Celebrating the Sciences & the Humanities: Part 2 of 2

Dear Members, Alumni, and Friends of the JSMT:

In this edition of Quotemail, we conclude the thread that I began in our last edition about the interrelationship between the sciences and the humanities.

Aristotle: “The Master of Those Who Know”

By Rob Chappell, JSMT Advisor

Reprinted from Cursus Honorum VI: 9 (April 2006)

          Before the rise of modern science, what is known today as the scientific enterprise was called “natural philosophy” – that is, “the study of Nature’s wisdom.” One of the foremost “natural philosophers” of Classical antiquity was Aristotle (384-322 BCE), whose writings encompass such diverse subjects as physics, astronomy, geosciences, ethics, politics, logic, psychology, biology, rhetoric, and metaphysics. Hailed as the “Master of Those Who Know” when his writings were rediscovered and Latinized in eleventh-century Spain, he came to be regarded as “THE Philosopher” by his Scholastic admirers at Europe’s leading universities.

          Aristotle was a keen observer of the natural world. Some of his theories have not stood the test of time – such as his geocentric conception of the Universe and his belief in the spontaneous generation of living organisms. Nonetheless, he made meticulous observations of both living and nonliving things, and based on his observations, he devised a logically consistent system of animal, vegetable, and mineral classifications that endured for two millennia.

          Aristotle was also interested in what we would call the “humanities.” His writings on ethics and political science display his deep insights into human nature and the social order. He is often regarded as the first Western literary critic because of his books on the aesthetics of poetry and rhetoric. Aristotle also ventured into the realm of metaphysics: his reasoned speculations about the nature of reality have exercised a profound influence on Western philosophy ever since.

          Here are some resources for readers interested in learning more about Aristotle and his world of ideas:

* http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/browse-Aristotle.html – From MIT comes this collection of the Philosopher’s most influential works, which can be printed or downloaded free of charge. Readers can also post their comments on these texts and participate in email discussions about them.

* http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/aristotle.html – This page contains a short biography of the Philosopher and a review of his intellectual legacy. The famous painting at the top of the page is by the Renaissance master Raphael, and it depicts Plato (left) with his star pupil, Aristotle (right).

* http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/a/aristotl.htm – This is an introductory overview of Aristotle’s holistic system of philosophy. It includes sections on his contributions to the arts and sciences and his place in the history of ideas.

Sir Isaac Newton: Master of the Sciences and the Humanities

By Rob Chappell, JSMT Advisor

(Unpublished Article, Written in Summer 2009)

          Sir Isaac Newton (January 4, 1643-March 31, 1727) is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time. Born in England on his family’s Lincolnshire estate, Newton learned to read and write at home from his maternal grandmother; he later attended boarding school and matriculated at Cambridge University in 1661. After completing his degree in 1665, Newton returned to his family’s estate, where he began to develop his theories of the calculus, optics, and universal gravitation.

          Newton returned to Cambridge in 1667 and was appointed to the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics two years later. (This is the same chair held by Dr. Stephen Hawking, the renowned cosmologist.) During his thirty-year tenure in this position, Newton perfected and published his revolutionary discoveries in mathematics, optics, and physics. In 1669, he built the first reflecting (Newtonian) telescope, which represented a vast improvement over Galileo’s refracting telescope design. Newton’s most famous work, published in 1687, is the Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), a grand synthesis of his understanding of the mathematical laws governing the Universe. Composed in Latin, the book was quickly translated into English and other major European languages and became a perennial bestseller. The revolutionary insights expounded in the Principia laid the groundwork for rapid progress in physics, astronomy, and mathematics during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

          Newton’s accomplishments in the humanities, although less well known than his scientific achievements, are noteworthy in their own right. Throughout his long and active scientific career, Newton conducted research on alchemy (the esoteric precursor of chemistry) and wrote extensively about his alchemical experiments in manuscripts that have largely remained unpublished. He also conducted exhaustive studies of ancient history, Hermetic philosophy, and sacred literature. Newton’s interest in alchemy led John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) to remark:

“Newton was not the first of the Age of Reason; he was the last of the magicians.”

          Newton was a true Renaissance polymath, a scientist dedicated to exploring all branches of knowledge. His groundbreaking research in both the sciences and the humanities won him lasting fame as one of the most gifted individuals of the second millennium CE. Regarding his numerous achievements, Newton remained modest to the end of his days, writing in his memoirs:

“I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”

          In his later years, Newton moved to London, where he was appointed Master of the Royal Mint, overseeing the production and distribution of British currency throughout the United Kingdom and its overseas colonies. He also served as President of the Royal Society (a fellowship of eminent scientists chartered by the British Crown) for the last 24 years of his life. In recognition of his manifold accomplishments, he was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705. After his death in 1727, Newton’s mortal remains were buried in Westminster Abbey, and a splendid monument was erected over his tomb depicting his revolutionary contributions to the scientific enterprise. Perhaps his most famous epitaph was composed by the English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744)):

“Nature and Nature’s laws lay hid in night;

God said, ‘Let Newton be,’ and all was light.”

