EWD 1041: By Way of Introduction (Science is hated)
The article discusses the historical disdain for science and its practitioners, emphasizing that this hatred stems from the hard work required to master scientific disciplines. It reflects on past instances where scientists faced violence and persecution due to societal attitudes. The author argues that while science is often criticized, it has ultimately been accepted as a legitimate field despite ongoing public skepticism.
- ▪Science is hated because its mastery requires too much hard work.
- ▪Historically, scientists have faced violence and persecution, such as Archimedes and Hypatia.
- ▪Chemistry was slow to emerge as a science, facing skepticism from contemporaries.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
By way of introduction Because most of this introduction is non-technical and yet I want you to believe me, I feel compelled to offer you my credentials. I have now been employed for 37 years, 30% at a Government-sponsored Research Institute, 30% at a computer manufacturer, and 40% at Universities, and most of this at both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. I want you to be convinced that I know what I am talking about. If we want to understand the world around us, we must be willing to face the facts, even facts we usually don’t talk about because we have been educated to be a little bit ashamed of them.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Utexas.
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