Deciphering and Comparing Proverbial Phrases - Assignment Example

of institute PHILOSOPHY AND TECHNOLOGY DECIPHERING AND COMPARING PROVERBIAL PHRASES [Pick the Contents Put a pacifist to work in a bomb factory and in two weeks he will be designing a new type of a bomb. 3 All the steam in the world could not, like the virgin build Chartres 4 What do these two statements mean or entail? 5 Do they support or contradict each other? 6 How do these two authors regard technology and why? 7 Is either one right? 8 References: 9 Put a pacifist to work in a bomb factory and in two weeks he will be designing a new type of a bomb. A pacifist is a person with a strong aversion towards war. Given any circumstance he would avoid confrontation and any kind of collision with an opposing party. War or aggression is the last thing on the mind of a pacifist. The author through the above statement is trying to convey that if a person who possesses the characteristics of a pacifist is made to work in a bomb factory he would still come up with a new idea to make a bomb. No matter how opposed a person might be towards the concept of waging a war, if the mind is put to work on a task that needs to be done, the task takes precedence against the principles. The chief duty is to design a bomb, and no matter how opposed the principles of the person concerned are, he would eventually end up innovating and creating a new type of bomb. According to the author technology has shaped the human mind and has been much of a latent threat to the very existence of mankind as much as it has been a boon. The author through his interpretation of the human psychology and the constant struggle between the opposing forces of principle/conscience and duty has tried to convey that the human mind and its intrinsic qualities are overpowered by practicality and the reality of life. In this case the reality is the surrounding, the environment, and the opportunity to design a new type of a bomb. Human beings are thinkers, innovators and are prone to ideate. A constant undercurrent of the urge to experiment and innovate prevails on the human mind. The human psyche by nature is inclined to improvise and invent things from what it sees around it and in this example provided by the writer, he may go against his pacifism to design a new bomb within weeks. Even if this means going against his very fundamentals he would still be drawn to live a life of intellectual prosperity and independence. We live in an age where man’s lust for power and technological superiority overshadows basic principles of humanity and life. Man’s greed for machines and mechanisation is to such an extent that he would let the machines take over and in turn be reduces to a defunct and cold vestige of sorts. In our age mechanisation and scientific leapfrogging has finally triumphed to an extent that we can actually feel the tendency of the machine to make physically and intellectually challenging human life impossible. (Orwell 193) Building and developing on the central theme of intellectual proliferation, am individual if confined to a secluded environment with a nature work that is opposed to him, he would eventually begin to put his mind over the job and end up doing the task. All the steam in the world could not, like the virgin build Chartres The second phrase is by Mont Saint Michel and Chartres. It exalts the triumph of technology and its ushering through the Industrial Revolution in the Western World. The power of the mother is represented through the phrase given above. It talks about the benefit of technology to the western world and the power of the Lady who ultimately secures “…the place of woman in the Church to be the guardian of the primacy of the contemplative over the active, of persons over ideas, and of family over economy” (Mary Victrix 1) According to the author the power of technology is immense. Technology is compared to the power of the Lady, Virgin Mary. It was her power, influence and inspiration that led to the construction of the cathedral in Chartres, France. Mary Victrix 1). Technology is viewed as a gift to mankind and a positive and constructive outcome of man’s focused effort and intense determination to break through the barriers of nature making a place for him to reckon with. Duly acknowledged in the works of secular historian Henry Adams where the power and influence of the Lady was mentioned, technology is portrayed in positive light as a feminine divine power capable of moving mountains and bringing change. A boon to mankind technology and its relationship with mankind is depicted as a progressive element, simplifying life, spurring intellectual prosperity and furthering man’s mission in this universe to establish its race as the most powerful and intellectual. The consequences of technological growth and resultant effect on the loves of mankind are compared with the influence of Virgin Mary on the construction on the cathedral in Chartres in France, an act that was believed to be colossal and