Fundamentals of Criticism in Science
As a word, criticism means to find the right and/or wrong aspects of a concept (these concepts can be human, subject, work etc.) and express it clearly. The adoption of the idea of criticism by the majority of the society creates a culture of criticism. Wherever you see a development (scientific, artistic, etc.) in the history of modern humanity, it is the result of the culture of criticism and its effects. Our modern science is also the result of a culture of criticism. Here, I would like to explain the emergence of science and the effect of criticism on the emergence of science. Because what we call this criticism has created science, which has been the result of human curiosity throughout history and which is often(!) beneficial to humanity.
2600 years ago, there were two people who lived today’s near to Aydin province in the Turkey. One of these people was Thales and other one was Anaximender (probably student of Thales.)
One day, those two friends who lived in Miletus at thime of Ionnia, discussed about that natural events happing around the known world. Rather, they had to feel the need of query which natural events have been come or haven’t been come from the Gods.
No matter how many sacrifices were made to the God Poseidon, the earthquakes continued to kill people and storms continued to sink ships.
So may we think and imagine the things that we had with another way?
How can we explain the natural evetns around? Anaximender and Thales must have been upset, so they tried to find different methods snd solutions about that.
“Can we explain the natural events like that happened in the whole world anywise theorical as geometry?”
Thales hypothesized to can explain the earthquakes, storms and another natural events. His hypothesis explained that earth swam on the disk. He told that activities in this kind of world occur the natural events. It was a theory about the world on the old cultures manuscripts.
“Anaximender is the solution which came to the my mind. You do not need to believe it. What do you think?”
After that, Anaximender started to criticize this hypothesis. Anaximender discovered that those hypothesis can’t solve the problems we had. It had dodged the problem. This has been created an endless loop and was unable to be saved of this loop. (Regressus ad infinitum)
Anaximender realized that this way of thinking was not true and put forward a new way of thinking:
“I think earth is in the space.”
“Should I believe it?”
“Never! Do not believe my thoughts. Try to criticize my thoughts. Our purpose is trying to approach to the truth.
Let’s criticize our thoughts continually.”
(ideal truth, because there is not a ideal reality. I will write a article about this soon.)
All I know, this can be the most important quote which is said in the whole human history. This way of thinking created the science which is unique router of mankind. After that, science created the modern world that ee lived and which is located on rational and criticizing phenomena mostly.
At the same time, it can be said that criticizing culture in Greek civilization begot the enormous science. Where it occurred criticizing, there is a freedom and science. So, we can say that criticizing is the mother of the science; no less no more.
ŞENGÖR, A.M.C, Bilimin Büyüsü, İnkılap Publications, 3rd Edition, s.28-s.35
ŞENGÖR, A.M.C, Zümrüt Ayna, İnkılap Publications, 4th, s.206
ŞENGÖR, A.M.C, Bilgiyle Sohbet, Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Publications, 11th Edition, s.13, s.22, s.24.
