Metacognitive Reading Report # 1

Name: MANALAYSAY, ROCHELLE S. Date: February 14, 2018

“The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: What Is and What Should Be the Role of Scientific
Culture in Modern Society”

1. Difficult Concepts (What concepts did you find difficult to understand?)

The very first concept that seems unclear for me in Feynman’s speech is his
suggestion about the death, that it is not inevitable, and that it is only a matter of
time before the biologists can prove it. I think this is because it contrasts my beliefs
and faith. Another thing that I find difficult to understand is when he started to use
the United States political parties as an example, this is because my knowledge
about politics and the political system were so little, so maybe that triggered my
confusion about his intended point. Lastly, his statement about Science being
irrelevant, as he also keeps saying that it is relevant, thus, it makes me question
what really his stand is.

2. Insights (What new insights or learning did you gain in discussion/ activity?)

I used to think that we live in a world where we all became dependent on

science and the role of it in our society is universal but after reading the article, I
have learned that it suggests otherwise. To quote what Feynman says in his
speech, “If we look away from the science and look at the world around us, we
found out something rather pitiful: that the environment that we live in is so
actively, intensely unscientific”- we still have beliefs that science cannot explain
because we were used to the fact to not let science interfere.
Before, I used to think that in order to achieve progress, one must not doubt
oneself, but after reading the article, I have learned that doubting is indeed an
important part in reaching progress and learning. Learning starts from asking a
question, and asking a question begins with doubt.
Surprisingly, I also have gathered a lot of new insights and learning based
on Feynman’s words, things such as: Our capacity to doubt will determine the
future of our civilization and Biology as a science that will face future moral
difficulties. I have also appreciated his definition of science, that it creates a power
through its knowledge, a power to do things; that we are able to do things, after
we knew something scientifically. It is also highlighted that a scientist is never
certain, and that when they made a statement, the question would not be
whether if it’s true or false but rather how likely it is to be true or false. Undeniably,
there’s this sentence in the speech that really says a lot about life “You only think
you know, as a matter of fact. And most of your actions are based on incomplete
knowledge and you really don’t know what it is all about, or what the purpose of
the world is, or know a great deal of other things. It is possible to live and not know.”
– It is a simple thought but it speaks volume. I always wanted to know what is the
purpose of existing, and I like to think to myself that I already knew the answer, but
his statement really makes me question myself again.

3. Questions (What questions would you want answers for? Or vague areas you want
more explanations about?)

The question I would want to ask is similar to the question Feynman

have mentioned in his speech, “Why is it possible for people to stay so woefully
ignorant and yet reasonably happy in modern society when so much knowledge
is unavailable to them?” - , the reason why I mimic him is because as I reflect after
reading the speech, I found myself realizing that there were really people, and
that includes me, that are still clueless of what Science have done or can do with
our whole being and beliefs. In relation to this, I also want to ask the question
“When will Science be relevant to everyone?”, “Is there a possibility that Science
can explain everything? If so, would people allow it?”. Lastly, with respect to the
title of the article title itself, I would like to ask the question, “What should really be
the role of scientific culture in our modern society?”.