IMS_Blog

This post was inspired by a Science Musings post, it’s just some very quick thoughts I had in response (despite it’s inspiration, and the fact this derives from it, I’m quite reluctant to link to that post as its most lyrical passages seem to have been lifted stratight from this Musings per jasmine post :-/ As Tom from Science Musings points out in the comments, it’s actually the other way around, sort of…). Anyway, my point was supposed to be that science, and the knowledge of the way the world works it gives, doesn’t necessarily distract from the beauty of the world. Yes, in the context of a kiss it’s not particularly important. The thing is that people often assume scientists can’t realise that. More, they assume that because we might understand the molecular structure of that honey that it somehow takes away from the fact that it tastes damn delicious. This, when you stop to think for a moment, is clearly ridiculous. Scientists like honey, and enjoy kissing as much as anyone. We however get more, for we get to see the beauty of those molecules, the connections between the glory of nature. Just because we have some idea how the rainbow is formed doesn’t make it any less pretty—it makes it greater, for we can ponder, should we choose, how such an enchanting thing can come from photons twinkling through some raindrops.

I recommend you check out the incomparable Richard Feynman on this point, who waxed so much more wonderfully than I on just that subject, somewhere I can’t be bothered to look up right now. Mmm, kiss…