X+Book+Report

In //Muddling Through: Pursuing Science and Truths in the 21st Century//, Mike Fortun and Herbert J Bernstein embark on the daunting task of taking an all-inclusive and honest survey of science. From the prologue, “//Muddling Through// is a book about the sciences in the late twentieth century and the sciences we need for the twenty-first.” (page x) This is not entirely true; the scope of the book is much larger than these two centuries. More impressive than the material within is the sheer scope of material applicable to the subject that had to be considered.

But this is not a book of history or a scientific text. It does not take a traditional linear approach (the chronological history of science interspersed with commentary) or a purely logical scientific approach. This work is truly anthropological in nature, with healthy doses of philosophy that lend an abstract quality to the ideas put forth.

The book is divided into three parts, each one with a number of chapters. The general structure is clear with only a cursory glance at the contents. Part 1 has chapter names like ‘Articulating’, ‘Powering/Knowing’, and ‘Judging’. This first part is the longest in the book, about half again as long as Part 2, while Part 3 is only one chapter. Part 1 is also by far the most historical, moving from John Dewey to the Copernican Revolution in the first few pages, though it tends towards the philosophical aspects of science. The authors question the usefulness of the word 'reality', citing Max Planck's opinions on the faith that science requires and the nature of the 'real outer world'. Fortun and Bernstein question the concept behind the word, and determine a better definition would be "a muddle, or complex assemblage, of material, social, cultural, linguistic, technical and other forces - although those things are just our provisional names, too - that constitute what is most frequently called reality." (p. 32) The new term they coin for this lengthy concept is 'realit//t//y'.

If this level of existentialism catches you by surprise, the rest of Part 1 will have a similar effect. Nothing seems to be off limits, as early in the section Fortun and Bernstein question the nature of reality itself. The authors fearlessly call into question even the most basic philosophical concepts and stitch them into a worldview that overcomes our predisposed and influenced view of science. To be honest, this section of the book at first caught me by surprise. The abstract nature of it seemed out of place; obviously my expectations for the book were unfounded and arguably far too low.

The second part of the book is somewhat closer to what I had expected, though it still introduces a perspective that I would never had had through individual introspection alone. It examines modern applications, aspirations and consequences of science. This section will be particularly useful for readers who do have a background in the sciences, as it elaborates on how science actually happens. The first two chapters flow seamlessly from pollution to the various health effects of pollution and exposure to chemicals. In the case of a condition called MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) the authors outline how one would go about studying it. "If we had to name what we thought the single most important thing readers of this book could do about MCS, it would be: Exercise judgement." (p. 192) The following paragraph expounds on how to exercise judgment in how to acquire data, which previous data is relevant, and which fields of study previous experience is necessary in.

Other topics covered in the section are the human genome project, genetics of homosexuality, alcoholism, cloning, and eventually quantum physics. Similar to how Part 1 engaged any philosophical perspective it deemed relevant, anything in modern science is fair game in Part 2. Some of the above topics are hot button even today, ten years after the book's publishing. Fortun and Bernstein delicately discuss issues like homosexuality and cloning provoking little or no controversy despite the prologue declaring "This is ... a book about politics" (p. x).

The section leaves us with a definitive message. After restating the complexities of science - "entanglement", difficulty to articulate, and depth - Fortun and Bernstein tell us "Responsibility here, for us, means //not// getting off the quantum bronco, and taking the risky ride instead." (p. 255). This is a relieving sentence to read; the authors spent the better part of 100 pages expounding on the wonders of science, but also the pitfalls and complications. Luckily, even in the face of a daunting field like quantum physics their pure enthusiasm for science is infectious.

If the first and second sections of this book were about the past and present of science, respectively, the third is certainly about the future of science. Only one chapter long, this last section takes its title from that of the book and the implied significance of that is not a misnomer. Topics elaborated on are the relationship between science and government, suggestions of further reading, and even advice on 'how to muddle'. But the largest focus of the third section is on the trifecta that is reflected in the very structure of the book. On page 263, the authors use the terms 'Firstness', 'Secondness', and 'Thirdness' (introduced earlier in the book) extensively to describe both the format of the book and the nature of science in a single breath. This triad is not as ordered as the names would suggest, referring instead to 'sign', 'object', and 'interpretant', in that order. Loosely (and note; this is based on my own interpretation of an already abstract concept) this seems to correlate to theory, experimentation, and then the third quality of science that this section attempts to uncover. On page 263 Fortun and Bernstein say "Section III, then, should correspond to Peirce's "Thirdness" and should reiterate the sciences, again, from a subtly different vantage point. ... Thirdness is a "gentle force" that somehow binds the other two together, and keeps them from simply colliding and bouncing off each other. Thirdness has to do with an interpretation that interpenetrates the web of ideas and things".

That quote requires active interpretation from the reader, by the very nature of the concepts involved. Thirdness is, for me, the purpose of this book. The "subtly different vantage point" is our vantage point. It is how we muddle through science; what it means to us and how we approach it. Thirdness is what makes this book powerful, and perhaps even indispensable. It cannot be boiled down for the sake of conciseness to 'how we look at science', for science desires more active interpretations. Science requires a monumental effort like this book to find Thirdness. Without teaching a single equation or chemical formula this book can turn an inquiring mind into a scientist.