult Chemistry and Physics by George E. Sutcliffe. Articles in The Theosophist, 1922-1928.

Articles and pamphlets in modern science

• Science – Modern and Occult - Part 1 and Part 2
• Science and Theosophy at Theosophy World.
• Articles on Theosophy and Science at Blavatsky.Net.
• Science and Theosophy collection of articles by David Pratt.
• An Ethics Nightmare by Philip Harris. Quest 93 no.5 (September-October, 2005):188-189.
• Theosophy and Science by Rudi Jansma. From Sunrise magazine, February/March 2005.
• Music of the Spheres: Our Relationship with the Anonymous Dead by Michael English. Quest 94 no.4 (July-August, 2006):145-149.
• Theosophy, Biosophy and Bioethics by Michael W. Fox. Quest 91 no.4 (July-August, 2003):136-140.
• Quantum Yoga: A View Through the Visionary Window by Amit Goswami. Quest 89 no.2 (March-April, 2001): 52-55.
• Science and the Occult: Where the Twain Meet by David Grandy. Quest 94 no.1 (January-February, 2006): 13-17.
• The Birth of a Universe by Michael English.
• Blavatsky' Foreknowledge of The Wave/Particle Duality of Light by Reed Carson.
• A Brief Overview of Sacred Time and Space by Fred Alan Wolf.
• Timeless Epiphany by Theodore St. John.
• Science and Theosophy: The Challenge of Unification Part 1 and Part 2 by Michael Levin.
• Theosophy and the New Science by Blair A. Moffett. Appendix to Purucker's Man in Evolution, 1977, 2015.

Books

• Occult Chemistry - 3rd Ed. by C. W. Leadbeater & Annie Besant.

Audio

• Science and Mysticism: The Search for Unity (2 Parts) by Renee Weber and Ravi Ravindra

Video

• How Quantum Activism Can Save Civilization by Amit Goswami
• Sacred Science: Ancient Wisdom or Modern Fad? by Ralph Hannon
• Spiritual Lessons of Chaos by Patricia Monaghan
• The Spiritual Dimension Time Travel by Fred Alan Wolf
• What Does It Mean to Be Human?, an interview of David Lorimer by Ravi Ravindra at the 146th International Convention of the Theosophical Society in Adyar. December 27, 2021.

Periodicals

• Theo-Science Newsletter Newsletter of the Theosophy-Science Group in Australia

Bibliograpies

• Bibliography on Science and the Wisdom Tradition from the Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library.