Scientific Innovation and the Cat's Cradle: Analyzing How Our Beliefs Hinder Progress Scientific innovation impacts the decisions we make. In doing so, he prompts the reader to investigate the potential repercussions of viewing science as some sort of Holy Grail, following it as if it were a religion. The individuals in the novel who rely solely on acquiring knowledge are those who contribute to the end of the world, an outcome that is intended to highlight the dangers of failing to look beyond objective facts. This tendency to downplay anything other than science is apparent in the behavior of many of the novel's characters, foremost among them Felix Hoenikker, a man who was instrumental in the creation of the atomic bomb and who doesn't think about how his work might affect the world. As an individual who "just isn't interested in people" (Vonnegut 13), he consistently fails to connect what he does as a scientist to the moral implications his work has on society as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay With little or no respect for others, “people cannot reach [Felix],” and when confronted with the concept of sin as it related to the creation of his atomic bomb, Felix responded, “ 'what is sin?' » (Vonnegut 17). With no interest in human activity and focusing only on solving the problems he sees before him, Felix cannot know about sin, something that only exists in the context of morality. Felix considers science to be an arbitrary act; thus, moral responsibility does not enter into his decisions. The reason people couldn't "reach" Felix is because he acts like he's part of a scientific machine – a device designed for a specific, methodical purpose – rather than like he's part of a scientific machine. a larger human society. For this reason, he does not recognize that he can influence others through science; he considers his machine as a closed system. In his mind, not only can nothing affect him, but nothing he does can affect anything other than scientific innovation itself. This complacent attitude towards the results of technology is also present in Dr. Asa Breed, director of the Research Center. Laboratory, who really appreciates Félix and his work. Breed believes in science so ardently that he quickly expresses frustration that his lab is "one of the few companies that hires men to do pure research"—research he describes as "an increment knowledge” and “work”. toward no end but that” (Vonnegut 41). Met with this idea, John suggests that it is "very generous" (Vonnegut 41) of them to do this, but is quickly dismissed by Breed when he insists that there is "nothing generous in that” because “[n]o new knowledge is needed. the most precious possession on earth” (Vonnegut 41). Like Felix, Breed is not concerned with the repercussions of the research or even its use, although it is "sure to become a weapon, one way or another" (Vonnegut 26), as his own claims son of Breed. What Vonnegut is suggesting here, according to Zins, is that for "science [to be] saved from a technocracy that blindly serves the nuclear state and exacerbates the militarism of the world...the individual scientist [must refuse] to beaccomplice of the terminal process” (Zins 173). Breed's son chose to stop working at the lab because he looked past the objective research being conducted and saw the potential for its use; in other words, he refused to be complicit in the “crime” of creating weapons. Although Breed and Felix did not consciously decide to be complicit in this process, their failure to recognize the importance of what their research actually meant prevented them from refusing to participate. Not only does this method of thinking inspire Felix to continue conducting scientific research. without moral consideration, it is projected towards his children throughout their childhood. He paid them so little attention that when Newt was six years old and his father showed him the cat's cradle, Newt was terrified because "not only had [Felix] never played with [him] before, but he never had almost never spoken to him" (Vonnegut12). The lack of love and family support her children received led them to trade their new ice crystals: Angela used it to "buy herself a kitty husband", Frank used it to "buy himself a job.” , and Newt used it to “buy a week on Cape Cod with a Russian dwarf” (Vonnegut 243). They did not pawn Ice 9 in exchange for financial gain or a position of ultimate power; they traded him to gain a place where they belonged – a place that their father's lack of human interaction robbed them of. Growing up in a home that valued science only, the Hoenikker children grew up with exactly the opposite problem their father suffered from: instead of valuing people and everything about science, they placed very little importance on science and most of it about people. Comparable to the way children forced to conform to strict religious practices often fervently rebel against their church as they grow up, Felix's obsessive, religious affinity