The Universe of Knowledge

It is impossible to fully understand the epistemological vision and theoretical framework that inspired S.R. Ranganathan’s attempt to find the underlying unity of knowledge without taking into account the crucial role of the Hindu tradition that preceded him and guided his research and work. The first part of the book deals with this aspect and discusses the conceptual tools that he used in his approach to knowledge organisation (e.g., facet analysis, “seminal mnemonics”, “absolute syntax”), all of which are inextricably intertwined with essential elements of the Hindu tradition, from the Vedic principle of eka-vākyatā (“syntactic unity”) to the cognitive processes involved in a state of samādhi (deep meditative absorption). The second part of the book first provides an overview of Ranganathan’s legacy, highlighting in what way his methodological approach still inspires many of today’s researchers working in the area of Digital Humanities. Then it focuses on a relatively new area of scholarly activity that lies at the interface between classical Indological research and the digital cultural ecosystem, with an emphasis on some new perspectives and practical directions that may prove productive in the field of Digital Indology.