nearly impossible to perform. The power of the Virgin is compared and likened to the potential power that technology has within it. What do these two statements mean or entail? These statements are two different viewpoints of the perception of technological advancement affecting the life of mankind, its future and the relationship it has with man’s ideals, principles and purpose. The tow proverbial phrases have different analysis of the impact of the technological boom experience in the modern era in the last few centuries through the Scientific Revolutions and Industrial Revolutions in different past of the work and through man’s unrestrained and aggressive ambition to stretch its limitations and rise over its shortcomings and build a more technologically advanced environment through constant thinking, innovation and creativity. This very creativity sometimes spells doom when a conflict of interest arises between man and man’s inventions, often turning into a self destructive act. The contrasting perspective on the evolution of technology from primitive to medieval to advanced and now the futuristic is viewed as a positive outcome of man’s investment into the study and research about itself and its surrounding. Technological proliferation is likened to the power of Virgin Mary whose chaste and pure power influenced the creation of the great cathedral in Chartres, France. The development of the Western World technologically is likened deemed to be the hand of the Lady and her power and blessings. The perspectives on science and technology differ philosophically. The philosophical basis for the reasoning behind the two phrases as provided above is contrasting. The thought out of which the two statements were made are also philosophically different. The first one is made with the observation and the debatable fact that man’s urge for constant refinement of its technological freedom, upgrading of its inventions and the need for change is the reason behind its troubles and a future doom. Do they support or contradict each other? The two phrases are contradictory though they do not directly disagree with each other. By saying that, it is meant that man’s insatiable desire to constant challenge its limits and acquire a technologically advanced status may be in accordance with the boon in the form of The Lady’s power or influence. Pacifism can undergo a demonic mutation when subject to the constant creative urge of building something new, unique and capable of achieving breakthrough results. Even the most peace-loving and amiable people from pacifist background can be intoxicated with the insatiable desire to build something more potentially dangerous to the future of mankind. Susceptible as they are to the inner instincts of human beings, creative, ambitious, intellectual and machine loving. The comment made about Pacifism and bomb making is not only restricted to the invention of life threatening machines, arm and ammunition. It extends beyond its scope and brings within its purview every reasonably normal man with instincts to create, innovate, challenge one’s limitations and come up with refined versions of their inventions capable of achieving bigger results. The hydrogen bomb and its successor the atom bomb didn’t come out of thin air. Rather it was born in people’s minds. Orwell’s statement highlight’s this basic premise of the potential that innovation can have in the minds of people. Orwell in his philosophy states that the mindless race for technological superiority has the potential to go against the interest of mankind and bring them to their own doom. He reasons against the global trend, the current trend of aggressive industrialization and human activities centering on path breaking inventions. The untamed desire to invent, according to Orwell will clash with man’s own interests and give way to self destructive circumstances e.g.: the inventions of the atomic bomb, the nuclear reactor, battle tanks etc. The aircraft used to transport people in shortest time across geographies, a marvelous invention, and a stupendous adaptation of natures wonder into technology by putting to use a birds flying technique was re-engineered, modified into destructive combat aircrafts like MIG 32, MIG21, Sukhoi, SWAT aircrafts etc. Orwell’s statement is in direct contradiction with Adam’s point of view. Adam in his book: the Virgin and the Dynamo, talks about the glorification of machines and its association with the Virgin a cult-following indulging in machine worship. Adam’s presents his perspective on technological race and revolution and the relation between man and technology or machines as the miracle that Virgin Mary’s power and influence had on the construction of the Cathedral in Chartres, France. Orwell has deep concern about the exploitation of labor and about British imperialism. However this didn’t go down to well with his contemporary thinkers and leaders. Orwell’s publisher was himself offended about Orwell’s account and did his best to sabotage