How Learning of Literature and Science Contributed to Understanding of Individuals and Societies - Term Paper Example

As an IB how has your learning of literature and science contributed to your understanding of individuals and societies? Throughout the high school education students are exposed to a number of academic subjects as a means of developing their appreciation for a variety of elements and preparing students for future careers and educational pursuits. The International Baccalaureate curriculum presents a unique opportunity for students to go beyond simply learning life skills or attaining college preparation and instead critical examine cultural and philosophical elements of existence. While students’ academic pursuit of literature and science has a number of wide-ranging implications, one of the prominent elements is the increased understanding of individuals and societies. This essay considers this issue from an overarching perspective, taking into consideration scientific elements, including evolution, that were specifically examined in the International Baccalaureate curriculum, and issues related to cosmology that were understood cursorily from skills learned in this curriculum. Similarly, literature is examined both in terms of in-class assignments, and in terms of the wider ranging critical thinking skills that were learned and applied to outside literature. One of the primary scientific elements that have been understood through the International Baccalaureate curriculum is the nature of the individual as an evolving world. While entering high school I had a general understanding of evolution, understanding its deeper connotations and implications has greatly shifted my understanding of human existence. Through instruction in biology I came into greater contact with the foundational theories of Charles Darwin. Darwin’s revolutionary text Origin of the Species established the theory of natural selection, wherein specific traits were passed on through the generations as a direct result of their contribution to the animal’s survival. In terms of scientific elements that were learned, I came to recognize that changes in the gene structure occur through random genetic mutations, instead of shifts during the organism’s lifetime to better fit their environment. While such understandings are greatly rooted in scientific minutia they have contributed to my broader understanding of individuals and society in a variety of ways. One of the primary implications of these understandings are linked to my broader understandings of the nature of existence. Before my exposure to Darwin’s theories, I was greatly conflicted in regards to questions such as the creation of the universe and whether I have free will or if life is pre-determined. In understanding the scientific ramifications of evolution, my embracement of religious presentations of cosmology and creation has been greatly reduced. In these regards, I have increasingly become more question of my position in society and recognize that a creator does not preordain many of the moral and social constraints that underline our existence, but they are developed artificially by humanity. Similarly, I recognize that while religious doctrine would have individuals believe that there is an underlining purpose to the universe and things, in-large part evolutionary theory points to a universe that is largely random. In these regards, I’ve increasingly come to accept that there is no meaning and order in the universe and that individuals have their own free will. When considering the nature of the individual in terms of free will and determinism, my study of literature has also greatly contributed to my understanding. Throughout a substantial amount of classic Greek literature, from Sophocles through Homer, there is a strong thematic concern with the interaction of fate and human existence. Constituting one of the early cornerstone elements of Greek and Western literature, the Odyssey of Homer is one of the preeminent examples of the literary integration of supernatural forces and the progress of human existence. Indeed, a great majority of the principle narrative developments are a direct result of the actions of the gods. This text has also greatly contributed to my understanding of individuals and society. One of the first instances of the god’s actions affecting the characters within the Odyssey occurs in Book I as the Godess Athena assumes the form of Odysseus trusted ally Mentes. Athena visits Telemachus and assures him that his father, Odysseus, is still alive and will, in a short period of time, return to Ithaca. Athena than suggests that Telemachus banish the suitors and that he should visit Sparta to attempt to collect any possible information he can about Odysseus’ return to Ithaca. Athena directly affects Telemachus in this regard, as after she leaves he sets out to confront his mother, Penelope, and then calls a meeting to inform the suitors that they are to leave the land of his father. He states, “I hold the reins of power in this house” (Homer, p. 34). Although two of the suitors object to Telemachus’ request, the instant nonetheless is significant in that it constitutes the initial instance wherein the god’s interfere in the story. This study of ancient literature greatly influenced my understanding of individuals and society. As demonstrated, the Odyssey greatly places emphasis on the interaction of the Gods and society. Studying these elements revealed to me that in ancient Greece individuals were much more open to embracing the hand that gods or religion played in our daily lives. Another prominent element that I considered emerged from the study of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Within this story, it was revealed that there was a flood myth that greatly paralleled the later Christian flood myth. In examining this story and Greek literature, I came to understand that they conflicted with contemporary theological presentations of societies. Ultimately, the combination of my studies in evolutionary science, Greek