In his short essay, "A Reply to Professor Haldane," Lewis writes:
Out of the Silent Planet is certainly an attack, if not on scientists, yet on something which might be called ‘scientism’—a certain outlook on the world which is causally connected with the popularization of the sciences, though it is much less common among real scientists than among their readers. It is, in a word, the belief that the supreme moral end is the perpetuation of our own species, and that this is to be pursued even if, in the process of being fitted for survival, our species has to be stripped of all those things for which we value it—of pity, of happiness, and of freedom.
Were Lewis alive today, I suspect he might have a similar warning about technology, for every time we make a technological gain, it is at the expense of something - perhaps unrealized - that we already possess. That is, I may have hundreds of facebook 'friends', but the time I spend (or waste) on facebook is face-to-face time I lose with flesh-and-blood Family and Friends. (I'm not a facebook hater, by the way. I'm just making an observation about the reality of what may or may not be actual human advancements.)
Using a passage from Out of the Silent Planet as your starting point (page number, please; feel free to draw from the entire text), briefly discuss something in Lewis's world or today's world that, for all intents and purposes, appears to be a scientific or medical or technological gain or advance but which also carries with it the very real possibility of 'loss' or 'un-advancement'. Regarding the facebook example above, I might first refer to passages in the text where Ransom and Hyoi build a strong friendship only after spending significant face-to-face time together, learning each other's language, sharing experiences, and discussing such things as life, love, and death; then I would move on to a discussion of facebook and how, though it appears to enrich and expand my relational circle, it may be doing so at a very high (and possibly uncalculated) cost.
This post will require you to negotiate the text in a creative yet careful way, and to then expand your discussion beyond the text in a way that is logical, analytical, and thought-provoking.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Next week's quiz will be on TUESDAY and will cover chapters 14 through the Postscript. The format will be similar to Thursday's quiz.
- DO NOT print off and start reading the Harvard interlinear edition of "The Wife of Bath." I've made a change in our next text and will send an email with details. Be sure to check your Purdue inbox before our next class.
On page 33 and 34 in Out of The Silent Planet, Lewis goes into extensive detail about Ransom’s observations of outer space from the ship. Ransom feels “extremely well” and is unable to brood on the “terrors” that await him in the future, due to the beauty he beholds (Lewis 32-34). One of the more intense phrases from these pages included: “There were planets of unbelievable majesty, and constellations undreamed of: there were celestial sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pinpricks of burning gold; far out on the left of the picture hung a comet, tiny and remote: and between all and behind all, far more emphatic and palpable than it showed on Earth, the undimensioned, enigmatic blackness” (Lewis 33). Through all that he sees, Ransom “felt his body and mind daily rubbed and scoured and filled with new vitality” (Lewis 34).
ReplyDeleteLewis’s description through Ransom’s eyes is something that is not commonly found anymore in modern society. People rarely take the time to really revel in the beauty around them and be awestruck by the natural elegance they so often take for granted. Although we need plants and trees to provide us with oxygen, we are slowly destroying our tropical rain forests for more resorts, apartments complexes, and mini-malls, without even a thought as to the detrimental effects this may cause. Unlike Ransom, we are unable to appreciate what we have as we can only think of what we “could” have or “might” have. We need more oil so we should drill into Alaska’s national park. We need more land for people to live on so there is an increase in deforestation. These things seem to us to be technological gains for the betterment of all society; however, we are slowly destroying the planet we live on as well as abusing all of our natural resources.
If people were more cognizant of our surroundings and took the time to appreciate what we have been given, they would be less likely to wreak havoc on the land. In essence, we are “biting the hand that feeds us.” Using Ransom’s mentality and bowing down to the higher power at work: nature, humans would come to realize how small we really are in comparison to the world around us. Also, we would realize that all of our “advancements” are really just retrogressive.
The phrase "scientific or medical or technological gain or advance" makes me immediately think of new inventions. And when I think about inventions in this book, naturally the first to come to mind is the space-ship. A brief description of it is found in Chapter 4, page 30. Weston informs Ransom, "The ship is roughly spherical...The core of the ship is a hollow globe - we keep our stores inside it - and the surface of that globe is the floor we are walking on. The cabins are arranged all round this, their walls supporting an outer globe which from our point of view is the roof..." This invention is clearly a significant one, and one that at the point in time this book was written, had not even been conceived yet! Without this space-ship, the whole story would be lost, right? To this particular story, it is an essential, but what about other inventions in life?
ReplyDeleteIn this day and age, new gadgets are getting thought up every single day. And many, I'll admit, are beneficial and can/do put our society better-off. But do we NEED all of these "things"? Example: the iPad. Now I am not an owner of one myself, nor will I ever be, but I have used one before. Sure, it's a great invention, makes checking your e-mail and the Internet much more accessible than say a cell phone or laptop. But what is it doing to our society? The answer: Simply making us want more. First, Apple creates the iPod. Then the second generation iPod. Then the third. And so on...Essentially, our society is so hung up on having the next best thing that we get sucked into this money-making scheme. As long as we're buying, they'll keep making. We are not content with something that works perfectly fine IF there is something out there that is newer or faster or slightly better at all. Now, I am not saying that I am not this way, but it is my belief that we are all like this in some respect. But perhaps we should reflect upon what we have and spend more time contemplating whether or not we NEED what we want.
