bennychanman
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- Mar 5, 2005
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- 2005
Ok these aren't really notes, but more a buncha block paragraphs...
n.b. - THIS IS NOT AN ESSAY!!!
But can anyone out there have a read of what i've written and tell me what they think?
What is an imaginative journey?
An imaginative journey is a journey that takes either the subject/persona of the text, or the composer or the audience into the unknown, the abstract or the world of speculation.
Core Text: On Giants’ Shoulders – Bragg
How is the concept of the ‘imaginative journey’ represented in this text?
The text, On Giants’ Shoulders by Melvynn Bragg explores the idea of the imaginative journey in two main ways. On the one hand, Bragg shows how the history of science has undergone an imaginative journey through time, as it has developed and progressed as scientists continually contribute to the subject by making new discoveries and further developing the work of their predecessors, and thus, also going on their own individual imaginative journeys. On the other hand, the imaginative journey of this text constitutes the voyage into science that Bragg takes the audience and himself on.
The very title of this book does suggest that the development of Science is, in fact, a journey embarked on by the scientists who have stood “on the shoulders of other giants”, because, in order for science to have progressed, most scientists have further developed the work of their predecessors. In addition, the development of science is also suggested to be an ongoing process enabled by the speculation and imagination of scientists, as illustrated by Bragg in On Giants’ Shoulders as he explores the history of western science through twelve significant scientists over a period spanning from the ancient Greeks to modern day, and Bragg sees no end to scientific discoveries – this demonstrates the imaginative aspect of the journey of science because it delves into the worlds of speculation and inspiration; and Bragg supports his claim by quoting more notable scientists, such as Roger Penrose who “is reluctant to see an end to science”. The scientists in the book leap into the unknown in order to seek answer; for “the human brain is now launched on an astonishing mission whose purpose is no less than to seek out its maker”.
To further represent the concept of the imaginative journey in this text, Bragg shows how individual scientists have undertaken their own imaginative journey into intellectual discovery, in order to aid or contribute to the journey of the evolution of science through time. This has been achieved by Bragg by biographically accounting the scientists’ lives to explore how they arrived to their discoveries. An example of this is the way Archimedes mathematically proved how the ratio of weights was inversely proportional to their distance away from the centre when they were balancing. Similarly, with Galileo, Bragg entitles his biography of Galileo, “The Columbus of the Stars”, which suggests that Galileo, was, in fact a sort of metaphorical explorer or discoverer of astronomical science, and thus, he also did embark on a journey of intellectual discovery. As Bragg quotes from Paul Davies, Professor at the University of Adelaide in the department of Physics & Mathematics, “[Galileo} provides one of the best examples of how the human mind, incredibly, is able to figure out how the world works…Galileo had a certain style… to be that of the open-minded, free wheeling experimental physicist”, which shows that Galileo opened his mind to the worlds of the imagination and speculation, hence going on an imaginative journey.
Another scientist in Bragg’s On Giants’ Shoulders to have undertaken such an imaginative journey is Freud. Bragg highlights the journey aspect of Freud’s contribution to the world of science, and indeed many other scientists by often using the word “discovery”, which is associated with the concept of journeys. Yet Freud goes on an imaginative journey through his exploration of the worlds of the imagination and speculation, through his work and studies of the human subconscious and the theories he devised regarding the human mind, for example, the Oedipal Complex of boys.
Finally, the concept of the imaginative has been represented in On Giants’ Shoulders by Bragg as he also undertakes a journey into the discovery of the evolution of science through his examining of twelve scientists and his first-hand interviews with scientific experts in order to gain a better understanding of the scientists whom he writes about. He also takes the audience with him on this journey into the world of science and inspiration, and as the audience, we are able to feel like we are a part of the journey due to the casual tone of Bragg and his use of more layman’s terms to describe scientific concepts, in order to engage the audience.
The effect of the journey on Bragg:
He reflects on his journey and comes to realize that, “yet what this book has, I think, unfolded, is a story of enhancing of the lightness of being”, and also shows him that, “nothing is straightforward”.
