Role That Science Plays in Determining Our Expression of Literature - Essay Example

Role that science plays in determining our expression of literature Introduction The science was derived from Latin’s word Scientia that means knowledge. It can also be defined as a systematic discipline, which organizes and builds knowledge in a manner of testable predictions as well as explanations related to the universe. Literature, on the other hand, refers to written work. It can also be defined as writing that is formed with letters. There have been numerous conflicts between these two disciplines. However, it is worth noting that these two disciplines have a close link with each other. Science plays a significant role in determining how people express literature (Gossin 4). People should dismiss the importance of science in literature since it helps in literature expression as the document discusses. Discussion Literature entails a written work. It means that it makes use of words that exist in the world to develop these written works. This reveals that it is essential to understand the sense of terms being used when being employed in the literature. In other words, for one to express literature, as it ought to be expressed, it is necessary to be fully aware of the words beings used. Science encompasses various fields such as life science, social science, formal science, physical science and earth & space. Any word that gets used in the literature happens to originate from one of these fields of science. For one to understand how well the words are used in the work of literature, it is important to revisit the respective groups of science. This implies that the exact expression of this literature work will be dependent on science. Several scholars have tried to examine the influence of science in expressing literature. Renan is one of the scholars who attempted to determine how science and literature interrelates. School courses’ superficial humanism, which tends to view students as writers, preachers, poets or writers, was used by this scholar. He noted that superficial humanism is opposite of true knowledge or science. However, when people are talking about knowing Roman and Greek antiquity, they are dealing with knowledge of people. This knowledge is also referred to as humanities. “…these philosophers, whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt, and their eyes to pore over the microscope or crucible, have indeed performed miracles. They penetrate into the recesses of nature, and show how she works in her hiding places” (Shelley). It is, however, right to argue that superficial humanism which tends to be decorative is simply a scientific teaching. For instance, classical antiquity’s knowledge tends to be scientific when the classical antiquity’s remains are studied correctly in their original languages. It is, therefore, possible to argue that all the learning is scientific. Learning tends to be systematically laid out, followed up to its source and, thus, genuine humanism is simply scientific. Literature is something to do with humanity. It represents written texts or works done by people and revolve around people. It is, hence, possible to argue that literature is the genuine humanism. It is, therefore, possible to argue that it is scientific, since the words being used in the literature have to be followed from their source thus incorporating the aspect of science. It is, therefore, evident that for one to express literature, science has to be inclusive (Hoagland and Reema 9). When an individual talks of knowing the Greek and Roman antiquity, he or she talks about knowing the world as well as oneself. In other words, it implies that one understands much vocabulary as well as grammar linked with the authors of Latin and Greek languages. Knowing the Romans and the Greeks, as well as their lives, it is possible to define what they did and what they can obtain from them. Similarly, knowing ourselves and other modern nations is done by knowing what the modern literature is telling us about ourselves. Digging up about a certain group of people, who they are or what they do as well as other aspects related to that group is purely science. Science is also defined as knowledge and relates in organizing and building aspects of the universe in a testable explanations and predictions. When one is researching about a community through literature, he or she is using scientific means and also science. This implies that literature can only be expressed well by science. Knowing literature implies knowing well thought and uttered work in the world. According to Professor Huxley, literature can be termed as a large word. It can encompass everything that has been written with printed or letters in a book. All the knowledge that is obtained by people through books can be termed as literature. However, for that knowledge to be well understood by the learner, some measures need to be applied. Some written information is very difficult for the reader to comprehend (Hoagland and Reema 13). This calls for the learner to conduct the test, research as well as practical so as to get the clear picture of the recorded information. These activities that help the literature to be understood well by the reader are pure scientific. It is, therefore, right to argue that literature cannot be well understood without science. In other words, science exists so as to express literature. Science has been linked with aspects of human brain development. Different philosophers have expressed how the human brain develops in their theories of knowledge. Knowledge can also be referred as science. In the theories of knowledge, one can understand the right type of literature that need to be subjected to the learner of a particular group. A particular literature might be irrelevant to a given group of readers while relevant to another. This is based on