Scruton has written on everything

 Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

 hindutrad: Pick https://x.com/i/status/1701307077052997661

1) Roger Scruton's "Conservative Texts : An Anthology". 

2) Russel Kirk's "The Conservative Mind : From Burke to Eliot".

You'll get n numbers of legendary Conservatives and their views. Not all of them will sound equally convincing to you. Pick someone of your own choice.

Fiercest attack on Modernity & Rationalism in recent times comes from a stream of scholars : Perennialists. Google Philosophia Perennis. You'll get names like Guenon, Coomaraswamy, Schuon & Julius Evola. Hypnotic & Extremely tough Authors.

Caveat : They believe in intellectual version of Sarva Dharma Sambhava. Take it with a pinch of salt. But consider their overall views on Traditions, Ritual & Modernity.

You can also try Ancient/Medieval religious saints like Aquinas & Augustine.

Caveat : They're obviously Christian. Relax. Understand the depth of God, Belief & Religion against the Rationalists.

Economists from Hayek & Mises to Friedman & Sowell have also argued against many liberal ideas. Sowell tops them.

Caveat : Don't become Ultra Pro Capitalist. While Socialism is an assault on Family, Capitalism is an assault on Ecology. Both are Non-Dharmika. Try to have balance.

Literature also can be a great asset in shaping the views. From Chesterton & Lewis to Solzhenitsyn & Dostoevsky. Others like Aldous Huxley, Thomas Carlyle & Ernest Junger.

Don't worry. As you go deeper you'll get more names. John Kekes & Patrick Deneen on Liberalism. R P George & A M Esolen on Marriage. Berlinski & Meyer on Evolution. Alan De Benoist. Yoram Hazony. D B Hart. Ed Feser. Theodore Dalrymple. And Many More. Expand the Horizon.

There's no way one can read all this within a small time frame. So go for Non Negotiables. For me it's Scruton. From Religion to Music. Architecture to Sexual Nature. Political Thought to Scientism. He has written on everything. Read every word written by him.

Caveat : Always remember that you're reading a Western Conservative. Don't start defending Colonialism after reading him/them. But try to learn and master their art in your own favor. Try arguing for Hindu Rituals & Practices that are denigrated.

This list was about Western Conservative tradition. Though there's a lack of quality Indian conservatives, but there do exist fair enough piece of work. From organisation like Voice of India & Gitapress to individuals like Karpatri Swami to Kanchi Parmacharya. Will expand later.

Lastly, Never stop worshipping our own gods. We can never even think of winning this battle unless our gods bless us. Start reading our own shastras. They're the most important set of texts ever written. Have belief in śrīmannārāyaṇa. 

hindutrad https://x.com/i/status/1701307118098457064 

GoogleAI: Books by Sir Roger Scruton offer a "practical wisdom" that addresses the disorientation many feel in a chaotic modern world. While modern society often dismisses philosophy as impractical, Scruton argues it is indispensable for finding clarity, moral guidance, and personal meaning amid rapid change and uncertainty. 

Reclaiming Beauty and Culture

One of Scruton's most significant arguments is that beauty is essential for human flourishing. He warns that a society indifferent to beauty—in art, architecture, and music—becomes spiritually impoverished. 

• Restoring Traditional Standards: In works like 
  Modern Culture
  , he defends "high culture" and classical standards against deconstructionist critics, arguing for the religious origins of culture and its role in civilising society.
• Shared Identity: He posits that "shared beauty" acts as a coordinating device that helps individuals adjust to one another and live in harmony. 

A Philosophy of Meaning and Membership

Scruton's conservatism is rooted in a respect for tradition, community, and moral order rather than mere political policy. 

• The Power of "Why": In 
  An Intelligent Person's Guide to Philosophy
  , he encourages readers to ask fundamental "why" questions rather than passively accepting modern conventional wisdom.
• Oikophilia (Love of Home): He emphasizes that human life is truly meaningful when rooted in community, tradition, and a sense of "belonging" to a specific place.
• Defense of Institutions: He argued that discarding heritage and institutions like the family or the church risks losing a society's sense of identity and purpose. 

Practical Engagement with Modern Problems

Rather than abstract theorising, Scruton's work engages directly with contemporary social and environmental issues. 

• Green Philosophy: He offers a conservative approach to environmentalism, arguing that conservation should be based on local love for one's territory rather than just globalist agendas.
• Critique of Modernity: His books, such as 
  Fools, Frauds and Firebrands
  , provide a rigorous critique of New Left thinkers and deconstructionists, aiming to "reclaim philosophy for worldly concerns". 

