Science: Observation and Prejudice

Eduardo Aldo Franco Garzanti

English

Science derives from the Latin verb scio, meaning ‘I know’. However, scientists do not know, they investigate, and thus need a starting point from which to proceed from the unknown towards the unknown. Our experience is limited, so we are condemned to be always wrong to some extent. Living is being wrong, and, following Socrates, maintaining consciousness that we are wrong represents our best guide. Human frailty tends to taint even what we believe to be our most rational thoughts. Our fears make us turn towards religion. In fact, our debates often revolve around mythical concepts just like believers refer to the Garden of Eden. We are, however, armed with two powerful weapons: clarity of thought and clarity of language. Although destined to be wrong, we remain stubbornly determined to reduce our degree of wrongness, bound to a strictly correct use of language and intellectual honesty in our narratives, because, in the end, narratives are all that we can achieve.

Evaluation: NO

1 CFU - 8 Hours (lecture)

Science: Observation and Prejudice

Eduardo Aldo Franco Garzanti

English

Science derives from the Latin verb scio, meaning ‘I know’. However, scientists do not know, they investigate, and thus need a starting point from which to proceed from the unknown towards the unknown. Our experience is limited, so we are condemned to be always wrong to some extent. Living is being wrong, and, following Socrates, maintaining consciousness that we are wrong represents our best guide. Human frailty tends to taint even what we believe to be our most rational thoughts. Our fears make us turn towards religion. In fact, our debates often revolve around mythical concepts just like believers refer to the Garden of Eden. We are, however, armed with two powerful weapons: clarity of thought and clarity of language. Although destined to be wrong, we remain stubbornly determined to reduce our degree of wrongness, bound to a strictly correct use of language and intellectual honesty in our narratives, because, in the end, narratives are all that we can achieve.

Evaluation: NO

1 CFU - 8 Hours (lecture)

Staff

    Responsabile

  • Marco Giovanni Malusà
    Marco Giovanni Malusà
  • Docente

  • Eduardo Aldo Franco Garzanti

Metodi di iscrizione

Iscrizione manuale