Artifact 1: Science and its impact on US culture

There is perhaps no other field of study that more dramatically impacts our culture than science. The technologies we use, the way in which we perceive our place in the world, and even our religious beliefs and the extent to which we allow them to govern our intellectual paradigms are all profoundly impacted by science. As we look through history we can see an endless number of examples of how science, both in elements of discovery and the practical advent of science in technology, has shaped our culture. This list, however, can be deduced to two principal, driving forces: necessity and competition. These elements have altogether dictated the pursuit of science as a discipline and from that discipline we have seen monumental impacts on our society as a whole.

The cliché “necessity is the mother of invention” holds true not only for invention and technology but also to the advancement of science as its own discipline. For example, we can look at James Watt and his perfection of steam engine technology and the production of what became known as the Watt engine. The Newcomen steam engine, the only engine of its kind at the time, was extremely inefficient and because of this inefficiency the applications for this piece of technology was left wanting. Watt’s innovations emerged out of the necessity to improve this technology not only for the sake of the Newcomen engine’s limited applications (i.e. pumping water), but to open the door to previously unforeseen applications. Additionally, in his process of innovation Watt patented several other inventions to facilitate his engine, again demonstrating the power of necessity on pushing the boundaries of science and technology. In addition, Louis Pasteur’s advent of pasteurization arose out of him noticing that pathogenic microorganisms that arose in beer, wine and milk were infecting animals and humans, ultimately leading to disease. It was the necessity for innovation, and indeed for Pasteur a paradigm shift in molecular biology, that drove him to produce a process that has become the bedrock of our food and drink industry today.

When necessity is not at the forefront we see competition take its place as a primary motivator for innovation. In regards to this, perhaps the most iconic example is the tension that existed between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison in their quest for innovation within the field of electricity and magnetism. Even when taking into account the likelihood of exaggeration applied to this relationship (which, as history uncovers itself, is proving to be quite high), the race for technological and economic supremacy so clearly drove the exploration of the field and the practical advent of electric motors. Ultimately it was this competitive environment that these scientists were forced to operate in that pushed Edison’s innovations into our daily lives and allowed Tesla’s innovations in AC currents and motors to revolutionize the ways in which we conceive and generate power. Alternatively, the overwhelming competition and focus within the field of X-Rays led Marie Curie and her husband Pierre to explore Uranium rays, a path they believed would be less obstructed and one which would allow them more scientific autonomy. In this instance, intellectual competition did not drive the pair so much as it steered them down a path that would lead Marie Curie to have perhaps the most successful career in science.

In conclusion, both necessity and competition can be readily seen as the driving force behind science and innovation. When these forces are combined, they help write the history of development of our use and knowledge of science and technology, which in turn has a monumental impact on our lives, culture, and the things that we identify with as a society.

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