for science left his children yearning for anything but to science. For this reason, they saw fit to trade the nine ice for company without stopping to consider the effects of the scientific technology they possessed. We also see this blind acceptance of science in "Papa" Monzano, who, despite being a Bokononist, believed strongly in the power of science; This was made evident to us not only by his strong opposition to the idea of allowing citizens to practice Bokononism, but also by his blatant remarks in which he asserted that "science is the strongest thing there is" and that Frank will succeed as a leader because “[t]here is science” (Vonnegut 146). In its lack of respect for Frank's true leadership potential and his insistence on science alone, "Daddy" is used by Vonnegut as a prime example of what can happen when we consider nothing other than the truth of science. In the same way that he chose Frank to become the next president of San Lorenzo, the way he chose to commit suicide by ingesting nine ice shows his disdain for anything outside of technology. This is interesting, given the behavior of “Papa” Monzano. affinity with science, that “[he is] a member of the Bokononist faith” (Vonnegut 218), a religion based on lies and for which the only thing that is sacred is “man” (Vonnegut 210). Although he believed in Bokononism, he vehemently denounced it before his death, urging Frank to "kill [Bokonon] and teach [the people] the truth" – the truth he was referring to was science, which he also described as “magic that works” (Vonnegut 218). By juxtaposing belief in the truth of science with belief in the lies ofBokononism, Vonnegut asserts that while science may be the basis through which we gain knowledge and advance technologically, belief in man is what is truly valuable. Ultimately, although "Papa" Monzano underwent the last rites of Bokononism before dying, his choice to use science - in the form of ice-nine - to end his life, rather than let the things following their natural course, is what leads to the end of the world. By choosing belief in science over belief in man, “Papa” values solitary happiness over societal success. He took the ice-nine because it was a solution to end his pain – the same pain he inadvertently inflicted on others by choosing to end his own suffering. The ice-nine itself turns out to be a symbol of loneliness – it is what ultimately leads to the end of the world. Ice-nine was born from the “selfish unconsciousness and isolation” that “are latent in [its] inventor’s extreme alienation from his children” (Faris 46). Like ice, Felix, described by his son Newt as "one of the most well-protected human beings who ever lived" (Vonnegut 13), can be easily considered cold—a trait that Faris believes stems from "a lack of [passion]” (47). Felix's motivation for creating the atomic bomb and ice-nine came from pure curiosity about the problems he faced. He was not concerned with creating things for the good of man; instead, he lived his life “looking for things to play with and think about” (Vonnegut 16), rather than finding solutions to the problems he observed. It is therefore not surprising that a man as inaccessible as Felix would create a substance which, in isolation, will do no harm. Ice-nine is described as "a seed" that "teaches atoms [a] new way to stack and lock together" (Vonnegut 45). This means that when ice-nine is exposed to other water molecules, it causes a chain reaction whereby each molecule in the chain turns into ice-nine. Isolated, however, Ice-Neuf can do no harm, and the same can be said of Felix. If he had been left to his own devices and not been influenced by other scientists who wanted him to work on the atomic bomb and Ice-9, he could not have caused any damage. Felix did not care about the application of his experiences; if there was no one to use his technology for good, it would have no effect on the world, as Felix was otherwise isolated. Just as "Papa" Monzano took ice-nine and exposed the world to it, a Marine general induced the creation of ice-nine by "harassing [Felix] to do something about the mud." (Vonnegut 42). In this regard, Ice-nine is a recreation of Felix Hoenikker himself. The way Vonnegut involves those not directly involved in the distribution of Ice-nine – the Marine general, Felix's children – uses a critique of the existing order that Jubouri Al Ogali and Babaee assert "they propose that the intentionality of the author goes towards the existing political order” (97). When Marvin Breed makes a witty remark about how he "supposes it's high treason, ungrateful, ignorant, backward and anti-intellectual to call a dead man as famous as Felix Hoenikker a son of a whore” (Vonnegut 42), he complains about how a person’s “famous” status grants them immunity from justified criticism. By emphasizing how uncomfortable this makes Marvin (and John), Vonnegut urges us to ask ourselves who we are putting in charge; it makes us wonder how our perceptions of power obscure..

