Where science and philosophy converge…
Historically, science and the arts have been seen as separate entities but today we are beginning to understand that they are interdisciplinary. To be a successful scientist you need to be a creative thinker, problem solver, perhaps a philosopher as well as an engineer too. It is necessary to be able to consider a variety of possible solutions to arrive at an appropriate answer. Creative thinking and evaluation are necessary to push scientific research into the future.
The great philosophers of ancient times may not have been recognised as scientists, but it is on their work that many of today’s scientific theories are based. They were thinkers who endeavoured to answer questions about ‘how?’ and ‘why?’
A well-known example of this is the philosopher Archimedes, who is known as a physicist, a mathematician and an inventor. Schoolchildren are taught about how he leapt from his bathtub shouting ‘Eureka!’ as he rushed naked down the street, having understood why the water moved as he got in and out of the bath. And on this principle is based the law of physics fundamental to fluid dynamics today.
Carlo Rovelli, the world-renowned physicist and writer, spoke at the Oxford Literary Festival in February 2023 about another great but lesser-known 6th century Greek philosopher, Anaximander, who was the first person to understand that the Earth is a rock suspended in space. Anaximander reimagined the world and produced theories on the origin of the universe and the emergence of life. His beliefs continue to influence scientists today.
Carlo Rovelli’s work is much respected by well-known representatives of the arts world. The actor and director Morgan Freeman, writers Nick Hornby and Philip Pullman and the artist Antony Gormley are numbered among his admirers.
Two towering figures of the Renaissance who also link artistic and scientific endeavours are Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton. Leonardo, born in 1452, is probably best known for his painting of the Mona Lisa and his fresco of The Last Supper, but he was also an anatomist, mathematician and a military and hydraulic engineer. Newton, born in 1643 as the Renaissance drew to a close was a mathematician, physicist and astronomer who had a wide knowledge of theology and biblical history. His three greatest discoveries – universal gravitation, the nature of white light and calculus – are the reason why he is so important in the history of the development of science from its origins in classical philosophy.
As innovators of our time, we know the importance of drawing on the rich history of the greatest philosophers and writers, their innovative thinking, and creative answers to the questions of how and why momentous events occurred and how they set mankind on course to develop our environment as it is today. The foundations of science in the future will be based on their work and we always take so much from the discussions that happen at the festival, exchanging views and ideas with highly esteemed experts in the written word on the topics of science, innovation, healthcare and medicine. We can demonstrate our appreciation of this by sponsoring the Science and Innovation award for the second year running, and are extremely proud to do so.