Week 8 23/2 Presentation by Hong Jie: philosophy of science through history of science in Asian Civilizations

Well well well. I know that I'm late in doing this post. It was seemingly quite interesting. I've gotten so used to blog writing that I did like really not that well for my thesis writing. Oh well, I guess I have to start to be back at thesis writing. >.<

I was supposed to do this last week but I did not manage. I have a reason for it. I didn't attend to the session because I was on holiday break and didn't want to touch any of my homework. Yes I know that some of you might think that I am irresponsible but well, I need some time off.

So here are some question that Eason had posted for us to think about. I can do this because I have read about the readings that Dr Clarissa had given to us. It may not be correct but most of the things here is from my brain. I think things through before I posted it up. So yeah. Again, everything is my comments and my knowledge in this field. Feel free to correct me if I am mistaken.

1. Chinese are more concerned about efficacy in practice than explanation. In west, explanation has long been considered central, even critical to science. Which one is more reliable? Why?

In chinese culture, it is always believed that the more you practice and do, the more that you will know how to handle. Like baking and cooking. For the first time, I was taught how. Then for the second and third time, I might make mistake. Towards the forth and more time cooking a dish, I will be better in cooking that dish. I will know how much oil to put, how much water that are needed, how much salt that I can put and do I put sugar or what. But when we are speaking of reliability, I have to say that it is the Western way. Things that happen needed to have proof to know that these things are true or not.

For example, we can't try hundreds of time with the same mistake to build a plane. We must have explanation on something. When we make mistake, we must know where the mistake is and how can I emend to the mistake to make things better. That is why we have science nowadays and people believe more in science and not the myths that the older people believes back then.

2. In your point of view, how does acupuncture been discovered?

As we know, acupuncture had been in the history for a long long time. It is been say as a Chinese way of treating a patient. I don't know whether the western people uses this or not. Using acupuncture is putting needles in a person's vital point and it will heal some sickness. Normally in the days when there are still emperors in china, they uses acupuncture to raise someone from coma and they help people that was poisoned when the medication does not work.

Acupuncture was, like I've always said, passed down from tradition and every tradition does not just pop out like that. In human bodies, there are a lot of vital points like for each vital point carries different meaning of things. For example, when we have a terrible headache, we will rub the two end of our forehead. The two points we in Chinese called it as 太阳穴 which translate to Sun Pressure Point. It is called Temples actually. Hahahahahahahaha. So, back to the topic. These vital points have different usage. If we have a back ache, the doctor will use the needle to maybe poke you in the back to cure you.

So when we discovered that we have these points, people will find a way to use it. Human are curious and we will always ask what is this for and what is that for. So maybe it is because of that, they found out that using a needle to poke on a person's vital point can cure some sickness.

3. What do you think of supernatural?
What Do I think of supernatural? The drama series in US that had millions of hits every single week. Nah... I'm just kidding. Supernatural are those spirits, ghosts and things like that. Not to forget about the gods and all. Everyone of us are being brought up by supernatural stories. I've heard one story here from my grandaunt. When the thunder strikes a tree, it means that the tree has something dark and shadow in it. It is not normal for a thunder to strike a tree. 

That is a myth isn't it? They were taught like that and we listened and learned it. Ok. So here's the thing. In science, we know that a tree is obviously made out of wood. It is the purest form of wood. So it is not a conductor of electricity. But why does thunder want to strike down that particular tree? It could not be by chances. So when I think that there is no explanation, I believe to the myth that was told and taught. If anyone know that why the electricity hits a tree, please tell me. I do want to know. The reason why I'm in social science is because my pure science was terrible.

4. What do you guys think about "good act" and "bad act"
It is something psychological. It dwells in a person's mind and it is something that we learn and taught in school or at home. When we were little, we often will do something that will get punished or rewarded. Like if we eat a candy on the table without permission, we will be scolded for stealing the candy. Then we know that when we take something without permission, it is stealing and it is a bad act.

It also have to combine with a person's moral acts. When things happened, will you justify that this is a good act or a bad act? So It is very subjective on what people thinks. 

There were 6 questions that were asked but I think I will manage 4 of these question. So anything to add or to decipher my questions please feel free to comment. 

Cheerios,
YiXIn

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