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Pamela Fox

Journal #1 on Frankenstein

The ambition of the inquirer seemed to limit itself to the annihilation of those

visions on which my interest in science was chiefly founded. I was required to

exchange chimeras of boundless grandeur for realities of little worth.

As a young learner, Frankenstein varies between first wanting to read the

then discarded theories of old philosophers, because he didnt know they were

shunned, and then discarding them himself when a scientific man contradicted

them, and then regressing to studying those discarded theories again, in hopes of

achieving unknown scientific grandeur instead of simply agreeing with

contemporary thought.

It seems that many humans experience that same feeling that same

conflict with scientific theories. As intellectuals, we want to embrace the new

widely-supported theories because, well, they are widely supported. If the genius

believes it, so should I. But as dreamers, we still want to retreat to indulging in

the denounced theories of the path, because of the mysticism they hold. This is

evident in modern societys proliferation of TV shows whose premises rely on

unproved mystical theories, like Crossing Over, Unsolved Mysteries, Pet

Psychic, etc. Even though the evidence behind our widely supported theories is

much more convincing than the evidence if there is any behind alchemy,

mysticism, or supernatural powers, were still more obsessed with the latter.

Our boredom with modern theories would make sense if these theories

declared the world was simply put together in an obvious and simple way.

Creationism essentially is the theory that says this that there is a 7-step process

to making a universe. But to keep creationists excited, they add in the possibility

of heavenly miracles. Modern scientific theories, however, are exceedingly

complex and mind-boggling, and involve concepts that humans centuries agowould find difficult to believe.

So why, even though it is a scientific theory that tiny radiation waves can

travel millions of miles across the universe, do we find the notion of person-to-

person ESP so much more exciting? It seems like an historical thing centuries

ago, we decided what concepts we would forever be obsessed with and

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fascinated by, and no matter whether it never went unproved, we would retain

our fascination. We may fall asleep during a string theory lecture, but we may

never tire of hearing ghost stories. It may also be a matter of simplicity. Because

these fantastical beliefs were conceptualized before we developed a complex

science and math, theyre much simpler. Hence, theyre easier and less

intimidating for a layperson to grasp. The last explanation is that many of these

mystic theories are very people-oriented, and people are very people-oriented, so

they gravitate toward these theories that put them at the center of the fantasy.

I, personally, am a huge believer in current scientific thought. After all, if

the geniuses believe it, so should I. But Id still rather watch a show on ghosts

than string theory. Oops.