In chapter 17, Ransom feels obligated to give Augray a gift for escorting him on his journey to Oyarsa. He offers his watch, but Augray says, “This gift ought to be given to a 'pfifltrigg'… As for its use, do your people not know except by looking at this thing how much of the day has worn?” Ransom replies, “I believe there are beasts that have a sort of knowledge of that, but our 'hnau' have lost it” (Chapter 17, page 107).
ReplyDeleteIn this case, Ransom laments that humans have lost the ability to tell time naturally. While many animals on Earth have retained their “biological clocks”, humans have come to rely solely on their watches and other timepieces as a way to keep track of time. I find it interesting that Augray politely refuses the gift and seems shocked that humans are “clock-watchers”.
Although timepieces can certainly be viewed as technological advancements, they are also arguably a source of frustration and obsession. As humans, we are constantly checking our watches to meet deadlines and make sure we’re on time. Instead of enjoying ourselves and using our own judgment to decide when we need to do things, we instead turn to our watches to figure out how to live our lives.
The more I think about this, the more I’m reminded of the song “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” by the band Chicago. The lyrics [As I was walking down the street one day / A man came up to me and asked me what / the time was that was on my watch, yeah… and I said / (I don’t) Does anybody really know what time it is / (Care) Does anybody really care (about time) / If so I can’t imagine why (Oh, no no) / We’ve all got time enough to cry] are a perfect exemplification of this notion of keeping a constant eye on the clock; is it really necessary when we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us?
Text messaging is a fairly recent technology that allows individuals to check up on others quickly and allows individuals to communicate an idea in a brief manner. Although, text messaging is a fast and relatively efficient way to communicate with others, it certainly has its drawbacks. Much like the facebook example, text messaging decreases face-face time with actual people. Furthermore, being that the nature of text messaging is a form of brief communication, it often disallows people to engage in deep and meaningful conversations. For example, text messaging does not allow the type of meaningful back-and-forth conversation between Ransom and Hyoi that occurred throughout chapter 12, where they discussed the concepts of war, sharing, love, and death.
ReplyDeleteAnother potential problem that has appeared with the age of text messaging (as well as chat rooms and instant messaging) is people's desire to shorten their messages by using "U" instead of "you", "R" instead of "are", and the like. In a way, the shortening of these words prohibits us from exploring the depth and nuances of our vocabulary. This was not an issue when CS Lewis wrote his book. In fact, Ransom was enthralled by the idea of learning the Hross language (p. 56). I have to wonder if many of the individuals growing up today with this technology will have the same thirst for language as Ransom did in the book.
In our world today we have many different kinds of new technology; some of these are very useful as others are not. Over time weapons advancement has also had its pros and cons. For one we are more safe as a country overall because we have such a technological advancement in our military department. Guns are very common throughout America, but police and military people are the only people who own these. With these advancements the public also has access to some of these weapons, which can lead to acts of violence from one person to another. Just like in chapter 13 where Hyoi is shot and killed by one of the humans. On Malacandra their weapons are not advanced at all, and they do not believe in violence to one another so this is not an issue in their world, like it is in ours. Weapons are supposed to be used as protection only but in today’s world they are more used to harm others instead. I makes you wonder if no one had access to weapons and they did not exist would you feel safer or feel less protected?
ReplyDeleteOn page 71 it makes references to the tools on Malcandra to be different then the tools on Earth. “The youth of the hrossa got out their weapons—primitive harpoons with points of bone…” “He [Ransome] wished to make himself useful, and was already to beginning to have some vague capacity of the primitive hrossian tool.” After the talk about tools, on page 73-74 Ransom and Hyoi talk about warfare. Hyoi has no idea why there is a need for it. Hyoi says, “If the other hnau wanted food, why should we not give it to them. We often do.”
ReplyDeleteTechnology in weaponry in Lewis’s time and today is way past primitive tools. Countries are trying to make bigger better and stronger weapons then their neighbor so if for some reason their neighbor attacks them they could obliterate them. There is also an idea of the “more elite” countries to control which of their neighbor can have these mega weapons. I have a trouble understanding if a neighbor country of the United States cannot have this mega weapon why do we need it. Millions and millions of dollars are being put into national defense and building these weapons. People are losing sight of the fact there is more important things to spend money and time on. Without this idea of extreme weapons the world would be safer. Everyone in Malacandra use and makes things they need to live peacefully. There is no need to make to kill their neighbor because they can work together peacefully. I believe this shows how as humans we are a bent race.