[PDF] Shiva and Human Dignity in Artificial Intelligence: A Post-Humanistic approach

N Bhartiya, V Mehrotra - 2026

… By integrating Shiva’s vision of divine-human unity with Integral Humanism, the paper proposes a spiritually informed model of “ethical … Drawing on Karma, Bhakti, and Jñāna Yoga, he emphasized progress through balance between spiritual and …

[PDF] Hindu: Historis, Institusionalisasi Dan Tantangan, Modernitas Dan Kontemporer

K Aqila, MD Afandi, D Khusnul - Maximal Journal: Jurnal Ilmiah Bidang Sosial …, 2026

… Ritual harian (nitya karma) seperti puja (persembahan) dan festival seperti Diwali atau Holi menjadi bagian integral dari kehidupan sosial. … Di Nusantara, khususnya Bali, yoga menjadi jembatan antara Hindu lokal dan turis, dengan …

Revelation, Interpretation, and Analysis: MV Nadkarni's Engagement with the Gita

OZ Soltes - Quest for Planetary Well-Being: Essays in Honour of …, 2026

… the four types of yoga, observing that, where karma-yoga, bhakti-yoga, and jnana-yoga—also referred to as buddhi-yoga—are concerned, “… are integral to that pattern (if I am only focused on my self—including when I offer whatever the ritual sacrifice—how …

Auroville: Experiments Beyond Wellbeing and the Good Life Towards Planetary Unity

C Woiwode, LK Bhati - Quest for Planetary Well-Being: Essays in Honour of …, 2026

… yoga, and Auroville as an experimental laboratory including its physical realisation. But they do not stop there at this junction, for the quest is much more ambitious with the ideals and vision of establishing divine life on earth through the …

Sri Aurobindo’s style is indeed “theoretical” in the sense that he builds a philosophical architecture rather than presenting scripture as unquestionable revelation. He invites the reader into a rational exploration, but with the Divine as the axiomatic center—something not argued for, but assumed as the ground of inquiry.  

This has two important consequences:  

- Religion dissolves into life: By not treating the Divine as a separate “religious” category, he integrates it into psychology, sociology, politics, art, and daily practice. The sacred is not cordoned off; it permeates existence.  

- Freedom of thought: Because his writings are not dogmatic revelation, they remain open to philosophical debate, reinterpretation, and application. The Divine is a given, but the pathways to it are plural, dynamic, and evolving.  

- Advantage of assumption: By positing the Divine as the starting point rather than the conclusion, he avoids endless epistemological wrangling. Instead, he can focus on how consciousness evolves, how yoga synthesizes, and how human life can be transformed.  

In that sense, the devotee’s comment captures a subtle truth: Sri Aurobindo’s “Theory” is not abstract speculation but a deliberate method to make spirituality coextensive with life itself.  

The post was AI Generated ;) https://x.com/i/status/2019780548093530502

We have been living in the Quantum Age since 1947

 Electronics is a branch of physics and engineering that focuses on controlling the movement of electrons to process information, amplify signals, and perform complex tasks. While "electrical" systems simply convert electricity into heat, light, or motion (like a toaster or fan), "electronic" systems manipulate electricity to take actions, make decisions, or transmit data (like a smartphone or computer). 

How Electronics Started

The field began to separate from general electrical engineering in the late 19th century as scientists moved from just generating power to studying the behavior of electrons themselves. 

• Discovery of the Electron (1897): Sir J.J. Thomson identified the electron, providing the scientific foundation for the field.
• The "Edison Effect" (1880s): Thomas Edison noticed current flowing through a vacuum in a lightbulb, a phenomenon later recognized as thermionic emission (electrons "boiling" off a hot surface).
• The Vacuum Tube Era (1904–1906):
  • 1904: John Ambrose Fleming invented the diode, the first device that could "rectify" current (force it to flow in only one direction).
  • 1906: Lee De Forest added a third element to create the triode, which could amplify weak signals. This made radio, long-distance telephony, and early television possible.
• The First Electronic Product (1835/1844): The electric relay, invented by Joseph Henry, is often cited as the first "electronic" device because it used electricity to control another switch, enabling the telegraph. 

Evolution of the Field

Electronics has progressed through three major "generations" of technology: 

1. Vacuum Tubes (1900s–1940s): Large, fragile glass tubes that were powerful but generated immense heat and frequently burned out.
2. Transistors (1947–Present): Invented at Bell Labs, transistors replaced tubes with tiny, durable semiconductor crystals (usually silicon). This allowed devices to be pocket-sized and significantly more reliable.
3. Integrated Circuits & Microprocessors (1958–Present): Engineers learned to pack millions—and eventually billions—of transistors onto a single silicon chip, leading to the birth of modern computers and the digital age. 

