The Great Influenza: Polarization of Pathways Grey areas. The human mind is susceptible to an indefinite thought when pondering upon something that is not explicitly defined. It often fails to take a stand one way or the other and rather resides in the middle ground, lacking a definite stance or conception. This phenomenon of lacking concreteness is reflected throughout our existence; from subtle grey areas in such decisions as food choices to grey areas in our understanding of the universe, we are encompassed by the lack of concreteness. In his assertive and elaborate passage from The Great Influenza, Barry insists on a digression from the aforesaid phenomenon of the mind and contends that scientific advancement resides in the embracement …show more content…
His comparison lies in the experience of the frontiersmen, who “deal with the unknown” and reside in a “region where they know almost nothing” (Barry 26-27). Barry insists that scientists must venture into the unknown, “where the very tools and techniques needed...do not exist,” and conceive of novel ways, all of which are tagged with uncertainty, to explore and clear their barriers in order to advance in the scientific world (Barry 27-29). In a rather assertive manner, Barry pushes for scientists to entirely avoid certainty and initiate their endeavors from a point that has yet to be established. He depicts the potential that lies in the uncertain, in which a “single step can take [the scientists]” in eccentric ways that may lead to groundbreaking positions that have thus far not been explored (Barry 30). However, he juxtaposes the very potential of innovative endeavors with potential pitfalls, resulting from the “single step [that] can also take one off a cliff” (Barry 35). He resolves this ambiguity by contending that the benefits of uncertainty outweigh the risks. He extends his comparison of scientists to frontiersmen and presents their work as that which “begins with figuring out what tools [they] need and then making them,” emphasizing the idea that scientific progress is a byproduct of novelty and unprecedented research techniques, an endeavor similar to that of a frontiersman who needs to develop unique techniques to adapt for survival in the distinct wilderness (Barry 38-39). Barry firmly asserts that scientific triumph originates in a scientist establishing his own pursuit of answers, ignoring established principles, and developing a solution from scratch. He expands on his assertion by presenting questions such as: “Would a pick be best, or would dynamite be better--or would dynamite be too
In The Great Influenza, John M. Barry educates citizens of the everyday challenges that scientists face through utilizing rhetorical questions, cause and effect, and contrast. Barry’s uses of the rhetorical strategies highlights the beauty of uncertainty because of failure, scientists can make new discoveries everyday. In relation
At times, regardless of the setbacks, rivalry can be advantageous by giving people the inspiration to continue. Debating on whether to give up the race, Watson realizes the full implications this scientific competition has: “But if I went back to pure biology, the advantage of our small head start over Linus (Pauling) might suddenly vanish,” (Watson 144). The grand quest for finding the structure of DNA is too great for Watson to pass up. Not only does this head start inspire Watson to continue studying DNA, but it convinces him to work even harder. While the desire to quickly find a solution can be too daunting to appease, even the notion of being in the lead can be enough incentive to strive for the goal which is a definite positive effect for Watson. But for every positive advantage, there is a negative setback that other competitors may impose.
Barry opens up this section with a metaphor, stating that “all real scientists exist on the frontier,” and continuing on to compare scientific research to the western frontier. As the western frontier was new and undiscovered in early America until people became bold enough to venture out there, scientific research is new and undiscovered as well until one has the boldness to explore the work. This metaphor relating to the frontier allows Barry to clearly paint a picture of his characterization of scientific research. As he continues on in explaining the unknown, Barry writes a series of rhetorical questions relating to the metaphor of the frontier. As the rhetorical questions continuously follow one another, they mimic the job a scientist would have in inquiring date within an experiment. These questions not only make the reader think thoroughly about the roles of scientists, but also force the reader to think like a scientist his or herself. This comparison of scientific research to the frontier, as well as the rhetorical questions within it, allow Barry to portray the unknown factor within science, emphasizing the boldness and curiosity a great scientist must have in order to be truly
While discussing the unknown frontier that scientists must endure, Barry describes a “wilderness region” that is unfamiliar and new. He continues to say that scientists venture “through the looking glass” into a new frontier. These devices help to create familiar ideas that the audience will understand in an unfamiliar situation. A simile used to compare research to a “crystal” by explaining that “probing” was to “ precipitate an order out of chaos,” much like a crystalline structure forms an ordered structure. Finally, Berry implements a metaphor in order to describe what follows a discovery. He describes “a flood of colleagues” that “ pave roads over the path laid.” This metaphor describes how science continuously changes, one discovery after another while ultimately communicating the patience and curiosity a scientist must have. The culmination of these figurative devices teach a new way of an audience that is unfamiliar with the author's theme.
