Is Science An Awful Master Or Simply A Bondsman ?
The late Samuel Beckett was well known for his series of short stories titled "Waiting for Godot", which symbolizes the relationship between mankind and what it believes is real; we are waiting for something, but we do not know what exactly. This essay explores the relationship between people and science, from the human viewpoint.
Here is a description from Beckett's essay: He laughed.
But then he went on: 'As I have got older, I have come to detest surprises. People are always telling me what they have got for Christmas, what they have found in the forest, even what they have eaten for their tea.' His words, now still sounding mild and rather grumpy, were echoed by the voice of his wife, softly tittering in the background. 'You are a lot of good-humored idiots, Beckett said. 'I don't know what you've got for Christmas, but I know exactly what I haven't got.
- The Happiness Trap, Samuel Beckett
As a scientist, I do not only have to deal with facts, statistics and material evidence, although these do serve as a base for my arguments in this essay. However, I must emphasize the fact that these facts can neither heal a man nor make him happy.
It is not possible to eat the cake and have it too. (But it is not possible to eat it and not have it…)
He spoke of a lady who had brought him an allotment in return for a walk. She wanted to come with him. She explained that she did not work because he could do her domestic work for her in return for the walk.
He said: 'I am old, and I have nothing else. Let's stay home.' And he did.
I've often considered the possibility of creating a scientist who would be smart enough to determine what the truth is, and would thus set us free from the slavery imposed by so-called science. However, the idea is so wonderful that it has become, as they say, impossible. It seems that science is such a large part of our lives that anything else would seem like a perversion of its true purpose.
The humanities (and arts) are therefore the only means to arrive at objective knowledge. The best way to achieve this is by getting in touch with your inner self and exploring your own feelings, your own desires and aspirations. We can then see that everything is relative and that there are no absolutes. For instance, as far as we know, there is no force, that can completely dissolve the individual. But, for every force, there is an opposite force.
Is Science a Nasty Master ?
Science is the master that we have created for ourselves. We define science for ourselves. When in university, we define science as knowledge attained through the pursuit of knowledge and methods. And in schools we define science as something that cannot be done with the material on hand and with the equipment we have at hand.
So it is no wonder that people do not have the faintest idea how science works, what it is made of or how it is used. That is why I have come to call it a nasty master; it can be so monstrous and so tyrannical, and yet people continue to obey and to believe in science. How can we not obey this master?
Science has become such an important part of our lives, and yet so humble and subtle, that it is capable of making some of us happier and others sad and depressed. For instance, many scientists believe that we should create life in the form of green plants. They would like us to follow the example of other animals. For example, birds lay eggs in the nests provided for them and animals such as elephants bury their young deep in the soil. I think that this is a really good idea, but I also believe that they have no right to tell us how to live. In fact, they have no right to tell us anything, period. They are living creatures and cannot make their living decisions based on some kind of universal principles.
However, science does allow us to plan our lives and make decisions based on knowledge acquired. But when I say knowledge acquired, I mean knowledge acquired through the cultivation of our own feelings. For example, scientific facts can guide us in the right direction, but that does not mean that we are obliged to blindly follow what scientists have done. For instance, I am inclined to think that some types of lice are less dangerous than others. We can acquire knowledge in this way. As far as I know, there are no laws that govern my feelings, which is why I can live my life in any way that pleases me. It is easy for scientists to come up with scientific laws, and it is easy for us to follow them. And yet, if scientists tell us to become vegetarians, we have no reason to doubt them. And yet, if we were told to become herbivores, it would be difficult for us to follow that advice. We cannot eat meat without obtaining protein. But that does not mean that we should eat a poisonous plant. We are not plants; we have a different living system.
I don't think that science is so bad. It allows us to make our own decisions. But there are other things that it is not able to tell us. And that is the beautiful part.
Science is Good for the Soul
Scientific thinking has been accepted by everyone, even children and the elderly. Yet, this very acceptance should not lead us to believe that science is good for the soul. In fact, it is impossible to say that science is good for the soul without making a statement against nature. Nature is very good. Yet, it is a mystery and a mystery is extremely dangerous. It can lead us to self-deception and sin.
Scientists want to tell us how things are and what is good and what is bad.
You must be logged in to post a comment.