has science really done as much good as we think it has ? is it as indispensable to our lives, as we perceive it to be ? And no, I donot want to rant about the pros or cons of how science has influenced our lives. I merely look upon it as a tool; a tool that man has made for himself, to keep him occupied, to keep him from getting bored; to put it across bluntly.
But unlike so many of our other hobbies, I wonder if we have something to learn from this one.
I am not talking about the deeper understanding of life or its origins or even its betterment, that science has provided us with. I am thinking of something far more simplistic than that.
Awe.
I cannot think of any better suited word. Even today, when I look up at the sky, and see stars shining, I am in awe. What are the chances that amongst so many planets in the galaxy, one of them supports life, intelligent life. This might sound ridiculous, but I do feel awed when I see greys anatomy, when out of 10 lives that doctors try to save, one of them works out. Ya its fiction, but doesnt this happen in hospitals all over the world. One wing has the dying while the other has people/doctors responding, to even the smallest signs of life returning; the tiniest movement of one finger, the shortest flickering of eye-lids and so on.. And both wings, have their own forms of joy. The dying, leave behind a world of memories, most of which are sadly treasured only after their death. While the return of life, its re-birth, is always applauded, cheered. And yet science has taught us that, death cannot be conquered, delayed yes but not won over. Most importantly, science, has always, been by the side of the questioning mind. In an ocean of darkness, fuelled by ignorance and pseudo-science( as carl sagan puts it), science has always been a beacon guiding those who choose to be guided by it. there is nothing in science, that would make your question look stupid or dumb. All science asks in return for your question, is an infectious curiosity, to know and an undying spirit, to learn and unlearn. Science is the only kind of beauty, that does not lie in the eyes of its beholder. The kind that comes with out a price. The kind that just becomes more and more addictive, as you dig deeper. The kind that can only be appreciated if shared, not secretly hidden, or fought over, bt shared. You can never own it, and yet feel like it belonged to you :)
What really awes me about science, is that it teaches you to appreciate not only what you know, but what you donot/cannot know given the resources.
there is so much that science has taught me, that I cannot compress it all in one blog. to me, true wealth is, that legacy, which can be passed on from generation to generation. Science, and the awe that it leaves with its beholder, is definitely something I want to pass on to my children. For as long as life can be, it is truly the breath-taking, awe-inspring movements, that life is "lived" in.
Amen.
5 comments:
I merely look upon it as a tool; a tool that man has made for himself, to keep him occupied, to keep him from getting bored; to put it across bluntlyI think I get what you are trying to say. But I would put it slightly differently. Man has certainly used science as a tool to his benefit - we call it technology. But the 'science' itself existed even before it was known to man and hence cannot be said to be 'man made'. For instance, we studied the law gravitation, used it to deduce parameters like escape velocity and we apply it today to launch spacecraft. But gravity existed long before Newton discovered/theorized it.
Came across your blog from your comment on mine. Thanks for the same. Unlike me, you seem to be a frequent and fervent blogger. Keep writing and I'll be happy to read and comment.
iyengar ????
the truth about things as you've put it so blatantly might be a little depressing to some..
i get awed looking up at the stars and wonder what we really mean to the universe..like, do we all actually mean anything, in the big scene ?
and is there another planet that might withhold life like earth does ? science might answer it...but we can never answer it all. all we can do is use science to make life better. we can make things simpler and clearer..it has its own complications, but thats the beauty of it
only a questioning mind can make the fullest of science..well said.to understand the depth of what you've written is a charm in itself. your blog really sparks my mind
@ aarthi : Honestly speaking, I got inspired to write this post after I saw the movie; 'contact' (carl sagan). We are so busy "using" science/technology, for our betterment, that we so often forget that what science can 'give' us is something much more than just a certain "technology or an application or even a few insights into the past/future". I use science every day in my lab, its become work now, but I think I needed to remind myself that I can still "derive" from science what I might not be able to put to use in a tangible sense. And yet, this feeling of wonder, could just be the biggest jackpot I might ever win ! (pardon me if it sounds cheesy).
P.S. ya we might not be as important or as significant, as we construe ourselves to be, but I never really had that in mind while writing this post :)
science/nature/technology, are just terms coined by us. I think the essence of what you both are saying is the same. We did not invent any law or principle. In other words, the rules of nature, were not invented by us, we might even be here because of them. We just "observed" and made note of what already exists, and yes, made use of it for our benefit.
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