Many people are inclined to say why would science even wish to peruse this method of research? Lewis Thomas says in his essay "The Hazards of Science" It would seem to me a more unnatural thing and more of an offense against nature for us to come on the same scene endowed... ... middle of paper ... ... J. Michael Bishop states that "The price of science seems large, but to reject science is to deny the future.
The Influenza virus is a unique respiratory viral disease that can have serious economic and social disruption to society. The virus is airborne transmitted through droplets release by coughing or sneezing from an infected person or by touching infected surfaces. Symptoms range from mild to severe and may even result in death. People with the virus usually experience fever, headache, shivering, muscle pain and cough, which can lead to more severe respiratory illness such as pneumonia. People most susceptible to the flu virus are elderly individuals and young children as well as anyone whose health or immune system has been compromise. The most effective way to counteract the influenza virus is to get the flu vaccine which is available by shots or nasal spray before the flu season as well as practicing safe hygiene. (CDC, 2013)
Loo, Yueh-Ming and Michael Gale, Jr. “Influenza: Fatal Immunity and the 1918 Virus.” Nature 445 (2007): 267-268. 23 July. 2008 .
A pandemic is defined as a disease that has the ability to outbreak and spread globally. A pandemic is determined by how a particular disease spreads rather than how many lives it has claimed. A future pandemic can easily occur if and when a mutation of a new influenza A virus emerges. A pandemic of this type is easily possible to spread quickly and globally due to that when a new strand of the virus emerges, it will be highly unlikely that the human population will have a built up immunity to it.
People may say that mistakes just hold scientists back and provide obstacles. John Denker says, “scientists worked to avoid mistakes.” He says that scientists did not just make one mistake that led to a big discovery, but they invented their products little by little, trying to make it perfect. Mistakes may hold you back sometimes, but they also really help you learn what to do at work.
The Great War rages on. An influenza epidemic claims the lives of several Americans. But, the Boston Red Sox have done it again. Last night, in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Fenway Park (thanks to Carl Mays' three-hitter), the Boston Red Sox won their fifth World Series championship--amid death and disease, a reason to live ... Babe Ruth and the 1918 Red Sox. If I die today, at least I lived to see the Sox win the championship. For, it could be a long, long, time before this happens again.
One of the most effective methods Barry uses throughout the aforementioned passage, is his comparison of scientists to explorers. The first lines of paragraph four set up the comparison, “All real scientists exist on the frontier,” this furthers the point Barry makes that scientific research is about uncertainty and embracing it, only then will the research that is done yield any answers. Barry furthers the point of uncertainty is the very nature of science with this quote, “There they probe in a
A few years before 1918, in the height of the First World War, a calamity occurred that stripped the globe of at least 50 million lives. (Taubenberger, 1918) This calamity was not the death toll of the war; albeit, some individuals may argue the globalization associated with the First World War perpetuated the persistence of this calamity. This calamity was referred to the Spanish Flu of 1918, but calling this devastating pestilence the “Spanish Flu” may be a historical inaccuracy, as research and historians suggest that the likelihood of this disease originating in Spain seams greatly improbable. Despite it’s misnomer, the Spanish Flu, or its virus name H1N1, still swept across the globe passing from human to human by exhaled drops of water that contained a deadly strand of RNA wrapped with a protein casing. Individuals who were unfortunate enough to come in contact with the contents of the protein casing generally developed severe respiratory inflammation, as the Immune system’s own response towards the infected lung cells would destroy much of the lungs, thus causing the lungs to flood with fluids. Due to this flooding, pneumonia was a common cause of death for those infected with Spanish Flu. Due its genetic similarity with Avian Flu, the Spanish Flu is thought to be descended from Avian Flu which is commonly known as “Bird Flu.” (Billings,1997) The Spanish Flu of 1918 has had a larger impact in terms of global significance than any other disease has had because it was the most deadly, easily transmitted across the entire globe, and occurred in an ideal time period for a disease to happen.
Frankenstein is a young scientist who is blinded by the fame and dangers of the knowledge of creation. "So much has been done," exclaims Frankenstein after he hears a lecture on famous scientists. "More, far more, will I achieve: treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unk...
The Response to the Influenza of 1918 At the time, the Influenza of 1918 was called the Spanish Flu. Spain was not involved in the expanding great war (i.e., World War I) and therefore was not censoring it's press. However, Germany, Britain, and America were censoring their newspapers for anything that would lower morale. Therefore, Spain was the first country to publish accounts of the pandemic (Barry 171 and Furman 326), even though the pandemic most likely started in either France or the United States. It was also unique in it's deadliness; it “killed more people in a year than the Black Death of the Middle Ages killed in a century”
...om society. Although Bishop makes no excuses for the shortcomings of science and academia, he delivers an ominous message to those who would attack the scientific community: Science is the future. Learn to embrace it or be left behind.