Essay / Scientific Innovation and the Cat's Cradle: Analyzing How Our Beliefs Hinder Progress Scientific innovation impacts the decisions we make. In doing so, he prompts the reader to investigate the potential repercussions of viewing science as some sort of Holy Grail, following it as if it were a religion. The individuals in the novel who rely solely on acquiring knowledge are those who contribute to the end of the world, an outcome that is intended to highlight the dangers of failing to look beyond objective facts. This tendency to downplay anything other than science is apparent in the behavior of many of the novel's characters, foremost among them Felix Hoenikker, a man who was instrumental in the creation of the atomic bomb and who doesn't think about how his work might affect the world. As an individual who "just isn't interested in people" (Vonnegut 13), he consistently fails to connect what he does as a scientist to the moral implications his work has on society as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay With little or no respect for others, “people cannot reach [Felix],” and when confronted with the concept of sin as it related to the creation of his atomic bomb, Felix responded, “ 'what is sin?' » (Vonnegut 17). With no interest in human activity and focusing only on solving the problems he sees before him, Felix cannot know about sin, something that only exists in the context of morality. Felix considers science to be an arbitrary act; thus, moral responsibility does not enter into his decisions. The reason people couldn't "reach" Felix is because he acts like he's part of a scientific machine – a device designed for a specific, methodical purpose – rather than like he's part of a scientific machine. a larger human society. For this reason, he does not recognize that he can influence others through science; he considers his machine as a closed system. In his mind, not only can nothing affect him, but nothing he does can affect anything other than scientific innovation itself. This complacent attitude towards the results of technology is also present in Dr. Asa Breed, director of the Research Center. Laboratory, who really appreciates Félix and his work. Breed believes in science so ardently that he quickly expresses frustration that his lab is "one of the few companies that hires men to do pure research"—research he describes as "an increment knowledge” and “work”. toward no end but that” (Vonnegut 41). Met with this idea, John suggests that it is "very generous" (Vonnegut 41) of them to do this, but is quickly dismissed by Breed when he insists that there is "nothing generous in that” because “[n]o new knowledge is needed. the most precious possession on earth” (Vonnegut 41). Like Felix, Breed is not concerned with the repercussions of the research or even its use, although it is "sure to become a weapon, one way or another" (Vonnegut 26), as his own claims son of Breed. What Vonnegut is suggesting here, according to Zins, is that for "science [to be] saved from a technocracy that blindly serves the nuclear state and exacerbates the militarism of the world...the individual scientist [must refuse] to beaccomplice of the terminal process” (Zins 173). Breed's son chose to stop working at the lab because he looked past the objective research being conducted and saw the potential for its use; in other words, he refused to be complicit in the “crime” of creating weapons. Although Breed and Felix did not consciously decide to be complicit in this process, their failure to recognize the importance of what their research actually meant prevented them from refusing to participate. Not only does this method of thinking inspire Felix to continue conducting scientific research. without moral consideration, it is projected towards his children throughout their childhood. He paid them so little attention that when Newt was six years old and his father showed him the cat's cradle, Newt was terrified because "not only had [Felix] never played with [him] before, but he never had almost never spoken to him" (Vonnegut12). The lack of love and family support her children received led them to trade their new ice crystals: Angela used it to "buy herself a kitty husband", Frank used it to "buy himself a job.” , and Newt used it to “buy a week on Cape Cod with a Russian dwarf” (Vonnegut 243). They did not pawn Ice 9 in exchange for financial gain or a position of ultimate power; they traded him to gain a place where they belonged – a place that their father's lack of human interaction robbed them of. Growing up in a home that valued science only, the Hoenikker children grew up with exactly the opposite problem their father suffered from: instead of valuing people and everything about science, they placed very little importance on science and most of it about people. Comparable to the way children forced to conform to strict religious practices often fervently rebel against their church as they grow up, Felix's obsessive, religious affinity for science left his