Summaries of Essays by Jane Jacobs and Rex Murphy

Summary of the Essay – “The Scientific State of Mind” By Jane Jacobs

‘Science for Science’s Sake!’

The author Jane Jacobs unruffles the disquisition titled “The Scientific State of Mind” to furnish sanctification and abutment for science and its paraphernalia as wells as trimmings that are of propitious relevance to mankind. Jacobs insinuates to personages that are dissuaded and embittered by and towards scientific demesnes; however, Jacobs asserts that science ‘darlings’ itself and does not embolden any evidential breakthroughs or observations condemning of a state or scientific archetype. Moreover, she prepends to this by patronizingly discoursing that powerlessness whilst being mindful of what science unearths has the impending to result in quite trenchant mistakes. Jacobs next examines happiness, she particularizes that joy is inadequately derived from scientific state of mind and un-scientific ideologies or undertakings are therewith also not far-reaching in themselves which are appropriately likely to manufacture tools and gadgets that perhaps could be professed as detrimental to others. She finally contrives the essay by surfacing her position that science is all-encompassing as it ‘paradigms’ on itself by inducting with a fruitful question akin to shrubberies. Jacobs ultimately deliberates on four stages of science, fruitful prying is stated as primary stage, which is duly followed by ascertaining of a hypothesis, succeeded by hypothesis investigation, and last stage comprises of discerning of forthcoming prospects. Therefore, she concludingly deems science as an uninterrupted and articulate development that illuminates doubts, and can be entwined together unanimously to pose complementary yet cardinal and pro-genitive questions which will stitch together our planet earth into a rife entity much in a cyclical fashion.

Summary of the Essay – “What are we fighting for” – By Rex Murphy

‘Vindication for Canadian militia - long afoot!’

Rex Murphy’s exposition titled “What are we fighting for?” caters to Canadian populace that mull purposelessly about the absolution of incessant military presence in Afghanistan until 2006 that instigated from a parliamentary Common’s vote, he goes on to explain that Canada was an US ally in strategic elimination of Al Qaeda and Taliban to forfend it from becoming a fertile dwelling site for other horrendous historical time points such as 9/11. He elucidates that there was indeed UN approval to afoot the commotions of US and Canadian military policies in Afghanistan which were intended to abet the formulation of vis-a-vis a new de-facto government, thus Canadian troops continued to be present to curtail heinous actions of evil forces amongst innocent lives. Murphy furthers his essay by calling out wishful thinking as too unsophisticated by helping the reader think about two extremes: military action vs inaction. He reports that public-spirited and altruistic endeavors such as creating pathway from basic rights up to democracy, facilitating the establishment of basic infrastructure, and humanitarian efforts were key reasons that are explicated in the uninterrupted positioning of Canadian army in Afghanistan. These motives can be predated to the mission that Canadian armies were on to achieving during World War I and II, so forth increasing understanding of these motives requires an indisputable appreciation from Canadians regardless of colluding and variegated sentiments uttered in the Parliament.

References

Brundage, David, and Lahey, Michael. Acting on Words: An Integrated Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and Handbook. Prentice Hall, 2012.

Jacobs, Jane. The Scientific State of Mind.

Murphy, Rex. What are we fighting for?