My computer is back online. It has been for awhile, but a large number of high profile events have occurred in life, the least being the National Ostrich Riding Competition. Anyways, today I bring you another opinionated installment of my blog. A number of recent conversations have caused me to question my path in life, i.e. a scientist. Having mulled this topic over, I have finally come to somewhat of an opinion on the matter, one that is contrary to say the least. So let us begin...
We begin with the simple question: What is science? In my opinion, science is the study of life and the natural world. Science has a number of offshoots, from biology to physics, all building upon one another. Science studies everything around us, from the quark to the blue whale. And to put my background on the subject into light, well, I am studying to be an ecologist.
So we ask: Why? Why does the natural world need to broken down into its component parts? I asked myself the same question and came to two possible solutions. The first being the nicest, highlighting the simple answer "because I want to." This is acceptable, but I am not sure it is entirely the complete answer, thus my second solution: "because I want to be smarter than the next guy." Now before all my fellow scientists decide to use me as a cadaver in their next dissection, let me explain.
Science is a way of perceiving the natural world, simply put. As my friend said, "I want a better understanding of the world." Hmmmm... "better". What makes science this "better" understanding of the world? After all, "a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet". A rose can still be just as beautiful, without knowing that it is composed of a number of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Why break it down? As much as one would like to say "because I want to know", I think another reason may still be lurking, a need for dominance. Society is structured to reward those who can "perceive" an object better than someone else.
After looking at it that way, I am unsure how to feel. I, for one, will admit I love winning an argument and often knowing more ensures my victory (that or confusing my opponent). Knowledge is power, and science gives more than enough knowledge to its practitioners. So is science a way to exert dominance over another?
As I let that sink in, I will continue with another concept that has been bugging me. That topic is on science's practical applications, or lack thereof. Yet again, give me a word before the scalpels come out. In this current society, science does have some applications, though I do not believe that it was ever necessary to have them originate. Native Americans thrived for years with little knowledge of today's science quite fine. They impacted the Earth very little and science just was not necessary. Knowledge was learned from experiences, for example if that berry made you vomit, you did not eat it again. Much like how when a young child burns their hand on the stove, they do not do that again. Science did not need to arise and in my opinion, should not have needed to at all. You see, science perpetuates science and once it starts, it just does not stop. There is always something more to discover, and as intriguing as that sounds, its implications can be quite horrific.
So are we better without science? Another tough question to answer. Let me first say that science has a way of destroying itself. A couple examples might be necessary to explain that point.
Firstly, let's examine natural selection. Natural selection boils down to survival of the fittest, which definitely no longer applies to a grand majority of the Earth now. Humans exist almost everywhere, but are by no means the pinnacle of evolution. I can name several animals that are much more fit than the average human. Humans have lost the ability to be selected against, with all our medicine and such. Diseases that should be killing off the less fit of the population just do not have the same effect they used too. Not to mention the rampant obesity in parts of the world, demonstrating further just how unfit humans really are. Darwin's natural selection is getting destroyed by the very category it falls under.
Secondly, an examination of nutritional science. It should not exist. Period. If all science was like nutritional science, I would be switching to Arts immediately. Its history shows a litany of stupid people trying to change people diets in the name of science. The silliest thing is, they actually think they are making a difference. Having lost the knowledge we would have gained from our elders, humans are now trying to explain things that are blatantly obvious. Breaking down foods into their component parts just does not work, for a number of reasons. The most obvious being the interactions between the different parts of the food. Sure you can isolate a certain antioxidant and say what is supposedly does, but once it enters the food, its interactions with other antioxidants/vitamins/minerals can change exactly what it does. Secondly, the other foods that it is eaten with can change the speed at which its properties are released, or like the previous example change exactly what it does. Nutritional science is useless and self-destroying, constantly changing what one should and should not eat and switching its positions on certain vitamins/minerals almost daily.
Despite all that, science has permeated modern society and is there to stay. It is a necessity now, despite its results and/or failings. So what is my opinion on it? Hard to say, but I think it harks back to the first question's answer: "because I want to." I like ecology and it interests me, so that is more than enough to keep me in the sciences. Will I use my knowledge to further my arguments? Probably, just as almost anyone would. Will I focus on analyzing things relentlessly? No. I want to use science to fix the impacts humans are having on the world. Because as much as science is self-destroying, science can be self-healing (except for nutritional science). And while I do not agree with everything science does, at least I can use it to change the world for the better.
-AFR
