Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist, is the Director of the Hayden Planetarium, the host of 'Star Talk' and 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey', a devotee of Twitter, and the author of many popular science books. In this narrative, Tyson strives to demonstrate that a scientific approach to issues - by which Tyson means taking 'opinions' out of the equation and relying on 'proven facts' - would reduce strife among people. I dare say Tyson is correct, but universal scientific expertise is a high mountain to climb.
In his preface Tyson writes, "Starry Messenger recasts some of the most discussed and debated topics of our times - war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, race, each an artificial battlefield on the landscape of life - and returns them to the reader in ways that foster accountability and wisdom in the service of civilization." In other words, Tyson means to convey a trove of insights conveyed by the methods and tools of science.
The scientific method is used to determine facts and truth
It's indisputable that humanity's understanding of the universe has undergone dramatic changes over time. An early example would be Galileo's observation in 1610 that Earth is NOT the center of all motion, that the Earth orbits the sun as just one of other known planets. For many people, this was an intolerable assertion, and it took time for this 'fact' to be widely accepted.
Galileo
Scientific knowledge and human responses progressed over the centuries, and - in modern times - has advanced at lightning speed. Tyson provides some examples:
❃ Between 1900 and 1930, the existence of atoms is confirmed; the range of flight extends from 120 feet to 5,218 miles; we learn to use radio waves as a source of information and entertainment; urban transportation shifts from horses to automobiles; cities are electrified; and cinema becomes a leading source of recreation.
The first electric street lights
❃ From 1930 to 1960, airplanes break the sound barrier; we see the beginning of the space age; the laser is invented; atom bombs are used; and television becomes an important source of information and entertainment.
A Soviet technician works on Sputnik, the first spacecraft launched
❃ From 1960 to 1990, transistors allow consumer electronics to miniaturize; women enter the workforce in large numbers, especially in professional fields; the modern gay rights movement takes off due to the AIDS epidemic; computers go from expensive room-size machines to desktop models; widespread use of MRIs help doctors diagnose illness without surgery; and humans go to the Moon.
Neil Armstrong, the first person on the moon
❃ From 1990 to 2020, we map the human genome; computers become portable; the World Wide Web becomes widespread - so e-commerce and searchable websites become commonplace; the use of email grows pervasive; smartphones grant access to music, media, and the internet and contain cameras; Global Position Satellites (GPS) and navigation tools serve everything from tracking packages to hailing a car service; and electric cars become available.
Smartphones become commonplace
The world in 1930 would be unrecognizable to people transported from the year 1900; the world in 1960 would be unrecognizable to people transported from the year 1930; and so on. And it's impossible to know what the world will be like in 2050.
Tyson would like to see scientific advances used in the furtherance of enlightened democracy. He writes, "One of the great features of a working democracy is that we get to disagree without killing one another. What happens when democracy fails? What happens when we hold no tolerance for views that differ from our own?.......The consequence is war." Human conflicts frequently arise over politics, over what God or gods people worship, over access to limited resources (oil and gas), clean water, mineral deposits, precious metals, and so on.
Tyson believes science could help curb such disputes. He notes, "In our cosmic backyard, solar energy is ubiquitous, as are freshwater comets. Metallic asteroids are there too....the big ones each contain more gold and rare-earth metals than have ever been mined in the history of the world.....And just imagine when all of civilization becomes spacefaring."
16 Psyche, the large metallic asteroid ideal for space mining.
With regard to this, Tyson observes, "Of all professions, scientists may be uniquely capable of generating and sustaining peace among nations. We all speak the same basic language....The laws of biology, chemistry, and physics remain the same."
In Tyson's ideal world, all of humanity would be versed in statistics, to separate 'feelings' from 'knowledge.' An example Tyson provides is a chance encounter with a long-lost friend in a far-off place. Often, we would think it was preordained, possibly declaring, "There are no coincidences!" But it IS a coincidence.
In another example, Tyson observes that people often wear lucky socks or underwear on important days. However they only became 'lucky' because a person happened to be wearing them when something good occurred. Tyson asserts that the urge to think like this is used for economic gain by casinos and other gambling venues. He writes, "Imagine how different the world would be if thinking mathematically about human affairs was normal and natural."
Statistically, gambling is a losing proposition, but people keep doing it
Another example of human bias not verified by science is the tendency to look down on others. Tyson observes, "Some people feel better when they believe other people are less than they are, in any way they value, which could include wealth, intelligence, talent, beauty, or education. Add strength, speed, grace, agility, and endurance and you've compiled most of the ways people persistently compare themselves to others." Tyson notes that the Olympics owe their existence to the search for people who perform faster, higher, and stronger among us....and things like game shows and beauty contests also result from the urge to compete (and hopefully come out on top).
Simone Biles competes in the floor exercise during the 2016 US Women's Gymnastics Olympic Trials
The real problem arises when the sense of superiority applies not to an individual....but to an entire demographic. This can lead to war, genocide, and other atrocities. Tyson notes that fields of study like mathematics and physical sciences resist human bias, so are less susceptible to feelings of superiority. Tyson admits the researchers themselves can be racist, sexist, misanthropes. However, the scientists' prejudices won't be in textbooks, because published results MUST be reproducible to be considered valid.
Tyson gives numerous examples of the ways science can reduce misunderstandings and increase cooperation among people. However, the author also strays far from this topic, expounding on other subjects that pop into his mind, such as: personal vanity (cosmetics and such); 'liberal' TV shows and movies sponsored by Fox broadcasting (which is much more extensive than just Fox News); vegetarians and vegans; slavery; racism; confederate statues; tweets he shouldn't have sent; LGBTQ issues; what aliens visiting Earth would think of us; law and justice; and more.
For instance, in an example of the evolution of criminal trials, Tyson observes that some historic cultures let God decide guilt or innocence. So the accused might be pushed underwater; forced to walk through fire; have boiling oil poured on their chest; or made to drink poison. Those who survived must be innocent because God protected them. This type of thing eventually evolved to trial by crowd; trial by random individuals; then trial by a jury of your peers. Tyson points out that even this last method is far from foolproof because eyewitnesses are unreliable, and - worse yet - attorneys are trained to make their case regardless of the truth.
The book is interesting, but I expected it to be more about science and less about random subjects. Still, Tyson is a smart, well-read, amusing guy and he provides tidbits you could use to sound smart at parties and gatherings. 🙂
Rating: 3 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment