Skepticism

EN102 Paper II 10/12/09 Scientific Skepticism Skepticism has led science to make nature serve mankind; however, skepticism has not been as successful replacing the old order of God/monarchy/Holy Roman Empire with values that serve the human. A recent article points out a scientist that resolved a scientific dispute that remained deadlock for years. The article also mentioned other scientists that explored and expanded the ideology of skepticism. Another article mentions a fiction character that demonstrated skepticism. According to Powers in his New York Times magazine article, “Eyes Wide Open,” Al Haytham resolved a scientific dispute that had remained deadlock for more than 800 years. Two inimical theories vied to explain the mystery of vision (1). Al Haytham transformed dogma to skepticism. As many scientist argued on the theory of light, none of them could prove that light came from the sun or from the eyes. They all concluded “I am right because I am right,” with no experiment or prove. Al Haytham sent out observers to stare at the sun for some times. They could not stare for a long time because it burned their eyes. From there Al Haytham concluded that light travelled outside the eyes and then reflected into it. Al Haytham made an experiment and the result of the experiment was the proof for the theory of light. Al Haytham proved that light travelled from the sun to the eyes and there was no argument about it because he had evidence. Powers said after Ibn’s prove, the shift from authority to observation seems small, self evident, almost inevitable. Over the course of 1,000 years, the conceptual shift would grow catastrophic, and its consequences would perform in every aspect of existence (1). After the concept of light was resolved by Ibn, the way people did things began to change gradually. The idea of God/king/church was abandoned. People no longer believed any explanation without consistent evidence. The great transmission from dogma to skepticism kept developing. Scientist could no longer coin any theory without performing an experiment to prove it. The effect of Ibn’s observation made a great change in the world. Powers mentioned that Al Haytham’s work on optics were at last translated into Latin late in the 12th century, enlightening the proto-empiricist Roger Bacon (c. 1220-1292) (2). Bacon explored and expanded science with Ibn’s ideology. Bacon’s work and inventions all came through experiment. With the existence of Bacon, dogmatic ideas were out of existence. People started facing the truth as it came with proves. Bacon nourished the idea of skepticism. He produced the first recipe for gun powder, and we have seen that gun powder has evolved and presently into a nuclear bomb. There is no clue of what nuclear bomb will evolve into, but it will be dangerous to man. Power also mentioned that Francis bacon (91561-1626) wrote the user’s manual for the new scientific instrument of thought (2). Francis bacon left science and began studying history. With his manuals, books, and work, Francis bacon had destroyed the reasons that blinded people from evidence. Through bacon, science had altered the globe, and as a result every material existing was born out of science as a result of skepticism. In Helen Vendler’s New York Times article, “Hamlet Alone,” Vendler mentioned that hamlet identifies the European cultural moment to a time when the arises “a fringe of the aristocracy cultivation literature and art, elegant, freed from the coarser superstitions.”(1). Hamlet, the first fiction character demonstrated skepticism. The idea of hamlet had a great impact that changed Europeans. The development that was created by hamlet was cultivated by all Europeans backgrounds, and skepticism became part of their culture. Vendler went on to say that hamlet marks the philosophical turning point of our western millennium: the moment in which that reflective skepticism so becomes intellectually dominant (1). Hamlet from his knowledge after learning data, evidence proof in the university totally denies the existence of God/King/Church. Hamlet philosophy totally changed the western millennium. The transmission from religion authority to skepticism was a progress that did not just affect European culture, but also affected their religion. The great thing that ever happened to mankind is science. As years passes by, science keeps evolving just as the human brain also keeps evolving. The evolution of science has post a serious threat to man. In terms of weapon, gunpowder has evolved into nuclear bomb. Presently, nuclear bomb is a threat to man because it can flush out the whole human race; that is the reason we cannot afford any war. The power the world has acquired from science has grown and it is still growing. Unless man controls their inventions and the powers gained from the previous years of science, the world will not exist in the next twenty five years. With the evolution of science and the threat it has posted to mankind, the question remains how man will survive the power of science. The world needs a total control of inventions and their uses. The only way man can survive the power of science is through returning subtlety, richness, morals and lightness of spirit to the long human experiment. These qualities of returning subtlety, richness, morals and lightness of spirit to the long human experiment are all in art. Art includes dance, literature, drama and music. If man involves himself in art and grow in it, man will seek to enjoy himself and stay happy. This can affect science. Inventions should only have useful purposes, keep man alive instead of killing man. Take for example, nuclear elements can be use to sterilize surgerical blade by surgeon; that is useful to man. When man thinks of power, he thinks of using nuclear element to produce bomb. Art is the only way man can think peacefully and make inventions that will keep man alive. With Art, man can control science, and this is the only way human race will be able to survive science in the next twenty years. Works cited Powers, Richard. “Eyes Wide Open.” New York Times 4 Apr. 1999:1-6. Vendler, Helen. “Hamlet Alone.” New York Times 18 Apr. 1999:1-2.