(I.E. – A JOURNEY ENABLES ONE TO HAVE A NEW WAY OF SEEING THINGS)
n.b. - THIS IS NOT AN ESSAY!!!
But can anyone out there have a read of what i've written and tell me what they think?
What is an imaginative journey?
An imaginative journey is a journey that takes either the subject/persona of the text, or the composer or the audience into the unknown, the abstract or the world of speculation.
Core Text: On Giants’ Shoulders – Bragg
How is the concept of the ‘imaginative journey’ represented in this text?
The text, On Giants’ Shoulders by Melvynn Bragg explores the idea of the imaginative journey in two main ways. On the one hand, Bragg shows how the history of science has undergone an imaginative journey through time, as it has developed and progressed as scientists continually contribute to the subject by making new discoveries and further developing the work of their predecessors, and thus, also going on their own individual imaginative journeys. On the other hand, the imaginative journey of this text constitutes the voyage into science that Bragg takes the audience and himself on.
The very title of this book does suggest that the development of Science is, in fact, a journey embarked on by the scientists who have stood “on the shoulders of other giants”, because, in order for science to have progressed, most scientists have further developed the work of their predecessors. In addition, the development of science is also suggested to be an ongoing process enabled by the speculation and imagination of scientists, as illustrated by Bragg in On Giants’ Shoulders as he explores the history of western science through twelve significant scientists over a period spanning from the ancient Greeks to modern day, and Bragg sees no end to scientific discoveries – this demonstrates the imaginative aspect of the journey of science because it delves into the worlds of speculation and inspiration; and Bragg supports his claim by quoting more notable scientists, such as Roger Penrose who “is reluctant to see an end to science”. The scientists in the book leap into the unknown in order to seek answer; for “the human brain is now launched on an astonishing mission whose purpose is no less than to seek out its maker”.
To further represent the concept of the imaginative journey in this text, Bragg shows how individual scientists have undertaken their own imaginative journey into intellectual discovery, in order to aid or contribute to the journey of the evolution of science through time. This has been achieved by Bragg by biographically accounting the scientists’ lives to explore how they arrived to their discoveries. An example of this is the way Archimedes mathematically proved how the ratio of weights was inversely proportional to their distance away from the centre when they were balancing. Similarly, with Galileo, Bragg entitles his biography of Galileo, “The Columbus of the Stars”, which suggests that Galileo, was, in fact a sort of metaphorical explorer or discoverer of astronomical science, and thus, he also did embark on a journey of intellectual discovery. As Bragg quotes from Paul Davies, Professor at the University of Adelaide in the department of Physics & Mathematics, “[Galileo} provides one of the best examples of how the human mind, incredibly, is able to figure out how the world works…Galileo had a certain style… to be that of the open-minded, free wheeling experimental physicist”, which shows that Galileo opened his mind to the worlds of the imagination and speculation, hence going on an imaginative journey.
Another scientist in Bragg’s On Giants’ Shoulders to have undertaken such an imaginative journey is Freud. Bragg highlights the journey aspect of Freud’s contribution to the world of science, and indeed many other scientists by often using the word “discovery”, which is associated with the concept of journeys. Yet Freud goes on an imaginative journey through his exploration of the worlds of the imagination and speculation, through his work and studies of the human subconscious and the theories he devised regarding the human mind, for example, the Oedipal Complex of boys.
Finally, the concept of the imaginative has been represented in On Giants’ Shoulders by Bragg as he also undertakes a journey into the discovery of the evolution of science through his examining of twelve scientists and his first-hand interviews with scientific experts in order to gain a better understanding of the scientists whom he writes about. He also takes the audience with him on this journey into the world of science and inspiration, and as the audience, we are able to feel like we are a part of the journey due to the casual tone of Bragg and his use of more layman’s terms to describe scientific concepts, in order to engage the audience.
The effect of the journey on Bragg:
He reflects on his journey and comes to realize that, “yet what this book has, I think, unfolded, is a story of enhancing of the lightness of being”, and also shows him that, “nothing is straightforward”.
(I.E. – A JOURNEY ENABLES ONE TO HAVE A NEW WAY OF SEEING THINGS)