children yearning for anything but to science. For this reason, they saw fit to trade the nine ice for company without stopping to consider the effects of the scientific technology they possessed. We also see this blind acceptance of science in "Papa" Monzano, who, despite being a Bokononist, believed strongly in the power of science; This was made evident to us not only by his strong opposition to the idea of allowing citizens to practice Bokononism, but also by his blatant remarks in which he asserted that "science is the strongest thing there is" and that Frank will succeed as a leader because “[t]here is science” (Vonnegut 146). In its lack of respect for Frank's true leadership potential and his insistence on science alone, "Daddy" is used by Vonnegut as a prime example of what can happen when we consider nothing other than the truth of science. In the same way that he chose Frank to become the next president of San Lorenzo, the way he chose to commit suicide by ingesting nine ice shows his disdain for anything outside of technology. This is interesting, given the behavior of “Papa” Monzano. affinity with science, that “[he is] a member of the Bokononist faith” (Vonnegut 218), a religion based on lies and for which the only thing that is sacred is “man” (Vonnegut 210). Although he believed in Bokononism, he vehemently denounced it before his death, urging Frank to "kill [Bokonon] and teach [the people] the truth" – the truth he was referring to was science, which he also described as “magic that works” (Vonnegut 218). By juxtaposing belief in the truth of science with belief in the lies ofBokononism, Vonnegut asserts that while science may be the basis through which we gain knowledge and advance technologically, belief in man is what is truly valuable. Ultimately, although "Papa" Monzano underwent the last rites of Bokononism before dying, his choice to use science - in the form of ice-nine - to end his life, rather than let the things following their natural course, is what leads to the end of the world. By choosing belief in science over belief in man, “Papa” values solitary happiness over societal success. He took the ice-nine because it was a solution to end his pain – the same pain he inadvertently inflicted on others by choosing to end his own suffering. The ice-nine itself turns out to be a symbol of loneliness – it is what ultimately leads to the end of the world. Ice-nine was born from the “selfish unconsciousness and isolation” that “are latent in [its] inventor’s extreme alienation from his children” (Faris 46). Like ice, Felix, described by his son Newt as "one of the most well-protected human beings who ever lived" (Vonnegut 13), can be easily considered cold—a trait that Faris believes stems from "a lack of [passion]” (47). Felix's motivation for creating the atomic bomb and ice-nine came from pure curiosity about the problems he faced. He was not concerned with creating things for the good of man; instead, he lived his life “looking for things to play with and think about” (Vonnegut 16), rather than finding solutions to the problems he observed. It is therefore not surprising that a man as inaccessible as Felix would create a substance which, in isolation, will do no harm. Ice-nine is described as "a seed" that "teaches atoms [a] new way to stack and lock together" (Vonnegut 45). This means that when ice-nine is exposed to other water molecules, it causes a chain reaction whereby each molecule in the chain turns into ice-nine. Isolated, however, Ice-Neuf can do no harm, and the same can be said of Felix. If he had been left to his own devices and not been influenced by other scientists who wanted him to work on the atomic bomb and Ice-9, he could not have caused any damage. Felix did not care about the application of his experiences; if there was no one to use his technology for good, it would have no effect on the world, as Felix was otherwise isolated. Just as "Papa" Monzano took ice-nine and exposed the world to it, a Marine general induced the creation of ice-nine by "harassing [Felix] to do something about the mud." (Vonnegut 42). In this regard, Ice-nine is a recreation of Felix Hoenikker himself. The way Vonnegut involves those not directly involved in the distribution of Ice-nine – the Marine general, Felix's children – uses a critique of the existing order that Jubouri Al Ogali and Babaee assert "they propose that the intentionality of the author goes towards the existing political order” (97). When Marvin Breed makes a witty remark about how he "supposes it's high treason, ungrateful, ignorant, backward and anti-intellectual to call a dead man as famous as Felix Hoenikker a son of a whore” (Vonnegut 42), he complains about how a person’s “famous” status grants them immunity from justified criticism. By emphasizing how uncomfortable this makes Marvin (and John), Vonnegut urges us to ask ourselves who we are putting in charge; it makes us wonder how our perceptions of power obscure..

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