the level to which the brains of these groups have developed. The development of this brain is pure science. Similarly, determination of the right literature for different groups of learners is scientific. Science also helps in determining the correct mode of passing certain information or literature to different groups of learners. For example, the way in which a five years kid will be taught is totally different to the way a 13 years student will be taught. In other words, an expression of literature between these two groups of students is totally different. This is pure science which determines this is the correct literature for this group of people, and it should be done in a given manner. This indicates that for literature to be expressed to the right group and in the right manner science have to be applied (Hoagland and Reema 25). Education is a combination of science and literature. Both the two disciplines have roles when it comes to education. Each of the two disciplines is equally important in impacting education to the learners across the globe. It is evident that any written document be it magazine, novel or book has met the qualifications of being regarded as literature. Culture is one of the aspects that have been explained and expounded by literature in a great way. It has then formed a great proportion of the literature works. Scientific education played a vital role in acquiring culture. The life theory has been greatly influenced by physical science. In other words, culture was determined by science. Literature having embarked greatly on culture reveals that it is dependent on science to a very great extent. Similarly, whenever literature is expounding anything related to culture science has to come into play (Hortolà 21). For instance, whenever a reader is reading about a given culture he or she has to narrow down to aspects such as where the culture originates its characteristics as well as other aspects. This is in the attempts of expressing this literature. Narrowing down to the details of a culture on the subject is the application of knowledge. In other words, narrowing to this cultures details can be defined as an application of science in expressing this piece of literature. Literature turns to be very interesting to the reader when he or she understands how things represented in the literature are interlocking. This means that knowledge is interesting to a man who is wise. Similarly, the nature’s knowledge is interesting to everybody. For example, it is interesting to understand how from an egg a chick acquires materials for its bones, feathers, flesh, and bones. It is also very interesting to understand from an egg’s fatty yolk heat, and energy is gained to enable the chick at its length to break the shell consequently beginning its world. However, it can be less interesting or even to interesting to understand how wax is converted into water and carbonic acid when a taper burns. The complexity of an aspect makes it interesting to learn about it. Similarly, it is very true that the practice of dealing with facts given by nature’s study is like friends of physical science. Physical science, therefore, becomes an excellent discipline when it comes to analyzing various processes represented in literature. The study of nature or various processes encompassed in literature constantly demands an experiment and observation. Observations and experiments are some features of science. For a certain thing to be, scientifically approved or determined observation can be used so as to determine how particular processes take place. For a process to be determined exactly and specifically, experiments are usually done. These processes help the learner to understand information represented in literature. These processes not only help in expounding information represented in a work of literature, but also make this information in the literature interesting (Hortolà 39). This implies that literature is perfectly expressed by science. Many people attribute literature to stories, artworks, poems and such aspects close to the named aspects. It has, however, been established that any written material - a book a novel or a newspaper- is a literature. This implies that even the books or education learned in schools is a part of the literature. It is, thus, essential for teachers to employ scientific means to make learning easy as well as interesting to the learners. Science will help the teachers understand the right reading materials to their students as well as the correct teaching methods. This implies that the readers of the literature will always be subjected to the literature of their standard. Literature will also be taught and explained using the correct means. The expression of this literature will be done perfectly by the use of science. Conclusion The discussion above has revealed that science and literature work hand in hand. Literature cannot be expressed in the way it ought to without the use of science. Literature is a product of science. All aspects of literature originate from science. To understand them well, one need to revisit science. This is only done by employing scientific means such as observation and carrying out experiments. By doing so, one can understand science very well. In other words, literature will be expressed in simple, clear and understandable manner. References Hoagland, Ericka, and Reema Sarwal. Science Fiction, Imperialism and the Third World: Essays on Postcolonial Literature and Film. Jefferson: McFarland & Co., Publishers, 2010. Print. Hortolà, Policarp. The Aesthetics of Haemotaphonomy: Stylistic Parallels between a Science and Literature and the Visual Arts. San Vicente del Raspeig: Club Universitario, 2012. Print. Shelley, M. W. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. London, England: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, 1818 Read More