Arguably the most detailed and descriptive accounts of most of Ransom’s experiences on Malacandra are of the unique beauty and strangeness of the landscape. In chapter 7 on page 43, a quote that I feel has much more meaning than just seeing the setting but can easily be applied to that conclusion is when Ransom first finds himself off the ship, “ He saw nothing but colours- colours that refused to form themselves into things. Moreover, he knew nothing yet well enough to see it: you cannot see things till you know roughly what they are.” This quote I feel is hugely symbolic about life and specifically Ransom’s live before he arrives on Malacandra. Although he is on a walking tour, he relies on cars, maybe even sometimes telephones and other technology to achieve and throughout his walk, without really realizing what is going on around him even though that is supposed to be the purpose of his trip in the first place. He is infatuated and drawn in to everything about the landscape and without all the distractions of even the “basic” technologies that were present in the time. He was allowed to truly remove himself from and of the pesky disturbances of his earth life and immerse himself fully in nature and reach a vulnerable state to experience things and new relationships he wasn’t aware or open to on earth. The “loss” of the advancement of technology gives him new freedoms and grants him to return to a “pre-civilized” society that has been living without the technologies Ransom is used to for much longer than the inventions of those technologies had been in use on Earth. It seems to be the case that Lewis is trying to portray the view that things were much better and peaceful without any of the technologies, which is actually the reverse of what majority of science fictions have ever been about.
ReplyDeleteRansom was fully present throughout the story. He was always observing, interpreting and learning about the people around him and his surroundings. By living in the "here and now," Ransom caught on to a lot of what was going on around him and learned many things that might otherwise have escaped him. If Ransom was constantly sending messages to his loved ones at home, he might have wallowed in his uncertainty instead of opening himself to the cultures he was dumped in.
ReplyDeleteTexting is a very common form of communication, especially for college students. I text a lot throughout the day, carrying on long winded conversations or commiserating about being bored or tired. I think that texting is pretty handy when you don't have enough time to have a full blown conversation. Sometime's it's much easier to send a quick text than to call.
However texting has it's downfalls. I feel rude texting in a small crowd of people or during a conversation, but at the same time the person on the other end might be waiting for my reply.
Texting takes us out of the present, sometimes during very inconvenient times. For example, driving is not the best time to text, nor is while eating dinner with your family--but sometimes we do it anyway. If Ransom had been texting and thinking about everyone he left at home, he would not have been fully immersed in Malechondria. His experience would have been entirely different.
In the beginning of chapter 17, Ransom has almost reached the end of his journey to see the Oyarsa. While approaching Meldilorn, "The beauty of this new handramit as it opened up before him took his breath away...and right below him lay an almost circular lake-- a sapphire twelve miles in diameter set in a border of purple forest"(p. 105). Ransom goes on to describe the entire enchanting landscape around him, appreciating every second of it. He experiences one of the most magical moments in his life, just by gazing over a beautiful landscape. This appreciation of natural beauty is one aspect of our society that seems to have dwindled over time.
ReplyDeleteToday people's lives are so busy that no one takes the time to "stop and smell the roses" as they say. We forget to appreciate the natural beauty around us and instead cause damage to our environment with pollution and overpopulation. We no longer go for leisurely walks to talk about each other's lives instead we text message or email each other. To us there is no value in a beautiful, untouched, and wild landscape. Instead we would only value that land if we could cut down all the trees and sell them to a paper factory. While paper is an important part of society and beneficial for things like books and records, deforestation is a big problem in our society and very detrimental to the environment. I have to wonder in a situation like this if the benefits actually outweigh the costs.
It is important that our society continues to make advances in the fields of science and technology, but what we do not realize is all that we are losing along the way. While books can teach future generations about the beauty of our planet, are they worth potentially loosing that beauty for?
In today’s society, everyone is always busy. Everyone is always on the go. It seems that anymore no one really has the time to ‘stop and smell the roses.’ I think humans as a race take for granted how beautiful the world we live in is. This could be because of the busy, on-the-go nature of our country or because of technology and the newest inventions which allow us to remove ourselves from the world around us. However, it seems that Lewis wants Ransom, in Out of the Silent Planet, to actually take the time to do just this, to take the time and look, actually look, at his surroundings.
ReplyDeleteWe see Ransom taking in the beauty of his surroundings in more than one place of the novel but two that I would like to bring to mind are ones that have already been mentioned by Blair and Corinne, Chapter 5, page 33 and Chapter 7, page 43. The first, in Chapter 5, is when Ransom is on the ship just observing the beauty and the wonder of the space around him. Ransom “felt his body and mind daily rubbed and scoured and filled with new vitality” (Lewis 34). I think he is feeling that his surroundings are so magnificent that everything he knows in completely erased daily and he is filled with a new knowledge and a new feeling of wonder. What he is looking at is nothing he has ever seen before. The second, is when Ransom first sets foot outside of the ship onto Malacandra. It seems that he just can’t help but notice the amazingly unique beauty of this interesting planet, despite his fear of what the sorns are, what they will do to him, and how he will escape. All Ransom can think about is the beauty, “ He saw nothing but colours- colours that refused to form themselves into things. Moreover, he knew nothing yet well enough to see it: you cannot see things till you know roughly what they are” (Lewis 43).
