Harari-Part IV-The Scientific Revolution-Sapiens-A-Brief-History-of-Humankind
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The Atomic Bomb Detonation
Date and Time: Alamogordo, 16 July 1945, 05:29:53.
Significance: Marked the first detonation of an atomic bomb.
Robert Oppenheimer's Quote: Upon witnessing the explosion, he quoted the Bhagavadgita: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." This reflects the profound moral and philosophical implications of the creation of nuclear weapons.
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The Discovery of Ignorance
Hypothetical Scenario: A Spanish peasant from AD 1000 wakes up 500 years later and finds the world familiar due to static political and social structures.
Contrast with Columbus’ Era: Columbus's sailors would be astounded by modern technology, highlighting the drastic changes over 500 years.
Population and Economic Growth:
1500: ~500 million Homo sapiens; present: 7 billion.
Economic output increased from ~$250 billion to ~$60 trillion today (240-fold increase).
Daily caloric consumption: increased from ~13 trillion to 1,500 trillion calories (115-fold increase).
Modern Comparisons: A modern battleship could easily destroy Columbus’s fleet, illustrating dramatic advancements in technology and military power.
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Urban Living Conditions Compared
Medieval Cities: Most inhabitants lived in buildings made of mud, wood, and straw, with no common structure over three stories.
Transportation and Noise: Cities were filled with pedestrian and animal traffic, characterized by dirt streets and candlelight at night.
Circumnavigation: Magellan's expedition in 1522 achieved the first circumnavigation of the Earth; by the 20th century, it became a common journey.
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Scientific Achievements and Human Understanding
Moon Landing: 20 July 1969 marked human landing on the moon, a significant evolutionary milestone.
Microorganisms Discovery: Anton van Leeuwenhoek first observed microorganisms in 1674, leading to advances in understanding health and disease.
Atomic Bomb Detail: Explains the complexities arising from scientific revolutions leading to powerful and potentially destructive discoveries.
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Science and Human Capability
Scientific Revolution: Encompasses a collective shift in belief regarding the possibility of acquiring new powers via scientific research.
Historical Context: Prior to AD 1500, rulers invested in preserving knowledge rather than creating new capabilities, primarily through religious and philosophical support.
Investment in Science: Increased belief in scientific inquiry led to substantial funding for research by governments and wealthy patrons.
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Characteristics of Modern Science
Admitting Ignorance: Modern science emphasizes acknowledging what we do not know and allows theories to be challenged.
Role of Observation and Mathematics: Scientific endeavors rely upon empirical observation and mathematical validation to create comprehensive theories.
Dynamic Nature of Knowledge: Unlike premodern traditions that viewed knowledge as fixed, modern scientific knowledge is viewed as tentative and open to revision.
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Ignorance in Historical Context
Premodern Knowledge Systems: Knowledge was thought to be absolute and given by divine or ancient wisdom.
Current Scientific Perspective: Modern scientific inquiry is animated by curiosity and willingness to question established truths.
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The Dynamics of Knowledge
Challenges in Scientific Agreement: The scientific community constantly debates and revises theories in light of new evidence.
Debates in Economics: Similarly, economics is filled with competing theories that evolve with evidence.
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Science and Society
Acceptance in Society: Nowadays, society often relies on science to make collective decisions, yet most positive shared myths face scrutiny.
Ignoring Science for Stability: Some adherent ideologies dismiss scientific uncertainty by proclaiming absolute truths.
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Scientific Methodology
No Dogma in Science: Modern science operates without fixed beliefs, focusing instead on empirical evidence and mathematical models.
Precedence of Empirical Evidence: When empirical observations clash with traditional knowledge, modern science favors the data.
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Historical Advances in Science
Newtonian Physics: Isaac Newton's mathematical principles revolutionized our understanding of motion and change in nature.
Advancements Post-Newton: Theories of relativity and quantum mechanics arose due to exceptions found in Newton’s laws.
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Role of Statistics in Science
Development of Actuarial Science: Acts as the foundation for understanding demographic trends and predicting probabilities in various fields.
Historical Example: Alexander Webster and Robert Wallace's work established actuarial principles that led to modern insurance models.
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Foundations of Modern Demography
Predictive Models: Probability theories helped shape various disciplines and have become essential in social sciences.
Statistical Reliance: Mathematics has increasingly been integrated into fields traditionally viewed as humanities.
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Challenges with Scientific Understanding
Complexity of Science: The mathematical language of modern science often appears inaccessible to the general public.
Prestige of Scientific Knowledge: Despite complexity, science holds significant respect in society due to its tangible benefits.
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Historical Context of Science and Technology
Separation prior to Scientific Revolution: Science and technology evolved independently until integrated in modern history.
Funding for Research: Until the 19th century, funding for research was often scarce and primarily aimed at preserving existing knowledge.
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World Wars and Military Science
Military Advancements in WWI and WWII: Both wars prompted scientific communities to develop new military technologies, such as aircraft and bombs.
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Technological Epistemology
US Nuke Development: In response to threats, scientific advancements in nuclear power were prioritized and ultimately led to decisive military actions.
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Historical Military Strategies
Emphasis on Organization: Historically, advancements in military strategy often overshadowed technological improvements, contributing to empires’ rise and fall.
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Interconnection of Science and Capitalism
Emergence of Military-Industrial Complex: The Industrial Revolution linked science, industry, and military power, altering historical trajectories.
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Ideals of Progress
Shift in Worldviews: Pre-Scientific Revolution cultures viewed the past as superior, but modern ideology transformed humanity's relationship with knowledge and improvement.
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Poverty and Technological Solutions
Modern Views on Poverty: Technological solutions to poverty are increasingly viewed as attainable, with historical developments overcoming many obstacles.
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The Quest for Immortality
Death as a Technical Obligation: Modern perspectives view death not as fateful but as a challenge to be scientifically addressed.
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Cultural Shifts Towards Life Extension
Technological Advances in Medicine: Scientific progress anticipates defeating death, building on past misconceptions about mortality.
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Child Mortality and Human Capacity
Historical Impact of Disease: Comparisons of mortality rates today versus historical contexts display improvements in health and longevity.
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Personal Narratives on Child Mortality
Realities of Historical Figures: The child mortality experienced by prominent historical families illustrates the harsh realities of pre-modern healthcare.
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Expectations of Future Life Expectancy
Project Gilgamesh: Scientific endeavors aim to extend human life indefinitely, with significant progress already evident in modern medicine.
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Funding's Role in Scientific Progress
Economic Influences on Research: The funding of scientific research is informed by political, economic, and social motives beyond mere intellectual curiosity.
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Allocation of Research Funding
Political Decision Making: The ethical implications of funding different areas of scientific research influence priorities and societal progress.
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Ideological Influences on Science
Science's Goals: Ideological and political implications shape the goals of scientific findings, necessitating a critical understanding of their applications.