The Double Helix by James D. Watson is a prominent book in the history of science not only for its value as a documentation of an important scientific discovery, but as proof to the ago-old question as to whether or not scientists are, in fact, human. Indeed, caricatures of the lone scientist isolating himself from reality and obsessed with some form of “truth” were prominent in the 1900s. When the book was first published in 1968, it demonstrated that not only were scientists human beings, but they were human beings who understood science to be a group effort and yearned for recognition and glory. That being said, James Watson’s depiction of the world in which he lived is questionable at times, and led to the debate that has continued into …show more content…
He finds comfort away from the eccentricities of Francis Crick and “took great delight in soap bubble models,” illustrating a love of science transcending the need for recognition, which permeated the story. Despite being depicted as a man of with more old-fashioned ideologies, he is still given sufficient credit and pleasure at “the fact that the X-Ray method he had developed… was as the heart of a profound insight into the nature of life…” Maurice Wilkins was the mediator between the scientific genius and the unimpeded excitement and need for recognition which possessed Watson and Crick. Much to Watson’s surprise, upon hearing about their success, “there was not a hint of bitterness in [Wilkins’] voice.” His dedication to biology was untouched by the incessant need for recognition which plagued the minds of Francis Crick and James …show more content…
Watson attempts to make himself relatable to the average reader by claiming, “…not once die I have the faintest trace of a respectable idea” about the genes. His approachability is lost and he begins to alienate readers with his and Crick’s questionable moral standards as they seek answers. They resort to stealing, lying, and manipulating people in order in order to gain access to information. In every instance, some form of defense is provided, leading many to write such behavior off as justifiable in the noble pursuit of science. That being said, many of these injustices are directly related to finding information out first instead of for the purpose of utilizing for the greater good of science. Some see his retelling of his story as admirable as he is whole-heartedly “believing he sees the world true, and ‘telling it like it is.’” Others are not so kind to Honest Jim and feel he has created a “violently exaggerated picture” of the importance of recognition in scientific
Ted Bieler’s Helix of Life (1971) that is located outside the Medical Sciences building at University of Toronto is a sculpture made from a light grey concrete material. Its color appears to be plain which happens to match the exterior of the Medical Sciences building as well. Due to the age of the sculpture, it shows lighter and darker gray dents and streaks near the top and bottom and where it bends. Some of the markings have been made from the material and texture of the sculpture. The material used, which was said previously, is cast concrete. Using concrete without any smooth surface tools creates a rougher and coarse texture which is why it has dents and holes when viewing it up close. As the viewer looks at the sculpture from afar, its
In the short story “The Man Who Evolved” written by Edmond Hamilton, a mad scientist Pollard evolves to human forms under concentrated cosmic rays. The passage is centrally important to the story, as it hints the potential horror scientists may endure if they do not follow scientific procedures responsibly. In the passage, Hamilton compares the results of the scientific research. Through this comparison, he communicates the overarching idea that even though scientific research on evolution may bring some beneficial effect to human beings, its ultimate result should be carefully considered, as in the story the research creates a mind twisted monster that wants to own the entire world.
With a competitive spirit, people are driven to act in ways that they would not otherwise and the results can be drastic. In the case of James D. Watson and Francis Crick, in Watson’s novel the Double Helix, this sensation of competition leads to one of the greatest discoveries in biology. But the actions of Watson, Crick, and their competitors may or may not be justified for the results that they yield; the powerful conflict of rivalry has beneficial, detrimental, and questionably moral consequences that shaped the pathway to DNA’s structure.
It became apparent in 1918 during a flu epidemic that certain traits were lacking in the scientific community necessary to research for a cure. In a passage from The Great Influenza, John M. Barry implements exemplification, diction, and didactic figurative language in order to depict the works of a scientist and the common obstacles encountered. Barry also characterizes scientists as those who possess the traits needed to accomplish their goals.