In both places in the book, Ransom is completely removed from everything he knows and is able to stare in amazement at the world around him. Without the everyday technologies and knowledge he would consistently rely on he is able to see new things in a way maybe he has never looked at anything before. Today, if people could remove themselves as Ransom has been removed I think it would be a step in the right direction of being able to once again admire the beautiful world around us.
When reading the theme for this blog post, the famous hnakra hunt came to mind. Although this does not have any direct relationship with specific medical or technological advancements, the hnakra hunt could represent many different current situations. According to Chapter 11 at the bottom of page 71, there has not been any hnakra in their waters for some time now. Therefore, this causes Hyoi to become very excited to kill the hnakra because it is a rare occurrence. In chapter 12 on page 76, the hrossa are described as getting ready for war and Hyoi wants to be the first to kill the hnakra. On the other hand, if Hyoi dies, he would receive a respected death and the hnakra would still be much desired to hunt. The hnakra is an enemy to the hrossa, but the hrossa live to hunt the hnakra.
ReplyDeleteThis experience is easy to relate to because today people hunt as a hobby, and also pride themselves for what they kill. Ransom had a feeling that both he and Hyoi had grown up which is a feeling associated with a young hunter today killing its first deer. However on Malacandra, the hrossa also hunt the hnakra because it will provide a lot of food. This hunt is a necessity for the hrossa to eat as well as a hunt to utilize one’s skills and pride themselves with a kill. Today, people do not have to hunt for food because of the great advancements in food processing, but the pride and maturity gained throughout the experience is still very easily seen today.
One point in the book that i find interesting referring to the blog post, is the idea that in Weston's eyes his education is less valuable because it does not deal with science. On page 21 Weston refers to Ransom as, "only an individual and probably a quite useless one." Weston is referring to Ransom's education as to why he is useless. I feel that if you focus entirely on math and science for an educational bases, you run the risk of loosing some aspects of what makes people human. You may loose the creativity and passion that has come to define humanity. Also with out an understanding of classical education people run the risk of forgetting where we can from and what mistakes we made along the way to our current society. With just science in our lives we may loose cultural expansion and make the world a less colorful place.
ReplyDeleteAt one point one of the benefits of Ransom's education comes out. On page 56 Ransom's first encounter with the Hross is dictated by his educational background. This shows that without a more classical education Ransom's entire introduction to the Hross, thier culture, and the entire planet might have remained a mystery to him.
The first thing that comes to mind is the conversation between Ransom and Hyoi in the beginning of chapter 12. Ransom asks Hyoi if the hrossa, seroni and pfifltriggi ever wage war against each other, and Hyoi could never imagine why they would go against each other in the first place (p. 73). Ransom then proceeds to ask about monogamy and pleasure and if there are any bent hrossa who would go out and take another mate. Hyoi answers in confusion because such a concept is not even logical to their species (p. 74). Upon reading this dialogue between the two characters, it was interesting to see that through technology and industrial advancements such as war, we as people today take many things for granted. Through the innovations of higher level weaponry like guns and cannons, we sometimes take even the most precious and valued things such as our lives so lightly. For example, on page 82 when Hyoi gets shot by man's gun, one can really understand the meaning of the saying, "guns don't kill people; people kill people." It is because of man's greed that our creativity and innovations become "bent".
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that this should be the discussion question this week, as we talked about a similar topic in another one of my classes last week. We had to watch this video, and it's pretty interesting, if anyone's keen to watch it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv8pmIr3a7k&feature=related
The point I wanted to draw your attention to occurs at 4:13, when it says that by 2013, a supercomputer will be built that exceeds the computational capabilities of the human brain. That's three years away. And, whether or not we really reach that milestone, it's an interesting idea to think about. Obviously, a computer performing the role of a human will be much cheaper for a company in the long run, so we can see how employers would be interested in such a replacement.
I couldn't tell you why, but that thought really disturbed me. It made me feel as though there is a distinct possibility that humans will be superseded by computers and rendered obsolete. Why should human beings exist at all, if all our functions can be more efficiently performed by a computer? And, most importantly, what is it that differentiates us from computers?
In Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Net Let Me Go (spoiler alert!) the characters believe that the clones are closer to human beings than they are to soulless objects because of their ability to use their minds creatively, and create poems and art. I think this could be a key differential between humans and computers, and it brings to mind the art of the Hrossa. This, in my mind, is one of the elements that makes them 'hnau', or like humans, rather than mechanical, computational objects. Several times, we hear about the Hrossa's affinity for the arts (67, 70, 101). Interestingly, on 101, we learn that the Hrossa ceased to write books of poetry, because "they say that the writing of books destroys poetry." Can you imagine what they would say about computers?