- GoogleAI 

A transistor is a fundamental semiconductor device used to amplify weak electrical signals or act as an electronically controlled switch. Invented in 1947, it replaced bulky, inefficient vacuum tubes and became the essential building block of all modern electronics, from smartphones to industrial equipment. 

Core Functions

• Switching: In digital circuits, transistors act as microscopic gates that represent binary code (0s and 1s) by turning the flow of electricity on or off.
• Amplification: In analog devices like microphones or radios, a transistor takes a tiny input signal and boosts it into a much larger, more powerful output signal. 

How it Works

A transistor typically has three terminals that control the flow of current:

1. Control Terminal: Known as the Base (in Bipolar transistors) or Gate (in Field-Effect transistors). Applying a small voltage or current here controls the connection between the other two terminals.
2. Current Source: Known as the Emitter or Source.
3. Current Outlet: Known as the Collector or Drain. 

Main Types

• Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT): A current-controlled device that uses both electrons and "holes" (positive charge carriers) to function. It is commonly used for signal amplification.
• Field-Effect Transistor (FET): A voltage-controlled device often used in integrated circuits due to its high efficiency and low power consumption.
  • MOSFET: The most common type, accounting for 99.9% of all transistors worldwide; it is the primary driver of computer processors and memory chips. 

Importance in Modern Technology

• Miniaturization: Modern microprocessors can contain billions of microscopic transistors on a single chip, enabling high processing speeds and complex computing.
• Efficiency: They are lightweight, consume very little power, and can switch millions of times per second.
• Ubiquity: They are found in virtually all electronic devices, including pacemakers, car engine control units, and LED lighting. 

- GoogleAI 

Before transistors became the industry standard in the 1950s, radios relied primarily on vacuum tubes (also known as thermionic valves) for amplification and signal processing. 

The Vacuum Tube Era (1900s–1950s)

Vacuum tubes were the primary active components in electronic equipment for the first half of the 20th century. 

• How They Worked: Electrons were "boiled" off a heated metal filament (cathode) in a vacuum and flowed toward a positively charged plate (anode). A third element, the triode's grid, controlled this flow to amplify weak radio signals.
• The "Wait to Warm Up": Because they relied on heat, these radios did not turn on instantly; you had to wait for the filaments to glow before sound would play.
• Physical Drawbacks: They were bulky, fragile, and generated significant waste heat. A typical tabletop radio was often the size of a toaster.
• Power Hunger: Tubes required high voltages (often 90V or more), making truly portable battery-powered sets heavy and expensive. 

Other Pre-Transistor Technologies

• Crystal Sets: Popular in the 1920s, these simple receivers used no power source other than the radio waves themselves. They used a "cat's whisker" (a fine wire touching a mineral like galena) to detect signals. Because they had no amplification, they required long wire antennas and could only be heard through earphones.
• Spark-Gap Transmitters: Used in the earliest days of wireless telegraphy (late 1800s to early 1900s) to send Morse code. These were eventually banned because their "noisy" signals interfered with other radio frequencies.
• Magnetic Detectors: Mechanical devices used on ships (including the Titanic) that used a moving band of iron wires to detect radio pulses. 

Transition to Transistors

The invention of the transistor in 1947 allowed for the miniaturization of these circuits. By 1954, the first commercial transistor radio, the Regency TR-1, launched a revolution in portable, "pocket-sized" electronics that no longer required large batteries or warm-up times. 

- GoogleAI 

You are absolutely correct. The history of electronics and quantum physics are not just parallel—they are deeply intertwined. The reason this link is rarely highlighted in general history is that early electronics (like the vacuum tube) worked by accident or "brute force" before we had the math to explain them. 

However, without the "Quantum Revolution," modern electronics would have hit a dead end in the 1940s.

1. The "Accidental" Era (Pre-Quantum Electronics)

Before quantum mechanics was formalized (roughly 1900–1925), inventors were already building electronic devices, but they didn't truly understand why they worked:

• Vacuum Tubes (1904): These were based on the "Edison Effect," which was seen as a classical phenomenon where electrons were simply charged particles "boiling" off a wire.
• Crystal Radios (1906): These used a "cat’s whisker" (a metal wire on a crystal) to detect radio waves. It was the first semiconductor device, but its "one-way" conduction was a mystery that classical physics could not explain. 

