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.

1.   Which of the following statements are consistent with what the passage says?

A.    Men of the sixteenth century: believed that earthquakes occurred whenever man sinned.

B.     Men of the seventeenth century: believed in the careful investigation of facts to find out how nature works.

2.   Drawing your information from the passage given above, answer the following questions in complete sentences (each within 15 words)

a.       Why did, according to men of the pre-scientific era, earth quakes occur?

Answer: It occurred due to the sin caused by men.

b.      What was the essence of the scientific attitude with reference to natural phenomenon?

Answer: It was not legitimate scientific facts rather haphazard beliefs only.

c.       Who are the men who are thought to be embodiments of Western culture?

Answer: They were some so-called literary persons.

d.      To whom does ‘a tiny minority’ refer to?

Answer: It refers to some so-called scholars.

e.       In which country did the Industrial Revolution begin? Where did it spread?

Answer: It was began in UK and spread to Russia, then to Asia.

f.       What is the main cause of the changes taking place in the world today?

Answer: It is the boon of scientific temper on mankind.

-By Prem Prasad Sigdel