In this episode of Legends of the Philosophy of Science, Professor Arup K. Chatterjee sits down with Dr. Sudip Patra to revisit Rabindranath Tagore’s famous conversation with Albert Einstein. You’ll hear how those two giants—one the Nobel‑winning poet, the other the groundbreaking physicist—debated the nature of reality, truth, and consciousness. More than a historical anecdote, their dialogue opens up deep questions about what science really means.
Chatterjee and Patra show that for Tagore, science was never just about experiments or equations. It was inseparable from his spiritual and artistic vision. He challenged the narrow materialism of his time, arguing for a science grounded in human values and cultural wisdom. As they discuss, Tagore’s ideas still resonate today in India’s search for a scientific approach that honors ethics, community, and the inner life.
The conversation also explores how Tagore’s humanistic science might guide us now—whether in education, technology, or public policy. Instead of treating science as a purely objective pursuit, Tagore urged us to see it as part of our larger civilizational ethos, enriched by philosophy, art, and spirituality. Chatterjee and Patra invite viewers to consider how blending these traditions can lead to a more balanced, creative, and ethical practice of science.
Arup K. Chatterjee 