Essay on the effect of the scientific temper on man
Answers
The Effect of the Scientific Temper on Man
-Bertrand Russell
Summary:
Seventeenth century men had got victory over their predecessors due to scientific inventions. They achieved more advantages with technical advances. Observations were haphazard before that time. The old traditions were accepted as facts by the people without any evidence. There were no proved scientific facts; rather people believed that they have been bounded by natural rules. As a result, they believed that the heavenly bodies were supposed to go in round complications as they had been guided by aesthetic taste. They believed that earthquakes and disasters happened due to sin. In contrast refreshing rain was considered as reward of virtue. Comets foretold the death of princes. In this way, they believed on aesthetic belief rather than proven facts.
Later on, the scientific mind had changed the point of view of humans. They believed on careful investigations of facts forgetting aesthetic beliefs. The ideas seem simple today but it would be a great revolution at that time. As a corollary, Kepler was killed as he claimed that the planets moved in ellipses, not in circles. Thus people believed on the super power of nature. They believed that the action of nature was superior that the wish or fear of humans.
The modern world has realized the fact of the past and developed highly. However, the so-called scholars of the Western culture are totally ignorant of the fact. The people who believed on new scientific knowledge were known as narrow and uncouth specialists.
The scientific technique had influenced the people rather than pure science. As a result the industrial revolution had been developed in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Clyde. At first people didn’t believe on it until it helped to defeat Napoleon. The explosive power was so powerful which spread to Russia first, then to Asia. Whether it is boon or disaster, it is scientific fact afterall which is undergoing these days.
Answer:
Scientific temper means the habit of performing various acts in a rational and logical manner.
Explanation:
- Men in the seventeenth century enjoyed an advantage over their forebears thanks to scientific advances. With technological advancements, they gained greater benefits. Before that, observations were made at random. Without any supporting proof, many embraced the outdated customs as gospel truth. People thought that they were constrained by natural laws even though there were no scientific truths that had been proven. Because they had been influenced by aesthetic preference, they therefore thought that the heavenly bodies were intended to move in circular orbits. They thought that sin was to blame for earthquakes and other natural calamities. Refreshing rain, in contrast, was regarded as a reward for righteousness. The demise of princes was predicted by comets. They relied on artistic judgement rather than empirical evidence in this way.
- The perception of humanity was later altered by the scientific mind. They disregarded aesthetic values in favour of meticulous fact-checking. Although the concepts now appear straightforward, they would have been a major revolution back then. As a result, Kepler was assassinated for asserting that the planets moved in ellipses rather than circles. People so had faith in nature's superpower. They held that nature's actions were superior to human desires or fears.
- The modern world has advanced greatly and acknowledged the truth of the past. But the so-called experts on Western culture are completely unaware of this. People who believed in new scientific information were stigmatised as being specialised and impolite.
- More than pure research, scientific methodology has an impact on society. As a result, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Clyde had grown throughout the industrial revolution. People initially didn't trust in it until it assisted in overthrowing Napoleon. The explosive force was so strong that it initially spread to Russia and then Asia. Scientific truth is what is happening right now, whether it is a blessing or a curse.