3. Man and Nature - J. Bronowski
Q.14 What idea does the author intend to emphasize in this passage?
Related Questions -
Q. What is the thrust of Bronowski’s argument throughout the paragraphs?
Ans. The thrust of Bronowski’s argument throughout the paragraphs that man is a part of nature surely denies that he is unique.
Q.15 Why was Giordano Bruno burnt at the stake?
Ans. Giordano Bruno burnt at the stake because his wild belief that the earth we stand on is not the only world, and that we are not the only chosen creatures in the multitude of worlds. This was a piece of Renaisance extra vagance that was happy to have man play neither the master nor slave of fate, but simply play in the boundless plenty of nature and to set both of them free together.
Q.16 What seems self-evident in the latter half of the twentieth century regarding man’s relationship with nature ?
Ans. In the latter half of the twentieth century, it seems self-evident that man is a part of nature in the same sense that a stone, or a cactus, or a camel is.
Q.17 What is wrong, according to J. Bronowski, if man “wants to feel that he was cast from birth in a supernatural mould; larger than life, or at least larger than nature.” Discuss the views of the author expressed in this essay.
Ans. Acording to J. Bronowski, if man wants to feel that he was cast from birth in a supernatural mould, larger than life, or at least larger than nature, then it is wrong because his fundamental assumption is that man is a part of nature. He pleads his argument by saying that today nearly all educated men accept it and it seems self-evident to say that man is a part of nature, in the same sense that a stone is or a cactus, or a camel.
Q.18 Man is a part of nature, in the same sense that a stone is or a cactus, or a camel. Comment.
Related Questions -
Q. Write the summary of this essay.
Q. Discuss whether the man is master or only a part of nature as enunciated by J.Bronowski in his essay.
Ans. Man is a part of nature. Almost all educated men accept it. In the latter half of the twentieth century also people believed that man is a part of nature in the same sense that a stone, or a cactus, or a camel is. But this proposition has made the Western man lose his self-assurance. He lost his self-assurance because this statement means that man is not unique. Bruno was burnt at stake because he would not give up his belief that this earth is not the only world nor man the only chosen creature. Man still wants to feel that he is unique and also he is larger than life or at least larger than nature.
The Social Function of Literature
Q.19. What is the social function of literature? How is literature helpful in bringing about social welfare? Elucidate apropose of lan Watt.
Ans. Literature give a common background of knowledge, belief and aspiration. Some what similar ideas about the function of literature as an innovating and reforming force.
At the other exterme is the idea that literature ought to limit its function to giving pleasure, whether through humour, wish fulfilment, excitement or intrinsic aesthetic perfection. The motive of literature is pleasure and education.
Mother of the Science
Q.20 Bring out briefly how philosophy functions as a comprehensive science. (2008-09)
Related Questions -
Q. How does Philosophy criticize the sciences, synthesize the sciences and play a role of the Mother of sciences? Illustrate. (2012 - 13)
Q. In at least three ways, philosophy functions as a comprehensive sciences, synthesizes the sciences, and it is mother of the sciences. (2009-10)
Q. How could Philosophy be termed as the mother of Sciences ? Critically analyse in the light of A.J. Bahm’s views in his essay. (2011 - 12)
Ans. Philosophy functions as a comprehensive science in three ways. First it criticizes the sciences, secondly synthesizing the sciences and finally is the mother of the sciences. Philosophy, known as a science of sciences or as a comprehensive science, aims at knowing the whole and reaching to some general conclusions.
In other words we can say that Philosophy is known as the mother of sciences and it is also known as comprehensive science. It has three main functions to serve. First, it gives birth to other sciences, secondly, it sets the quarrels and finally it harmonizes the sciences.
Q.21 Where does the future of philosophy i.e., the mother of the science lie according to A.J. Balm? Explain briefly. (2008-09)
Ans. Philosophy’s task will become more difficult and greater in future since more and more difficult and greater number of sciences develop. Philosophy being a comprehensive science will first give birth to different sciences, secondly, it will settle controversies which arise among them and lastly it will impart wholeness and coherence to them in order to harmonise them in one house. Since philosophy is the mother of sciences, the work of this fecund mother will never come to an end.
Philosophy’s future promises more then intellectual pioneering. The job of synthesizing partially incoherent sciences will become more and more difficult as greater number of sciences develop and demand their places in the larger picture.
Q.22 How is philosophy related with science as visualized by A. J. Bahm in his essay. Illustrate.
Ans. Bahm in his essay The Mother of the Sciences calls philosophy the mother of sciences. He calls it a comprehensive science. According to Bahm, philosophy criticizes and synthesizes the sciences. It is philosophy that carefully examines all sciences such as biology, physics etc.
Since philosophy is science of sciences, a supreme science, it synthesizes the results of the various sciences and also adds to them the result of religious and ethical experiences of mankind. As a mother of sciences, it gives birth to different sciences.
Q.23 What are the various tasks of philosophy ?
Ans. It criticizes and synthesizes the sciences, and is the mother of sciences. Philosophy does the task of comparing assumptions and conclusions, after careful examination. As more and more sciences develop, philosophy’s task of achieving unification and total coherence of sciences becomes greater and more challenging.
Science and Survival
Q.24 Name three pollutants with which man has loaded the atmosphere.
Ans. The three pollutants with which man has loaded the atmosphere are synthetic chemicals, present in soil, radioactive pollutants and carbon dioxide, present on earth’s surface.
Q.25 What would happen if there was an explosion in a nuclear power plant ?
Ans. If there was an explosion in a nuclear power plant, thousands of people might die and the whole region would be deserted.
Q.26 What is one of the major duties of science that the author writes about ?
Ans. One of the major duties of science that the author writes about is the prediction and control of human intervention into nature.
Q.27 What is the true measure of the danger of modern pollutants ?
Ans. The true measure of the danger of modern pollutants is the disaster which will surely visit our future generations.
Q.28 How do the modern pollutants affect our health?
Ans. The modern pollutants are health hazards. They affect functioning of our blood and cause the severe diseases which make our body handicape. We can’t do our proper work during illuess. They also affect the birth and body of the new born baby. They became a great disaster for our future.
Q.29 Why does the author soy ‘the new hazards are neither local nor brief’?
Related Questions -
Q. Ellucidate the a following statement of Barry commoner in his essay science and survival ‘The new hazards are neither load nor brief. (2009-10)
Ans. ‘The new hazards are neither local nor brief’ because they are last for a long time and cover vast areas. They are too powerful to permit a trial and error approach as the effects are disastrous. The true measure of such danger is not represented by the present hazard but by the disasters that the future generation will face.
Q.30. What is the impact of industrilization on the ecological balance in nature? Suggest ways and means to device safeguards for the sustenance of ecology apropos Barry Commoner’s views in his essay ‘Science and Survival’. (2012 - 13)
Ans. There is considerable scientific disagreement about the medical hazards caused by the new pollutants such as DDT. Actually we have risked these hazards before knowing about the harms they might to do. In order to built atom bombs and kill mosquitoes, we have been led to the pollutants like strontium - 90 and DDT which will be harmful for the future generation. But science and technology cannot make progress unless it takes some such risks. The new hazards are neither local nor brief such as the air pollution, synthetic chemicals and radioactive pollutants. Excess of carbon dioxide from fuel combustion might cause floods. A single explosion in a nuclear power plant might kill thousands of people. Science has ignored its major duty of controlling human intervention into nature.