E.O. Wilson – The Mark of Science

Music

JM: The world is flat, and the Earth is the center of the universe. These ideas were widely regarded to be true, until scientific discoveries were made that raised questions and brought new concepts to the intellectual table. Even today, science is still fundamentally about discovery, deepening our knowledge and broadening our horizons. I’m Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. According to biologist E.O. Wilson, scientific research is still changing the pattern of human thought.

EOW: “The mark of science is it’s open inquiry, uh, using methods that can be shared, and in the end by approximations, testing, constantly improving it becomes the part of the knowledge that humanity shares. What Western tradition of science has done over its approximately four centuries, is among other things, enormously expand our conception of what reality is. I think we should look on it as an area to be discovered and explored, you know, a kind of Pacific Ocean to be crossed and mapped. And when you take that attitude, then you can pick up on the spirit of science, which is so devoted to the process of discovery, and then engage in an exploration of a new world. You have to remember that in the culture of science, discovery is everything. An original discovery is the silver and the gold of professional science.”

JM: Pulse of the Planet is presented by the National Science Foundation. I’m Jim Metzner.

E.O. Wilson - The Mark of Science

Science is rooted in discovery, deepening our knowledge of the physical world, and enriching the human experience.

Air Date:11/06/2012

Scientist:

Transcript:

E.O. Wilson - The Mark of Science

Music

JM: The world is flat, and the Earth is the center of the universe. These ideas were widely regarded to be true, until scientific discoveries were made that raised questions and brought new concepts to the intellectual table. Even today, science is still fundamentally about discovery, deepening our knowledge and broadening our horizons. I'm Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. According to biologist E.O. Wilson, scientific research is still changing the pattern of human thought.

EOW: "The mark of science is it's open inquiry, uh, using methods that can be shared, and in the end by approximations, testing, constantly improving it becomes the part of the knowledge that humanity shares. What Western tradition of science has done over its approximately four centuries, is among other things, enormously expand our conception of what reality is. I think we should look on it as an area to be discovered and explored, you know, a kind of Pacific Ocean to be crossed and mapped. And when you take that attitude, then you can pick up on the spirit of science, which is so devoted to the process of discovery, and then engage in an exploration of a new world. You have to remember that in the culture of science, discovery is everything. An original discovery is the silver and the gold of professional science."

JM: Pulse of the Planet is presented by the National Science Foundation. I'm Jim Metzner.