“But if we make believe, as the Two Cultures does, that politics does not exist at all, then it cannot be the object of moral judgment. And if we deny all authority to literature, as the Two Cultures does, going so far as to say that the great traditional agency of moral awareness is itself immoral, then the very activity of moral judgment is impunged, except for that single instance of it which asserts the rightness of bringing the benefits of science to the disadvantaged of the world. In short, Sir Charles, seeking to advance the cause of understanding between the west and the soviet union , would seem to be saying that this understanding will come if we conceive both that politics cannot be judged (because it does not really exist) and that it should not be judged (because the traditional agency of judgment is irresponsible).
Trilling provokes several questions for me. Is science really this great equalizer which could have brought Russia and the west together to work towards a common goal just because it can transcend social classes in England? If this isn’t a realistic goal for science, is Snow really this naïve or idealistic? Does Snow’s thesis really demand the non-existence of politics? If he is correct, what does this mean for our understanding of what Snow's argument?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Snow's notion that science can somehow trascend national boundaries is indeed far too simplistic. First, for this to become a reality, politics indeed must be eradicated. The pursuit of scientific endeavors, and scientists pushing the limits of technology and men's capacity for imagination and creativity are often spurred by patriotism. The science race, especially the race to land on the moon, the development of nuclear weapons during WW II, and the development of many technologies simply for the purpose of nation defense give evidence for this argument. If politics were eradicated, then perhaps science would lead the way in improving the lives of both the rich and the poor. But material things, personal health, and longevity are not the only, or I would argue even the most important, element of life. The humanities, literature, and philosophy educate and uplift that which is beyond the physically world, in a way that science could never hope to do.
Post a Comment