I think the destruction of the arts would be the one of the greatest losses if humans were, as the video suggests, superseded by computers. Already, humans are destroying poetry, in the minds of the Hrossa, and technological advancements are only going to make that worse.
Probably the saddest moment in the entire novel occurs at the end of Chapter 13, when Hyoi is shot and killed by Weston and Devine. They use a rifle, a tool that the hrossa have no knowledge of, and Ransom can only describe it to the hrossa as something that allows men to "throw death at a distance" (p. 82). When Ransom suggests that the hrossa kill him and the other two men to prevent further harm, the hross Whin replies, "One does not kill hnau. Only Oyarsa does that" (p. 83). This aversion of the hrossa to any sort of violence against another hnau is in complete contrast to the men, who have developed weapons meant to kill and do not hesitate to use them.
ReplyDeleteAs stated in a few of the previous posts, weaponry is certainly a technological advancement of which humans are proud. On Earth, weapons are used as a form of defense, whether it be in the hands of the police, the military, or individual citizens. They are also used as a way to accomplish goals when it is seemingly only possible to do so by force. In fact, the United States would not even be a country without the the technology of weaponry used in the Revolutionary War.
However, the use of weaponry has also resulted in many crucial losses for society on Earth. With the invention of the first weapon, regardless of the intent of the maker, man lost the state of peace and harmony that is still experienced by the Malacandrians in the novel. With each new advancement in weapons technology, it has become easier and easier to kill, and while many weapons are used for their intended purpose of defense and protection, many others are used with the sole intent of harming another person. If the hrossa were surprised by the rifle, which could "throw death at a distance," I can only imagine how horrified they would be to learn about the newest nuclear weapons. For better or worse, however, weapons have become an integral part of our world, and as a result, any semblance of the peace experienced on Malacandra is only the thinnest illusion on our Earth.
In ch. 13 p.82 Lewis goes into great detail describing the death of Hyoi. "He did not know the words for forgive, or shame, or fault, hardly the word for sorry. He could only stare into Hyoi's distorted face in speechless guilt. But the hross seemed to understand." Without Hyoi's personality and Ransom's ability to read Hyoi's face, Ransom would never have known that Hyoi didn't blame him for his death. Even though they couldn't communicate forgiveness effectively they knew that there was a mutual respect and appreciation.
ReplyDeleteOne of the technologies that we use everyday is email. It is instantaneous and free and one of the most effective ways to get information out to large groups of people. However with the convenience of email there comes a cost. One of them being the fact that with the use of email you lose the touch of personality. I was never a big letter writer up until I went to bootcamp this past summer. Letters were my only contact with the outside world, I had no other forms of communcication. Seeing my mom's handwriting and stationary was the closest thing to home that I felt during my time there. It was at bootcamp that I realized the personality that a letter brings to the table; something that email fails to deliver. My family could tell by my handwriting in the letters that I wrote back to them when I was discouraged or rushed because my usually neat handwriting was sloppy and my letters home tended to be longer when I was homesick. I never told them that I was missing home but my family knew me well enough and knew my handwriting well enough to know that I was missing them. If I had emailed them they would have not been able to tell quite as easily how I was actually doing. I do appreciate the convenience and speed of email but I feel that email has taken the personality out of correspondence.
Oyarsa- " In your own world you have attained great wisdom concerning bodies and by this you have been able to make a ship that can cross the heaven; but in all other tihngs you have the mind of an animal" (page 133, line 11-12) I chose this line because it particularly struck me, although I am not referring to a single piece of technology in general, I would like to argue that one thing that science has done has dominated our societies mindset of creativity and diversity. Yes, science is a wonderful thing, and I am all for the advancement of science within reasonable measures, but I must say in todays society there is a lot more weight on the value of a medical degree, or an engineering degree than a degree in dance, acting, or (POLITICAL SCIENCE) <--my major. I am pointing this out because I think our society values science more than creativity and although science is a wonderful and beneficial thing, that does not mean it is any better than the humanities, and the social sciences and other things. Although, I do give them a great amount of respect because I couldn't do what they do.
ReplyDeleteIn relationship to my quote, Oyarsa was telling Weston how he may know a lot about science and knowledge, but in life he knows nothing! He doesn't know what is important, and my problem with science is that if we put all of our focus and value on Science and mathematics then we miss out on art, creativity, and the small details that make life great.
On page 96 Augray is showing Ransom Thulchandra and other plaents and Randsom gets to see the earth even the whole solar system in a new light because he is viewing it from a different world. He views the world as beautiful and can see all the different shapes it takes. We sometimes take life for granted and we dont sit down and appreciate the natural beauty of the world because we are so fixated on what scientists tell us the universe is like but if we took the chance to stop our hectic lives and look up at the sky we would see just how beautiful the world can be.
