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Fields Medal Winner Manjul Bhargava On the Pythagorean Theorem Controversy
prajendran writes There were a lot of controversies generated at the Indian Science Congress earlier this month, including claims of ancient aircraft in India, the use of plastic surgery there, and ways to divine underground water sources using herbal paste on the feet. One argument that could be tested using some form of evidence was the assertion by Science Minister Harsh Vardhan that the Pythagorean theorem was discovered in India. Manjul Bhargava, a Princeton University professor of mathematics and a Fields Medal winner describes why the question is not defined well.
India was always an advanced country. The invasion of Islamic hordes and the resulting internal civil wars let the Europeans Johny come late lies take over for 200 years and le to 200 years of stagnation. In the history of a 4000 year civilization 200 years is nothing. Indians think of Judaism as that new fangled sect which just came up recently with nothing to say of Judaism's sub sects Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is contemporary with the ancient Greek and Iranian religions.
Europe and the west is now having its civil wars with Islam and gone into navel gazing mode like the 16 and 17 century Indians and Indians have got their focus back. Soon India and China will be back in their rightful place - leading the world. Only about 50 years more left of the short 300 period aberration in Human history where the west has mattered more than India and China.