Week One

For our first reading, The Gift that Keeps on Giving, I learned science means everything to human life. The portion of the chapter that I could relate to the most would be the scientific methodology and the light bulb. Methodology is pretty easy to understand; one cannot just eliminate a theory just because one feels it is impossible. One has consider every option whether it sounds logical or not. Methodology is also the easiest because it is the method most humans are initially taught to use in order to solve a problem. Anti-science and pseudoscience hits close to home because, like Jennifer, I am a strong believer in the Bible and science. It is hard for the two to not contradict each other. That is why science is so controversial to Christianity and vice versa. However, like many, I depend on both because your faith can only take you so far. Sometimes, you need science to assist in learning.

In the second reading, Shattered Skies, at first, I did not understand why he started off the chapter with the question “Why a soda fizzes a lot more when it is warm?” This reading hit home base for me. I love chemistry and since I have taken both of the introductory chemistry classes and both of the organic chemistry courses at Clemson, I knew that when Darksyde started discussing the refrigerator and dichlorodifluoromethane, it was going to lead to some sort of environment issue. However, I had no clue that he was going to link his wife’s question to all of issues he talked about, especially to global warming. I found that quite hilarious, yet amazing.
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Steven Darksyde touched on the fundamental differences between science and literature and what they contribute to each other. What I learned from The Gift that Keeps on Giving is that literature is a way of communication. However, a person cannot understand scientific literature unless they understand the science. When science is used in literature, it allows people who are outside of the scientific world to have a look in to it; scientific literature gives way to understanding to others who may not have the same ideas or might be hopeful of educating or enlightening themselves.

Literature does keep us “in the know.” But how can people be “in the know” if they do not comprehend what is being discussed in the literature? Darksyde shared with us that the scientists that write scientific literature have invested lots of time and money into their science. That is why when they publish their ideas and methods, it is in a language that normal people would not understand. But in order for a person to understand to the fullest extent of what the scientists are talking about, that person would also have to invest time and money in the same science. I believe that science and literature work as a team. This team is successful only if the readers are educated enough to grasps the concepts. This prevents misinterpretations of what the scientific authors implied.