Webliography

• http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/newton/ (Sir Isaac Newton @ the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
• http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/ (The Chemistry of Isaac Newton)
• http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk/  (The Newton Project)

Until next time –

Rob

Celebrating the Sciences & the Humanities -- Part 1 of 2

Dear Members, Alumni, and Friends of the JSMT:

As we begin a new academic year, I’d like to share with you some reflections on the relationship between the sciences and the humanities – and why it’s important to have a well-rounded understanding and appreciation for both of these “compartments of knowledge” (although, IMHO, we need to break down the wall that separates them and reintegrate our over-compartmentalized worldview). :)

The Sciences and the Humanities: Partners in Time

An Interview with the Editor by Kelly Scott, Sophomore ACES James Scholar

Reprinted from Cursus Honorum VI: 2 (September 2005)

       Let’s stop and think for a moment. Is there really any linkage or relationship between the sciences and the humanities? They seem so different. For example, a major in the sciences such as Biology seems so unrelated to an English major in the field of the humanities. Yet after interviewing Rob Chappell, they seem so connected and dependent on one another.

       Rob began by explaining the history of this relationship. During the Middle Ages, there was no clear demarcation between the sciences and the humanities. All educated people during this time period studied all the “liberal arts,” which included sciences and humanities alike. But upon the rise of the Scientific Revolution, they began to separate from one another, making it seem as though they were completely disassociated altogether. Rob feels that we need to continue to work towards a day when the sciences and humanities are no longer seen as two different fields. We need to get back to the ideals of the Middle Ages when the two seemed compatible and held an essence of togetherness.

       After discussing the history of this relationship, Rob provided some very interesting examples of how the sciences and humanities work together. In the first example, Rob explained how we study the Universe through science by using telescopes and different scientific means to learn. Yet, if we think about it, the storytellers and mythmakers who lived centuries ago named the stars and planets. This inspired us to dream and wonder about space travel, which in turn has helped us learn more about our Universe scientifically. Rob illustrates the relationship well in this example.

       Another example that Rob conveyed was the relationship between scientists and authors. More specifically, Rob described how his favorite genre, science fiction, has helped scientists through the ages. Well-known science fiction authors such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells have written many books, which have then given scientists ideas for experiments after reading their books. Rob really makes a strong and solid point when he says, “Humanities provide context, enrich life, make life more interesting, and make YOU more interesting.”

       So what does all this mean for us as students at the U of I? Well, Rob explains the importance for us to understand and embrace this relationship. He says that employers are looking for well-rounded employees. When we graduate and go looking for a job, there is a much better chance that we will get hired if we know and have taken classes in both the humanities and the sciences. Rob tells us, “Don’t look at the humanities classes as a burden, but as an opportunity.” Most parts of our lives merge the sciences and humanities: “Everything is interconnected, because the sciences ask how and why things happen the way they do, but the humanities ask what those facts mean for us,” Rob says. I hope that we all can recognize the great importance of this relationship between the sciences and the humanities. In the end, this recognition will help to make us holistic and well-rounded people.

Two Scientific Poets: Aratus and Lucretius

By Rob Chappell, JSMT Advisor

Reprinted from Cursus Honorum IX: 10 (May/June 2009)

       The sciences and the humanities walked hand-in-hand during Classical antiquity as early researchers observed the natural world and poets popularized those discoveries by turning them into epic verse and singing them for interested audiences. Greek and Latin scientific poems could be regarded as the precursors of modern popular science writing. Two of the most notable versifying popularizers of ancient science whose works have been preserved for us are Aratus (ca. 315-240 BCE) and Lucretius (ca. 99-55 BCE).

       Aratus of Soli was a Greek poet from Anatolia (modern Turkey), and his most famous work is the Phenomena, a versified tour of the stars and constellations, which concluded with a description of “weather signs” that could be used to make predictions. His descriptions of the stars, their characteristics, and their apparent motions across the sky are considered to be extremely valuable. Aratus’ retellings of well-known astronomical myths and legends are very engaging, as his poetry turns the night sky into a cosmic storybook for everyone to enjoy.

       Titus Lucretius Carus was a Roman poet who wrote his Latin masterpiece, De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things), to explain his understanding of the Universe. Lucretius expounded the atomic theory of matter, described the unfolding of life on Earth through eons of time, proposed that the Universe was infinite and contained countless inhabited worlds, and used logic and reason to refute common superstitions of his time. Lucretius’ teachings on atomism and the infinity of the Universe were widely discussed and debated during the European Renaissance, as they helped to inspire many pioneers of the Scientific Revolution like Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) and Galileo Galilei (1564-1642).