ReplyDeleteThere are many objects in today's society in which the argument could be made that it also regresse society. Specifically in relation to "Out of the Silent Planet", one of these objects is illustrated while Ransom is basking in triumph over the kill of the hnakra with Hyoi and Whin. Suddenly, "at that moment Ransom was defeaned by a loud sound- a perfectly familiar sound which was the last thing he expected to hear...It was the crack of an English rifle" (82). The gun represents a technological advancement that is hurtful to both today's society as well as Malacandrian society. In the history of the gun on Earth, they have contributed to the deaths of millions of people through homicide, suicide, wars, and accidental shotootings. Any creation of an object that decreases population can be seen as a regression of society. On Malacandria, Hyoi is a victim of what was most likely an accidental shooting. The fact that guns can just as easily kill innocent victims can also be viewed as technology that has pushed back society.
ReplyDeleteI chose to focus on embryonic stem cell research as a part of human medical advancement as well as an “un-advancement”. In chapter four, Weston states to Ransom , “My only defense is that small claims must give way to great. As far as we know, we are doing what has never been done in the history of man, perhaps never in the history of the universe….infinity, and therefore perhaps eternity, is being put into the hands of the human race. You cannot be so small-minded as to think that the rights or the life of an individual or of a million individuals are of the slightest importance in comparison with this.” (Lewis 29) I strongly believe all of this statement can be applied to the controversial topic of stem cell research.
ReplyDeleteA short history of stem cell research involving embryonic stem cells is that these cells can grow well in a laboratory and can develop into almost all types of bodily tissues. This gain in medical knowledge allows the possibility of cell therapy treatment for a huge variety of diseases. Unfortunately, these embryos, once experimented on, are deliberately destructed. This is highly controversial, and to me it is a loss. In the Catholic doctrine, a human life begins from the moment of the union of gametes, but with this research, it is experimented on and then destroyed for the good of “others” because there is a worldly view that embryos are not yet “human.” Who is to say that this embryo is not valuable to human kind?
When Weston states, that the boy was “Incapable of serving humanity and only too likely to propagate idiocy, the sort of boy who in a civilized community would be automatically handed over to a state laboratory for experimental purposes” (Lewis 21), we see the viewpoint that it is okay for one life destroyed for the sake of saving others. Another human is stating that the value of a life(one embryo) or a thousand lives(thousands of embryos), is not important in a quest to save millions, and once again, who is to say when a human life begins? The loss of humanity in stem cell research is the thought that one’s life is unimportant, unvalued, in comparison to something supposedly “bigger”, a scientific breakthrough. Another reference of this loss is when Weston states, “Still, he’s only an individual, and probably a quite useless one.” (Lewis 21)
“Moreover, he knew nothing yet well enough to see it: you cannot see things till you know roughly what they are.” (Lewis 43) As humans, we should realize every life should be valued equally, and this won’t be understood unless we take step back and realize a one life is just as important than the next .
Sometimes I believe humans are so caught up in technology, computers, and cramming information into their heads, they sometimes forget why they are doing all these things. Now days students who go to high school or college stuff so much information in their heads for tests, but really never learn the material or get to appreciate the knowledge they are obtaining. Instead of actually learning they are learning for the time being and then throwing the information out once it becomes useless to them (like cramming for a test). In chapter 15 Ransom is talking to the sorns and they say, "When Ransom asked if valuable secrets might not thus be lost, they replied that Oyarsa always remembered them and would bring them to light if he thought fit. 'The hrossa used to have many books of poetry,' they added. 'But now they have fewer. They say that the writing of books destroys poetry.'" (101). Although it is good we are documenting everything and keeping a record of events throughout human history, this quote makes me think that sometimes it is easier and more logical to just live simpler. We are stuffing our heads everyday with useless information from watching tv and reading junk that we miss whats really important. And if it is important, like the quote says, it will be repeated and brought to our attention. "The writing of books destroys poetry", poetry should be emotional and something created to describe that certain time and place. Writing books and documenting them takes the beauty away from poems and instead makes them seem like black and white facts, written only to be studied when really they should be enjoyed. I feel like today we document and study all these things for our gain and knowledge. But it could be a loss because sometimes we really do not soak in the things we are studying. We don't fully appreciate things and we forget them as soon as they become irrelevant. Our brains get so overloaded that we sometimes miss the beauty that lays right in front of us.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting parts in the book would be where Ransom, Weston, and Devine all meet with Oyarsa. These are the representatives of humanity meeting with the representative of Malacandra. This is important because you see what each person wants out of it- Devine wants gold (p. 133), and Weston wants to claim the land for the people of earth (p. 134-139). In this section Oyarsa shows his ability to make something no longer exist. He refers to it as unmaking. This is usually a ceremonial technique used to dissolve corpses of those that have passed, or in very rare circumstances, to kill a hnau that was severely wronged. Despite seeing the hallowed ceremony in front of him, Devine cannot help but make a quip about how useful it would be to hide a body of someone you have killed back on Earth with this ability (p. 131). Weston was not there to see it, but when he returns Devine warns him: "Steady, Weston. These devils can split the atom or something pretty like it. Be careful what you say to them and don't let's have any of your bloody nonsense (p. 133)"
ReplyDeleteSplitting the atom certainly shows what humans are capable of on a technological level. The most powerful weapons in history have been created and can wipe out entire cities. Of course this powerful invention comes at the price of corruption and the death of innocent lives on the citizens of the area it is used on. When the bombs dropped on Japan, this was the first of a two-pronged event that cost the people of earth their humanity and chance of redemption (not in the religious sense, but redemption to mean that our entire race now has unwashable blood on our hands). During the Cold War, the world hung in a delicate balance between two countries more than ready to use nuclear weapons and potentially destroy the entire planet over a matter of pride. This is the second prong that made us forget what it means to be human. Thankfully, the nuclear bombs are slowly being disarmed thanks to the heavy social concept that the weapons are evil and should never be used. Disarming the weapons, however, is only one small step needed to be taken to help clean the blood off the hands of the human race.