Bragg, Melvyn, On Giants' Shoulders: Great Scientists and Their Discoveries from Archimedes to DNA. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
William Carlos Williams was not the first writer to explore the theme of scientific discovery and practise in literature, but he was one of the first American writers to do so in a positive manner. Works of European gothic literature had cemented the archetype of the mad scientist with figures such as Dr Frankenstein and Dr Moreau; while the birth and subsequent success of Science Fiction in the U.S with the short stories of Edgar Allen Poe show us that the American people also had anxieties regarding the potential of science. It seems expected that Williams, a man who spent most of his professional life practising as a Doctor, would be instrumental in breaking this taboo. In this essay, I shall be examining the way in which Williams and those who followed him chose to depict the scientific world, and how the practices of that world influence the style and structure of their work.
Before science could dawn in the new era, curiosity had to infect the mindset and the culture and the professions of Victorian society; Stevenson bases the plot of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the curiosity of the Victorian Era society. Dr. Jekyll admitted on the subject of his inspiration, “It was thus rather the exacting nature of my aspirations than any particular degradation in my faults, that made me what I was, and … severed in me those provinces of good and ill which divide and compound man’s dual nature” (Stevenson 54). Dr. Jekyll was more driven by curiosity of the unknown rather than the specific desire to be split, and this deeply reflects the general sentiment of the Victorian Era. Scientists in the Victorian Era were pioneers; they did not have a guideline of the best
Francis Crick: He does the same research with Watson and they are both teammates. He is also eager to know what is in DNA and the relationship of it with the double-helix, but at the same time is disorganised, and expected Watson to do a majority of work.
“ Can Jellyfish Unlock the Secret of Immortality?” by Nathaniel Rich accurately exhibits Mukherjee's interpretation of tenderness towards science, the article describes the patient nature of how science happens, the process of finding new discoveries in the article are a human-made process, and the scientist mentioned shares an intimate connection with his subject. The article " Can Jellyfish Unlock the Secret of Immortality?" by Nathaniel Rich accurately exhibits Mukherjee's interpretation of tenderness towards science, because the article describes the patient nature of how science
" This always leads to making Watson stronger and helps him gain a thicker skin. In the film, he is more independent and the gentlemen get along like brothers. They share knowledge and inform each other on their findings in a friendly and non-judgmental way. They work together very well and very scarcely keep things from each
Watson was an American psychologist that helped path the way for other researchers in psychology. He was born on January 9th, 1878, in South Carolina. His mother was devoted to religion and she pushed her ideals and morals onto him. She prohibited smoking, drinking, adultery, and other sinful acts. This led to Watson growing up hating religion and eventually, opposing it. Also, Watson was a delinquent when he was young, he was arrested twice and did poorly academically; but, with the help of his mother and her connections, it gave him an opportunity to attend Furman University of South Carolina. This gave him a second chance and he didn’t take it for granted. Watson graduated with a master’s when he was 21. After he finished his years in Furman University, he was presented with an offer from University of Chicago, for his graduates study in psychology. Once he finished his graduate degree, he stayed there as a research
...om society. Although Bishop makes no excuses for the shortcomings of science and academia, he delivers an ominous message to those who would attack the scientific community: Science is the future. Learn to embrace it or be left behind.
In the first several chapters of The Double Helix, James Watson gives detailed descriptions of the places and people who were of some importance in this charade of science. Watson wrote of his personal history and of how he arrived at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. In this laboratory was a yet-unknown thirty-five year old man named Frances Crick . When Watson joined the team at Cavendish it was to help continue studies on the structure of proteins. Some of the people in the lab that Watson mentioned were Sir Lawr...
Dr. Michael Shermer is a Professor, Founder of skeptic magazine, and a distinguished and brilliant American science writer to say the least. In His book The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People he sets out to embark on the daunting task of convincing and informing the reader on sciences’ ability to drives the expansion of humanity and the growth of the moral sphere. Although such a broad and general topic could be hard to explain, Shermer does so in a way that is concise, easy to understand, and refreshing for the reader. This novel is riddled with scientific facts, data, and pictures to back up shermers claims about the history of science, humanity and how the two interact with one another.
In this essay I am going to examine how Dr Watson is used as a