       Across a gulf of more than two millennia, Aratus and Lucretius present us with a timely challenge: to “think outside the box” of our individual academic disciplines to envision a holistic worldview that satisfies both the mind and the heart. They also show us how rewarding a career in science education or scientific writing can be – and how edutaining it is to learn about scientific subjects in epic verse! :)

WEBLIOGRAPHY

•     http://www.theoi.com/Text/AratusPhaenomena.html (Aratus’ Phenomena)

•     http://www.intratext.com/Catalogo/Autori/AUT238.HTM (Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura)

•     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_science (Popular Science as a Literary Genre)

Until next time – keep looking up! :)

Rob

September 2014 Leadership Reflection

Leadership Lessons from Johnny Appleseed

        Ever since my Kindergarten class took a field trip to a local apple orchard in September 1973, I’ve been a perennial fan of Johnny Appleseed. The pioneer hero who headed west from his New England home to bring apple trees to the pioneers (and Native Americans) captured my imagination at an early age and has never let it go. Johnny has many exemplary lessons to teach up-and-coming leaders of today. Venturing outside your comfort zone to explore what lies beyond the horizon, building bridges of peace and understanding through generosity, and promoting self-sufficiency in harmony with sustainable growth are just a few of the gems that we can glean from learning about Johnny and his life story. Just like Johnny, our leaders can become trailblazers, peacemakers, and philanthropists – and our need for these types of people only grows with each passing year, as our global civilization continues to expand and grow in new and unexpected ways.

Johnny Appleseed: Pioneer Nurseryman

By Rob Chappell, JSMT Advisor

Adapted and Expanded from Cursus Honorum VI: 3 (October 2005)

         Johnny Appleseed, one of America’s most beloved homegrown heroes, has been the subject of countless poems, folksongs, novels, plays, and even a Walt Disney cartoon. Johnny’s appeal has vastly increased over the past fifty years, concurrent with the emergence of global concern over rampant deforestation and the drive to develop sustainable agriculture on a worldwide scale. Behind the larger-than-life legend of Johnny Appleseed, however, there was once an admirable historical person: John Chapman, a pioneer nurseryman from New England.

This woodcut of John Chapman appeared in Howe’s Historical Collections of Ohio (Ohio Centennial Edition, 1903). (Image Credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

        John Chapman was born on September 26, 1774 near Leominster, Massachusetts. Details of his childhood are sketchy, but he learned to read and write at an early age and evidently chose to follow an arboricultural career in his teens, for by the time he was 25, he had already planted apple orchards in the western counties of New York and Pennsylvania. During the early 1800s, he pushed farther west into Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois – planting apple trees all over the wilderness, where they could be enjoyed by the arriving settlers.

        Wherever he journeyed on the frontier, Chapman earned the respect and trust of the Native Americans and coexisted peacefully with the wild animals. He practiced vegetarianism, never carried a weapon of any kind, and was by all accounts an amiable and hard-working person. Although he led a solitary life in the wilderness for weeks or months at a time, he enjoyed interacting with the people who crossed his path and regaling them with stories of his frontier adventures. It is estimated that he planted millions of apple seeds during his fifty years of arboricultural activity; this was his lifelong philanthropic service to our country.

        Johnny Appleseed, as he came to be known in his later years, reposed near Fort Wayne, Indiana, on March 11, 1845. His grave has become a historic site, as have other places where he once lived and labored. Descendants of his original apple trees can still be found throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and his legacy of philanthropic arboriculture is still celebrated at annual Midwestern festivals, especially in the autumn, when apple cider is in season. His birthday – September 26^th – is celebrated as Johnny Appleseed Day in schools and towns throughout the American Midwest, where he lived and worked for most of his adult life.

        Johnny Appleseed’s popularity shows no sign of waning. He played many roles during his lifetime – nurseryman, peacemaker, pioneer, and storyteller. In our own time, he has come to represent such worthy causes as conservation, environmentalism, and sustainable agriculture. John Chapman will no doubt continue to inspire generations yet to come with his philanthropic life and trailblazing achievements that still benefit his fellow Americans two centuries after his labors first began.

Further Reading

·        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed --> Reference article about Johnny Appleseed, fully annotated with bibliography and footnotes.

·        http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/miscellaneous/johnny_appleseed_grace.htm --> Here are the lyrics and music for the “Johnny Appleseed Song” that I learned in Kindergarten, from Disney’s classic animated film, Melody Time (1948).

·        http://www.urbana.edu/resources/community/johnny-appleseed/about.html --> The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum is located on the campus of Urbana University in Urbana, Ohio.