Literature, Science and the Contact Zone

Some photos of my garden in 2011. 

So, I've been thinking about the discussion in the last class. First, a disclaimer: I get really into discussing ideas and run away with myself. That's how my husband and I mesh so well- we love exchanging ideas and we learn from one another. Sorry guys, if I rambled on about my family on Thursday! I just get excited sometimes.

I thought of this after class- Literature (or art or philosophy)  takes a certain avenue to reconcile the world's questions, conflicts and wonders. Science takes its own particular route and somewhere along the way they inevitably meet in the CONTACT ZONE that Dr. Cassel was talking about. Really, literature and science are just tools we use to understand and impact our world. I think we can use either one to make an impact. Like Dr. C explained, they also impact one another.

A good example of this contact zone in my life would be my garden. I am not one of those frilly hydrangea growing ladies (and, gotta love them because they are beautiful) but I have a large edible garden. I volunteer with metro parks and read a LOT of books about gardening, entymology and horticulture/permaculture. I am intrigued by certain aspects of science, and use science as a tool to interact with the natural world. Because of my philosophical and sentimental tendencies, I usually take in and use the scientific information with a slant to it. I am in tune with the life in my yard and know what temperatures trigger certain pests or beneficial insects to return to the garden. I time my entire garden cycle by my garlic. I know all about soil structure and ph importance but never test my soil. My reason is that I feel connected to my ancestors in the garden and prefer to use my senses to understand the soil. I feel like a soil test would tarnish that. Not scientific at all. Not logical. But to me, it's important. It's the contact zone between my scientific knowledge and my "inner light" or whatever you want to call it. That thing in me that says I must be still and recognize my role and connection to the life around me instead of simply manipulating it- even if it takes longer and my tomatoes are smaller than my neighbor's.

My son loves garlic too!

I have a book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama called "The Universe in a Single Atom." It is a spiritual piece of literature about science. In the book, he says that it is necessary to change philosophy if science disproves it. Maybe that is the contact zone between Science and Philosophy.

Maybe art and science operate best together. Maybe it is a balance between the two and something great can come from it- maybe they even need one another to progress. I'm not sure, but I like thinking about it.

That little guy is the contact zone between his wacky parents!