Science and Poetry 科学与诗歌

Science,accordingtothereceivedwisdomoftheday,canintheendansweranyquestionwechoosetoputtoit--eventhemostfundamentalquestionsaboutourselves,ourbehaviorandourcultures.Manygoasfarastoclaimthatscienceisallweneedtoexplaintheworld.ButforMaryMidgley,science,whileundeniablyakeyelementinthisquest,canneverbethewholestoryasitcannottrulyexplainwhatitmeanstobehuman.Inthistypicallycrusadingwork,universallyacclaimedasaclassiconfirstpublication,shepowerfullyassertshercorrectiveviewthatwithoutpoetry(orliterature,ormusic,orhistory,eventheology)wecannothopetounderstandourhumanity.Readingthisremarkablebook,whichdrawsequallyonboththegreatartistsandpoetsforitsinspiration,thereaderisstruckbyboththesimplicityandpowerofherargumentandthesheerpleasuretobegainedfromreadingoneofourmostaccessiblephilosophers.