Orwell’s book keeping it from being published for more than 20 years. The socialists were offended by Adams works because the fundamental theory of Lenin and Mar x supported technological growth and advancement. How do these two authors regard technology and why? These two authors have different outlooks toward technology which is clearly reflected in their phraseology and the perception surfacing from the writings. The first phrase shows contempt towards man’s incessant quest for breaking barriers and taking technological growth to higher levels. The second statement views technology and likens it to the power of The Lady, Virgin Mary. It is a premise of the Marian Philosophy and belief. The author of the first phrase in saying that, If a pacifist is confined in a bomb making factory will come up with a new design for a bomb within a few weeks, points out on the negative side of the unstoppable urge for advancement in man. As for the second phrase it has connections with the Marian Philosophy and the power of the highest female figure known to man, i.e., Mother Mary a symbol of chastity, spirituality, purity and the epitome of motherhood. Considered to be lesser than God and more than a saint she is linked with the Western World’s fast paced growth and development and technical superiority. As put by the author it is boon out of the blessing, power and influence of the Lady. Is either one right? These two statements depict two ways of looking at technology and its relationship with mankind. Neither one is absolutely right or wrong. The first phrase summarises the ambition of mankind in a nut shell. It throws light on man’s constant urge to apply, invent, innovate and improve upon its inventions and innovations. As for example poisonous gases, gun powder, nuclear bombs oppose mankind and its existence, but nevertheless, these have been the craftwork of man himself. (Orwell 1) Despite the basic principle of assisting the growth, wellbeing and progress of mankind on earth and the prosperity of its species to grow and evolve into a better version, the constant urge to innovate and improve have led to the existence of things that threaten the very existence of mankind. (Orwell 1) The pacifist will end up making a bomb if confined in a bomb factory, the environmentalist will end up making the deadliest of chemicals if put in a chemical warfare research laboratory, the animal lover will eventually accept killing of animals if confined to a slaughter house that uses animal skin for utility and fashion products. The evolution of technological influence on the life of man and the evolution of the human life style in general is portrayed as heading towards doom through the silent, hidden and unconscious endeavour to reduce man into a “brain in a bottle”. (Orwell 1) The growing ambition and intent of mankind to reduce human effort; automate and mechanise simple and complex tasks is heading the generation and the ones to come in an era of intellectual slowdown. Couple with that the insatiable urge of man to upgrade its inventions and make its effects more pronounced and far reaching has lead to the mutation of principle, distortion of thoughts and state wherein man is sleep walking into its own grave. Technological surge and the growing ambition of mankind is shown in a negative light, capable of wiping out the human species from the face of the earth. (Orwell 1) Man will continue his journey of eternal quest of technological excellence, making more and more machines and further machines to build machines. Machines would become the new race of slaves, which would supposedly free humanity free. The only danger is that these machines might double up as destroyers capable of wiping out the human race through improper usage. As an example the aeroplane in its innovated form of fighter crafts are used in wars. Other than wars and unforeseen calamities the future is seen as a march of mechanical progress, machines to save effort, machines to accomplish herculean tasks, machines to do repetitive work, machines to ensure more work, hygiene, efficiency, more machines, until finally we land up in the land of physically crippled and handicapped men(“little fat men”). (Orwell 193) References: 1. Orwell, G. The Road to the Wigan Pier. Ch 12. Web. 12 May 2012-05-12 Retrieved From: http://www.george-rwell.org/The_Road_to_Wigan_Pier/11.html 2. Adams, H. The Dynamo and the Virgin. Ch 25.Web. 12 May 2012. Retrieved From: http://www.bartleby.com/159/25.html. 3. Mary Victrix. Marian Chivalry of the Modern World. The Virgin or the Goddess. 12 May 2012. Web 12 May 2012 Retrieved From: http://maryvictrix.com/marian-chivalry/chivalry-and-our-lady/the-virgin-or-the-goddess/ 4. Time Magazine US. Books: God, France and the Virgin. 25 Nov 1955. Web. 12 May 2012. Retrieved From: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861719,00.html 5. Chorister, R. B. Mary and Mariology. 12 May 2012. Web. 12 May 2012. Retrieved From: http://maryandmariology.blogspot.in/p/syllabus.html Read More