Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Praise For Not Doing The Work
By Donovan Baldwin
I recently read a book on how so many scientific discoveries and breakthroughs were actually known and used by "ordinary" people.
It's surprising to learn that many a famous, revered, historical figure in scientific circles did not invent the knowledge with which they, and their fame, are associated.
Oh, the gravity of the situation.
In many instances, the "sung" hero of the literature is praised for recognizing, compiling, labeling, categorizing, the knowledge and lore of "unsung" experts.
Whether doctor, engineer, or astronomer; some poor shaman, witch, carpenter, mason, or sailor; i.e. the "common man", often had, and used, the knowledge for decades, or centuries, long before philosopher, mathematician, scribe, and printer joined forces to elucidate equations and theorems on paper.
In high school, I studied Algebra (I & II), Geometry (Plane & Solid), and Trigonometry, but, never understood the application, OR theory, so much as the day a nearly illiterate journeyman carpenter demonstrated, AND EXPLAINED IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, how to find the center of a 3 3/4 inch board by dividing a whole number by 2, because the two edges were parallel lines.
Science, and scientific data, are important, and powerful, yet, but, at bottom, most computers use a system of "ones" and "zeros", to accurately perform many of their most complex functions.
I guess the moral is, "Don't let scientific theory, academia, and intelligentsia, overshadow common sense and practical application."
It's surprising to learn that many a famous, revered, historical figure in scientific circles did not invent the knowledge with which they, and their fame, are associated.
Oh, the gravity of the situation.
In many instances, the "sung" hero of the literature is praised for recognizing, compiling, labeling, categorizing, the knowledge and lore of "unsung" experts.
Whether doctor, engineer, or astronomer; some poor shaman, witch, carpenter, mason, or sailor; i.e. the "common man", often had, and used, the knowledge for decades, or centuries, long before philosopher, mathematician, scribe, and printer joined forces to elucidate equations and theorems on paper.
In high school, I studied Algebra (I & II), Geometry (Plane & Solid), and Trigonometry, but, never understood the application, OR theory, so much as the day a nearly illiterate journeyman carpenter demonstrated, AND EXPLAINED IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, how to find the center of a 3 3/4 inch board by dividing a whole number by 2, because the two edges were parallel lines.
Science, and scientific data, are important, and powerful, yet, but, at bottom, most computers use a system of "ones" and "zeros", to accurately perform many of their most complex functions.
I guess the moral is, "Don't let scientific theory, academia, and intelligentsia, overshadow common sense and practical application."
Labels: donovan baldwin, fame, hero, philosopher, scientists
# posted by Donovan Baldwin @ 7:17 PM 