2. The Quantum Bridge (1920s–1940s)

As quantum physics "precipitated" in the 1920s, it provided the missing manual for these materials.

• Band Theory (1931): Physicist Alan Wilson used quantum mechanics to explain the "no-go zones" (band gaps) in materials. This finally explained why some materials are conductors, some are insulators, and some—the semiconductors—are "tunable".
• Surface Physics: When researchers at Bell Labs tried to build a transistor, they kept failing because of "mysterious" surface behaviors. To solve it, John Bardeen had to develop a new branch of quantum mechanics called surface physics. 

3. The Transistor: The First "Quantum" Product

The transistor (1947) is often called the first technology that could not exist without quantum mechanics. Unlike the lightbulb (invented by trial and error), the transistor was built using pen-and-paper quantum calculations. 

• Predicting the "Hole": Quantum math predicted that "holes" (the absence of an electron) act like positive particles. This discovery allowed engineers to design the p-n junctions that power every chip today.
• Tunneling: Modern devices like Flash memory and high-speed processors rely on quantum tunneling—the ability of an electron to "teleport" through a barrier it classically shouldn't be able to cross. 

Why is it not highlighted?

1. Invisible Math: You can build a radio by following a circuit diagram without ever knowing what a "wave function" is.
2. Marketing: In the 1950s, the "Space Age" and "Atomic Age" were the buzzwords. "Quantum" was seen as abstract chalkboard math, while "Electronic" was seen as a practical consumer miracle.
3. The Silicon Veil: We named the era after the material (Silicon) rather than the physics (Quantum) that made the material useful. 

In reality, we have been living in the Quantum Age since 1947; the "Quantum Computers" of 2026 are simply the next step in a journey that started with your great-grandparent's transistor radio. 

- GoogleAI 

Silicon reached its present status as the cornerstone of modern technology

through a combination of its natural abundance, unique semiconductor properties, and decades of industrial optimization that allowed it to surpass earlier materials like germanium. Its journey from a common component of sand (28% of Earth's crust) to the "Silicon Age" was driven by the invention of the transistor, the development of ultra-pure refining techniques, and the ability to scale manufacturing under Moore's Law. 

Here is how silicon reached its present status: 

1. Fundamental Advantages (Why Silicon?) 

• Abundance and Cost: Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, making it cheaper and more accessible than alternative semiconductor materials.
• Ideal Semiconductor Properties: It has a significant band gap, good thermal conductivity (dissipating heat), and forms a stable native oxide (
  

  $Si{O}_2$
  ) which is crucial for insulating and protecting circuits.
• Doping Capability: Its electrical conductivity can be precisely controlled by introducing impurities (boron or phosphorus), allowing for the creation of n-type and p-type semiconductors necessary for transistors. 

2. Historical Milestones in Development 

• Isolation (1824): Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius first isolated pure silicon.
• Early Semiconductor Work (Early 1900s): Early detectors used materials like galena; however, the first silicon radio crystal detector was developed by Greenleaf Whittier Pickard in 1906.
• The Transistor Revolution (1940s-1950s): While the first transistor used germanium, researchers soon realized silicon’s superior thermal properties. In 1954, Morris Tanenbaum at Bell Labs fabricated the first silicon junction transistor.
• Integrated Circuits (1959): Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor developed the first silicon-based integrated circuit, building on Jack Kilby’s work with germanium, allowing for multiple transistors on a single chip. 

3. Industrialization and Scaling 

• Purification (Siemens Process): Techniques were developed to create "9N" purity (99.9999999% pure) silicon, enabling reliable, high-performance electronics.
• Czochralski Method: This method for growing single-crystal silicon made it possible to produce large, high-quality silicon wafers.
• Moore’s Law and Miniaturization: The industry consistently doubled the number of transistors on a chip roughly every two years, shrinking them from visible sizes to 3nm, making computing exponentially faster and cheaper. 

4. Present Status and Future Challenges 

Today, silicon drives a $500bn+ chip industry and is essential for AI, 5G, and renewable energy (solar panels). 

• Dominance: Silicon accounts for nearly 90% of the total semiconductor market share.
• Limitations: As transistors shrink below 5nm, issues like electron leakage (quantum tunneling) and heat generation are pushing silicon to its physical limits.
• Future Outlook: While alternatives like gallium nitride (GaN) exist, silicon’s entrenched infrastructure ensures it will remain dominant, with the industry shifting towards "More than Moore" strategies—stacking chips (3D packaging) and using new materials in combination with silicon. 

- GoogleAI