The passage that stuck out to me the most was in Chapter 7, on page 43. This is also the same passage mentioned by Blair. Throughout this passage he does run into several technologies such as cars, a telephone, and other common technologies but it seems that his mind has almost time-traveled back to a time of which these items did not exist. His walking tour is one of him trying to find his true self and this is only true in a society without the distractions of which we live in. For someone to do this in our present day, I believe that person would have to put themselves into a utopian society such as the Amish or Mennonites. I also believe that this is true of Ransom when he visits Malacandra. I feel that he is able to be himself because he is thrust into a lifestyle totally different from his own, and I believe that true character comes out when you are put into a situation of which you are not familiar with. For this reason it is clear that Lewis believes that he believes people were more true to themselves before that of technology, and that if the world was never to have encountered technology it would be just fine.
ReplyDeleteIn this text I think there a lot of examples where the species on Malacondra take life for what it is and never use any extras. They take what is given to them and then put their entire faith into Oyarsa. Humans do not have this same mentality. We feel as if we should control and regulate everything. I am guilty of this myself. In chapter 16 Augray says, "I do not know. But a world is not made to last for ever, much less a race; that is not Maleldil's way," (100). As humans, we try and control everything. We want to make sure that no animals go extinct and especially not humans. I am not saying this is a bad thing or a good thing. However, we use technology to the extreme to make sure this does not happen. We use so much technology that we never stop and think of any of the harmful side affects. We look at one side affect, that it could save someone or something. In certain instances I think this is okay, more than okay, something positive. However, I think that we are so concerned with controlling nature, we forget sometimes that nature has its own course it may need to follow. I think that many people have a problem with science because they think that humans are trying to control too much. A lot of people even have these types of feelings towards animals. We put endangered species in protected environments so that they will continue existing. I do not think that all of these things are bad. I do think that people need to learn out weigh out what is really important and what is really go to harm us more in the long run.
ReplyDeleteIn "Out of The Silent Planet" Ransom talks about the primitive tools of the Hrossa, describing them as "primitive harpoons with points of bone", which lead me to think about why we really need all the advanced weapons and firepower that humans are capable of producing. The hrossa have very little need for weapons, for as we've seen they do not have wars, or fight with the sorns or the pfifltriggi. And really in some ways that makes a lot more sense than life on earth does. We are all humans, other than minor differences, like skin color, religion, or beliefs, but yet according to disastercenter.com, last year in the United States there were 15,241 murders. While the hrossa, pfifltriggi, and sorns who are vastly more different than humans manage to live in complete harmony. The hrossa really only use their tools to when kill the hnakra, which is how things should be.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of society on Malacandra that Ransom has difficulty wrapping his mind around is their feelings about memories. Early on in his adventure Ransom finds that the haas have distinct feeling about the importance of remembering something as they say, “A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking , hman, as if the pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing” (p.74). In this he is saying that the memory is part of the experience. Additionally, later ransom has a similar conversation with a pfifltrigi. He stated, “they say that writing of books destroys poetry” (p.101). All of this conversation about the importance of remembering something and not necessarily having it articulately documented got me to thinking about our society. We live in a world when nearly everything is documented and taken record of. Many times this is a great aspect of life. We have pictures of our first birthdays, first soccer games, graduation, and many more important events. However, does having all of these things so clearly documented take away from their memories?
ReplyDeleteAt first, I thought this would be a simple, no. I thought that for sure these documentations helped us remember and were therefore beneficial. However, that is not always the case. The memory and the documentation do not always tell the same story. The memory may be filled with joy and happiness as you remember the beauty of your wedding day. The memory and story you tell might revolve around the love expressed on that day and all the great friends and family members. But what if the pictures were taken in the rain? When you or others see these pictures what are they going to notice? The most important aspects of the day can’t be documented, but they can be remembered. As we continue to document our lives more and more, we need to be reminded that a picture does not tell the whole story. Pictures are amazing and clearly a positive aspect of technology, but truth be told, are we forgetting these things because we have pictures that we figure will remind us? Because the truth is, they won’t remind us of the things we want to remember most.
