The Sight Of Science :: essays research papers

The Sight of Science     It is a justness universally acknowledged that he whose mind is ahead ofhis time and to a higher place that of his peers may not be understood by his fellow commonwealthand be subject to critisizm and persecution. Galilei Galileo, Francis Bacon, andRene Descartes were among the first to break away from the conventional views oftheir time to find a place for science in a conjunction and propose the way itshould be practiced. All three authors agree on some points but differe markedlyon others. Bacon insists on the importa nce of experimentation and congressuselessness of senses and experience, bit Decartes thinks them imporatnt forunderstanding of nature. Galileo stresses the need for separation of science andreligion, while Descartes deems the correctness of the method of scientificthought to be most important. however all three writers agree that natural scienceshould be freed of the pocketbook of theology and human ethics, what sets them apartfrom previous generations of scientists and thinkers.     In his Discoveries, Bacon goes at grand length to discuss the influencethe prescientfic mode of thinking has had on generations of scientists, andtries to Descartes asserts that the numerical method of examining therelationship between objects and expressing them in concise formulas, applied tothe consummate realm of knowledge, permits him to exercise his own reason to the top hat of his ability. Since nothing in philosophy is certain, it is evident thathe must discover his own philosophical principles.     Galileos views on science and religion, as seen from his Letter to theGrand Dutchess Christina are rattling radical for his times. He suggests thatphysical sciences must be separated from theological studies because the goalsof the two disicplines are totally different theology is concerned with redemption of the soul, while the sciences are concerned with understa nding ofnature. He believes that the clergy accept assent where ther is n one and only(a) involved --one cannot undersand nature just by quoting the scripture because the nature, afruit of Gods infinite wisdom., defies the simple explanation mens gameminds attempt to find in the Bible. To truly understand nature, one has applythe little of the reason that God has given to him and look "between the li nes"for the true meaning of the Bible. There are a number interpretations one canfind because the Bible is often general and simplistic Galileo suggests thatthe best way to find the true meaning is to disprove the false conclusions byfinding contradicions in nature, as determined by accurate experiments sort ofthan fervent meditation. It is a job of scientists to examine nature and it is