Scientific instruments, Meiji scholars and the relevance of the Orient for modern science

The Orient has a critical significance for the world. Many scientific discoveries such as the compass, gunpowder and the seismograph were first made in China. This may well be because of their different philosophy of life in which opposites are co-existent as symbolised by the yin-yang doctrine. To help us to overcome the fearful problems of nuclear war and pollution threatening the world today it would be well to learn from these philosophies that always preserved the unity and interconnectedness of the sciences and humanities. The traditional outlook of East Asia is a pre-eminent example from which the modern scientific enterprise must urgently learn. This paper is written as a tribute to Joseph Needham whose monumental Science and Civilization in China has opened a world which others can now explore.