Skepticism
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- Date Submitted: 11/21/2011 07:56 PM
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EN102
Paper II
10/12/09
Scientific Skepticism
Skepticism has led science to make nature serve mankind; however, skepticism has not been as successful replacing the old order of God/monarchy/Holy Roman Empire with values that serve the human. A recent article points out a scientist that resolved a scientific dispute that remained deadlock for years. The article also mentioned other scientists that explored and expanded the ideology of skepticism. Another article mentions a fiction character that demonstrated skepticism.
According to Powers in his New York Times magazine article, “Eyes Wide Open,” Al Haytham resolved a scientific dispute that had remained deadlock for more than 800 years. Two inimical theories vied to explain the mystery of vision (1). Al Haytham transformed dogma to skepticism. As many scientist argued on the theory of light, none of them could prove that light came from the sun or from the eyes. They all concluded “I am right because I am right,” with no experiment or prove. Al Haytham sent out observers to stare at the sun for some times. They could not stare for a long time because it burned their eyes. From there Al Haytham concluded that light travelled outside the eyes and then reflected into it. Al Haytham made an experiment and the result of the experiment was the proof for the theory of light. Al Haytham proved that light travelled from the sun to the eyes and there was no argument about it because he had evidence. Powers said after Ibn’s prove, the shift from authority to observation seems small, self evident, almost inevitable. Over the course of 1,000 years, the conceptual shift would grow catastrophic, and its consequences would perform in every aspect of existence (1). After the concept of light was resolved by Ibn, the way people did things began to change gradually. The idea of God/king/church was abandoned. People no longer believed any explanation without consistent evidence. The great transmission from dogma...
Paper II
10/12/09
Scientific Skepticism
Skepticism has led science to make nature serve mankind; however, skepticism has not been as successful replacing the old order of God/monarchy/Holy Roman Empire with values that serve the human. A recent article points out a scientist that resolved a scientific dispute that remained deadlock for years. The article also mentioned other scientists that explored and expanded the ideology of skepticism. Another article mentions a fiction character that demonstrated skepticism.
According to Powers in his New York Times magazine article, “Eyes Wide Open,” Al Haytham resolved a scientific dispute that had remained deadlock for more than 800 years. Two inimical theories vied to explain the mystery of vision (1). Al Haytham transformed dogma to skepticism. As many scientist argued on the theory of light, none of them could prove that light came from the sun or from the eyes. They all concluded “I am right because I am right,” with no experiment or prove. Al Haytham sent out observers to stare at the sun for some times. They could not stare for a long time because it burned their eyes. From there Al Haytham concluded that light travelled outside the eyes and then reflected into it. Al Haytham made an experiment and the result of the experiment was the proof for the theory of light. Al Haytham proved that light travelled from the sun to the eyes and there was no argument about it because he had evidence. Powers said after Ibn’s prove, the shift from authority to observation seems small, self evident, almost inevitable. Over the course of 1,000 years, the conceptual shift would grow catastrophic, and its consequences would perform in every aspect of existence (1). After the concept of light was resolved by Ibn, the way people did things began to change gradually. The idea of God/king/church was abandoned. People no longer believed any explanation without consistent evidence. The great transmission from dogma...