Revisiting Kosambi’s vision of science

A modified version of this article has appeared in The Navhind Times, Goa dated 31/07/2025

Revisiting Kosambi’s vision of science

Mohit Sukhtankar and Rahul Tripathi

Kosambi’s insights offer us a critical lens to examine the trajectory of AI and its potential to

liberate or oppress.

On 31 st July, 2025, we commemorate the 118 th birth anniversary of D.D. Kosambi whose insights

on the interplay of science, freedom and society remain strikingly relevant. In his 1952 essay on

‘Science and Freedom’, which was written against the backdrop of a world that was still coming

to terms with inhuman consequences of technology driven devastation, Kosambi articulated a

profound connection between science and societal structures. He argued that scientific progress

is not merely a pursuit of knowledge but a reflection of the societal necessities and constraints of

its time. Today we stand at the cusp of an AI driven revolution and Kosambi’s insights offer us a

critical lens to examine the trajectory of artificial intelligence and its potential to liberate or

oppress and the urgent need to align it with the broader good of humanity.

Kosambi defined freedom as the “recognition of necessity” and science as the “cognition of

necessity.” For him science was not an abstract endevour but a materialistic, testable process that

responds to societal needs. He illustrated this with examples like the invention of airplanes,

which required understanding aerodynamics and propulsion, and eyeglasses, which demanded

advances in optics and manufacturing. However, he emphasized that access to these scientific

solutions often hinges on economic power, revealing how social structures shape the fruits of

science. In the context of artificial intelligence, this perspective is illuminating. Artificial

intelligence, like the flying machines or corrective lenses in Kosambi’s examples, represents a

monumental leap in humanity’s ability to address complex problems, from healthcare diagnostics

to climate modeling. Yet, just as millions in 1949 India lacked access to glasses due to poverty,

millions today continue to be excluded from AI’s benefits due to economic, digital, or

educational divides.

In 1949, Kosambi observed that American scientists, despite their concerns about “scientific

freedom,” were increasingly beholden to big business, war departments, or universities funded

by them. He argued that science had lost its independence, becoming a tool for profit-driven

patents or militaristic agendas, with scientists facing pressures to avoid “dangerous” ideas, such

as those labeled communist during the McCarthy era. Today, AI development mirrors this

dynamic. Major AI systems, including large language models and generative tools, are

predominantly controlled by a handful of tech giants and governments. These companies

prioritize commercial applications like advertising algorithms, surveillance systems etc over

societal needs like equitable education. The modern AI scientists also operate within a tightly

integrated system where funding and priorities are determined by those who “pay the piper” as

Kosambi said. For instance, with companies like those behind ChatGPT, DeepMind or Grok

focus on models that generate revenue rather than open-source solutions that could democratize

access.

Kosambi’s call for science to serve all of humanity and not just the elite is a clarion call for

AI’s future. He wanted science which was liberated from servitude to profit and warfare. AI has

the potential to continue on the trajectory of automating tedious tasks, accelerating medical

research however, Kosambi would caution against its misuse. The development of AI for mass

surveillance, psychological manipulation and autonomous weapons echoes his warning about

scientists serving a class that “dumps food in the ocean while millions starve.” Experts at Internet

Governance Forum 2025 Open Forum highlighted urgent need to counter AI-driven

disinformation threats to democracy. These disinformation campaigns are likely to affect

disproportionately marginalized communities and vulnerable groups. Hence, there is a need for

an immediate course correction.

Looking at AI through Kosambi’s framework, it needs to be ensured that AI’’s benefits are not

just confined to the digital elite. In the case of India, the “Digital India” could prioritize AI

infrastructure that could serve rural and underserved communities, such as AI aiding in precision

farming and resource management etc. India, as a co chair of the recently held Global AI

summit, also needs to reassert its push to ‘establish governance and standards that uphold shared

values, address risks and build trust’. Besides, AI development must be guided by ethical

frameworks that reflects various societal needs and not just corporate and military interests.

Finally, scientists and engineers must embrace Kosambi’s challenge to question the social

structures they serve. AI researchers must critically examine the implications of their work,

advocating for applications that uplift rather than oppress.

As we celebrate Kosambi’s legacy, his vision urges us to rethink AI’s role in the society.

Science, he argued, is not the creation of isolated geniuses but a response to social necessities. AI

as the science of our times must transcend its elite origins to serve humanity’s collective needs.

This would mean the redirecting AI from creating digital divides and fueling geopolitical

rivalries towards solving pressing global problems.

Mohit Sukhtankar is Assistant Professor in Political Science, S.S Dhempe College, Miramar

Rahul Tripathi is Professor, Political Science, D.D. Kosambi School of Social Sciences and

Behavioural Studies, Goa University

Curtosy : Navhind times Goa