On page 82 it says "At that moment Ransom was deafened by a loud sound-a perfectly familiar sound which was the last thing he expected to hear. It was a terrestial, human, and civilized sound; it was even European. It was the crack of an English rifle..." A couple of things stand out to me in this passage. First is that this is a "human" and "terrestrial" noise to Ransom. He is so accustomed to the non-human ways of Malacandra that the noise of something from technologically advanced Earth seems foreign to him. He does know what it is though, and even seems sort of proud that this is a European, better yet an English, rifle. Second, he refers to it as a "civilized sound." I think it's funny that the crack of a rifle is considered "civilized" since it used to kill Hyoi... This shows how much our world truly values weaponry. And by this standard, the lack of advanced weaponry in Malacandra would make them uncivilized even though they are the ones who can't understand why you would want to kill another hnau.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 21 on pages 143-144, Ransom goes into great describing what he sees as he leaves Malacandra. "The rosy color of the petrified forests accounted for the tint immediately below him; but to the north and east the great sand deserts were now appearing as illimitable stretches of yellow and ochre." So entranced was Ransom by the site before him, that he later said, "he has been at his post, spell-bound, for nearly eight hours".
ReplyDeleteNow when I first read this I wondered how could he have stood in one place for eight hours! What was so captivating that he stood there for so long? I mean what was he looking at? Nobody I know would do something like that...
Our society today has become so fast paced, people often forget to take a moment to stop, look around, and appreciate. We have become so used to wanting instant entertainment and gratification. Our internet is faster, our phones do more, and our TV's show whatever we want them to. We have forgotten what it's like to wait. We no longer have to listen to the dial sound as we log on to the internet. Hell many kids today will never experience that sound at all. Often times we are doing several things at once. For instance right now I'm writing my blog, listening to an awesome Killers song, and texting my friend about dinner tonight. We have so much going on, it's like our lives never stop moving.
Not to sound too high and mighty, but I'm one of the few people I know who goes on walks just for the sake of walking. I don't do any prolific thinking or anything, but sometimes it's nice to have a look around. I think most people could benefit from pausing their hectic technology run lives, and going for a walk. Maybe they'll see something they never noticed before...
Scott Evenson
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 17, page 107 Ransom offers a wristwatch to Augray. Augray responds by saying the gift should be given to pfifltrigg and adds, “as for its use, do your people not know except by looking at this thing how much of the day has worn?” Sometimes I find myself looking at the clock not necessarily to know what time it is but to see how much time has passed. Its overuse can actually be a hindrance stressing you out if you schedule in detail or micromanage. The more time you spend on an activity the more enriching it becomes. How great would Out of the Silent Planet be if we read it in five minute increments? You’d constantly be lost and trying to remember what had happened. In other words the continuity of the story is lost.
I feel that texting, not cell phones, is a similar advancement that is actually a loss. Texting makes you more accessible and more accessibility can mean more spontaneity, not necessarily a bad thing. However, it has reduced the need for planning. Instead of planning to meet at a time and location tomorrow, you text them the next day with the details. It’s strange, we go to class at a specific time and location, homework is due at specific time. Meeting a friend isn’t so strict and shouldn’t be but it feels nice to have an idea of your plans and not just be jumping around from place breaking the continuity. Also, if we have cell phones, why not call? And if it’s in class, isn’t texting disruptive not only to the class but to you as well?
It seems the invention of the computer has created less advancement than most people believe. Consider Ransom's inability to answer simple questions about his home planet beginning on page 71. Most people become so involved with the digital world that they do not take the time to know anything about the real world. Computers do so much thinking for us that when it comes time to do our own thinking we are at a loss. Like Ransom, many people do not hold the knowledge in their own heads because it is only a few clicks away on the computer.
ReplyDeleteThe only technological advance I can draw from the book would be the space ship. So far human technology has only enabled organizations such as NASA to own and operate any type of space craft. In chapter 4 we get a description of the space ship when Ransom wakes up. On page 30 Weston informs Ransom of the changes in the atmosphere, perception, and how his body will react. We get a description of how it feels to be without gravity which is something I think we take for granted. I can't think of a single moment that I've stopped my busy day to think about and be grateful for the gravity that so severely impacts life. On page 40 when the ship is coming into Malacandra's atmosphere the disorientation of gravity changes intensify. Ransom describes not being able to take a drink from his water bottle, "Food was snatched as best they could, and drinking presented great difficulties: you could never be sure that you were really holding your mouth below, rather than beside, the bottle. The most simplistic of everyday tasks would be made nearly impossible without gravity, however it goes unnoticed until you must make do without it.
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