The Triumph of Science

Discovery just entered space about a minute or two ago, demonstrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the human race once again. One should ask themselves if this spectacular event could have occurred if a certain portion of humanity didn't banish the constrictive opinions of the past and embrace the scientific method.

Related to this, the NYTs shows just how far we've come (we could fall back) by revisiting the Scopes Trial today. If you've seen Inherit the Wind, you'll know Clarence Darrow defended John T. Scopes, a Tennessee biology teacher that contrary to state law taught his class the theory of evolution. William Jennings Byrant pursued Scopes for the prosecution. Darrow symbolized the advent of science and modernity while Bryant encapsulated the provincialism of religion and its inability to acknowledge scientific evidence. But nowhere during the trial would these different approaches to knowledge be crystallized than during this exchange between the two.

"I do not think about things I don't think about," Bryan said.

"Do you think about the things you do think about?" Darrow asked.

"Well," Bryan replied, "sometimes."

So who would you want to follow through the thickets of life?

That's something to think about.

Pic courtesy of Scopestrial.org