literature, and the Epic of Gilgamesh, resulted in a strong paradigm shift in regards to my approach to society. In these regards, I came to understand that notions of Christianity as linked to clear definitions of the individual’s place in society are not divinely inspired wisdom, but instead myths of Western society that have been gathered as signposts for daily life. This marked a profound shift in my understanding of individuals and society away from one primarily linked to religious doctrine to a more humanistic approach. While science and literature has influenced my understanding of individuals, my academic study has also greatly influenced my understanding of societies. In these regards, one of the most powerful means by which I have come to gain a deepened social understanding is through satirical works of literature. My coursework exposed me to a number of such works of literature, including Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, which was enlightening for its criticism of overarching political structures. Still, perhaps the most powerful paradigm shift occurred through reading realist literature that exposed the dark underbelly of social processes. One of the most notable of these works is Charles Dickens’ Hard Times. There was considerable social purpose behind the construction of the novel. In Hard Times there is a regular thematic recurrence of the challenges of living a life of poverty and the difficulty of maintaining subsistence without adequate labor laws and standards for the most appropriate workplace conduct. At one instance, the main protagonist Stephen Blackpool states, “Look how we live, an’ wheer we live, an’ in what numbers, an’ by what chances, an’ wi’ what sameness; and look how the mills is awlus a-goin’, and how they never works us no nigher to onny distant object-‘ceptin awlus Death” (Dickens, p. 218). Its clear that the novel functions as a compelling satire on this Victorian England, thematically suggesting that the society itself is turning itself into a machine with its over emphasis on efficiency over humanity. In many regards, I’ve come to understand that while the Industrial Revolution is long-passed there are many elements within this novel that elucidate contemporary societies. While the 20th century witnessed progressive labor movements that ensure many of the unscrupulous labor practices the novel satirized were outlawed, the continued need for vigilance in regards to labor practices and reform is still a necessary element in contemporary society. In these regards, one can consider the promulgation of labor unions through the country, and indeed the world. Interesting in this regard, many individuals would argue that while in Dickens time the need for unions was overwhelmingly evident, today it is the union that have come to assume an unhealthy degree of control. In great part the labor issues Hard Times explores have moved to third-world nations where more established societies have outsourced jobs to exploit low-cost labor and production costs. In these regards, the oppressive and exploitative nature of the economic climate in the novel is mirrored in the exploitative practices of companies that have moved their production operations to China and to Mexico. Ultimately, Dickens opposition to these conditions in 19th century Victorian England greatly contributed to my understanding of the historical nature of labor and exploitation in societies. In addition to the novel format, poetry has a powerful literary message in regards to the individual and society. The nature of poetry throughout history has been one that is crucial to the English language. Poems have experimented with the borders of language as a means of powerfully expressing the abstract nature of the individual’s experience. William Shakespeare’s sonnet ‘Like as the Waves Make Towards the Pebbled Shore’ considers the themes of life, death and love from a variety of perspectives. Shakespeare begins his sonnet by stating, “Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,/ So do our minutes hasten to their end;” (Shakespeare, 1-2). Here Shakespeare is implementing a simile to compare the nature of receding waves to the transitory nature of life. While the speaker is ostensibly attempting to seduce a young woman with his words the poem takes on metaphysical connotations as the line is blurred between love and God. In the final two lines Shakespeare implements a rhyming couplet, “And yet, to times, in hope, my verse shall stand,/ Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand” (Shakespeare, 13-14). Here Shakespeare seems to be speaking not to a woman, but to a God figure that is responsible for the passage of time. It’s this ambiguous feature that gives the poem part of its rhetorical power. Ultimately, the poem reveals importance lessons about the individual’s position in society, demonstrating that while meaning and death may never be understood, it’s crucial for the individual to make the most of their life. In conclusion, this essay has examined how my study of literature and the sciences has contributed to my understanding of individuals and society. In terms of science, the essay has demonstrated that through the study of evolution many aspects relating to the individual have been better understood. Most prominently among these being the paradigm shift from a religious perspective to a humanist viewpoint. Similarly, the essay revealed that investigations into literature altered my perspective on modern religion, demonstrating that such institutions function as myths to provide the individual with guidance in society. Finally, the essay considered how literature, particularly satire, has influenced my understanding of the nature of societies. In these regards, one of the most prominent elements is the nature of labor and exploitation. References Dickens, Charles. (1988) Hard Times. New York: Templeton. Homer. (2010) The Odyssey. New York: Penguin Classics. Shakespeare, William. (2006) Love Sonnets. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Read More