Science in Gulliver's Travels, Part Two

While in Lagado, Gulliver investigates the grandmoved. By using this Frame, the scientist claimed
Academy of Projectors and describes many ofthat "the most ignorant person" could "write
their current investigations, which seem pointlessBooks in Philosophy, Poetry, Politicks, Law,
and useless for the benefit of mankind.The firstMathematicks and Theology, without the least
project in Swift's satire is that of "extractingAssistance from Genius or Study" (Swift 176). In
Sun-beams out of Cucumbers" which had beenthis passage, Swift is satirizing people's desire to
worked on for eight years at the Academygain knowledge through artificial means instead of
(Swift 171). The scientist working on this projectreading and studying for the attainment of
stated the purpose of it as being "to supply theknowledge.Another instance of attaining
Governors Gardens with Sun-shine at aknowledge by artificial means is seen in the
reasonable Rate" (Swift 171). Here Swift describesproject of teaching mathematics to students by
scientific studies that are undertaken to improvewriting the information on a "thin Wafer with Ink
on something that has no necessity of beingcomposed of a Cephalick Tincture" (Swift 178).
improved. In this case, it is ridiculous to try toThe students were required to swallow these
improvise sunshine because the sun is readilywafers "upon a fasting stomach and for three
available to all. This satire may have been basedDays following eat nothing but Bread and Water"
on the "recent investigations of John Hales into(Swift 178). This was supposed to work by as
the action of sunlight in promoting the respirationthe wafer would be digested, the "Tincture
of plants" (Turner 334).Next Gulliver encounters amounted to his brain" carrying the information
projector who had been working on the samewith it (Swift 178). This project was unsuccessful
study since he had come to the Academy manydue to the "perverseness" of the students who
years ago. His experiment was:an Operation torefused to adhere to the scientist's instructions
reduce human Excrement to its original Food, byregarding fasting.In the School of Languages,
separating the several Parts, removing theGulliver finds projectors who are endeavoring to
Tincture which it receives from the Gall, makingmake the English language more efficient. The
the Odour exhale, and scumming off the Salivamethods proposed are: (1) to "shorten discourse
(Swift 172).This project shows the futility ofby cutting Polysyllables into one, and leaving out
scientific experiments that will have no usefulVerbs and Participles"; and (2) to abolish all words
benefit for mankind, because no matter what healtogether. In this last method, people would
does to restore the excrement to its originalcommunicate with physical objects which they
form no one is going to want to consume it. Thiswould "carry about" with them to "express the
project satirizes scientists' tendencies to expendparticular Business they are to discourse on"
large amounts of time, money, and energy on(Swift 177).This proposal was not very successful
investigations which are useless and even largelywith the women and the "Vulgar and Illiterate"
ridiculous.The physical description of the twowho demanded to be able to "speak with their
aforementioned scientists satirizes how scientistsTongues, after the Manner of their Forefathers"
are neglectful of their appearance and personal(Swift 177). Nonetheless, many of the "Learned
hygiene. The first projector is a man of "meagreand Wise" accepted the use of this method of
aspect" with "sooty hands and face" (Swift 171).communication. Swift shows the ludicrousness of
His hair and beard are worn long and are "raggedthis method by describing the inconveniences of
and singed in several places" (Swift 171). Theit:I have often beheld two of those Sages almost
second scientist is described as the:most ancientsinking under the Weight of their Packs, like
Student of the Academy. His Face and BeardPedlars among us; who when they met in the
were of a pale yellow; his Hands and ClothesStreets would lay down their Loads, open their
dawbed over with Filth (Swift 171-72).SwiftSacks, and hold Conversation for an Hour
attempts to show that scientists, being sotogether; then put up their Implements, help each
immersed in their studies, neglect their outwardother to resume their Burthens, and take their
appearance, which makes them an object ofLeave (Swift 178).This passage demonstrates
ridicule in polite society.Swift also satirizeshow some projects are not only useless to
scientists for undertaking projects that they claimmankind, but detrimental also. Such a scenario as
will improve upon current practices when there isthis would cause unnecessary physical strain,
nothing wrong with the present system. One ofwhich would lead to many serious health
these projects described is that of an architectproblems.In the School of political projectors, Swift
who asserts humans should follow the practiceshas Gulliver denounce what Swift himself is in
of bees and spiders in building houses "byfavor of; namely that monarchs choose people to
beginning at the Roof and working downwards tofill posts based upon their "Wisdom, Capacity, and
the Foundation" (Swift 172). While this works wellVirtue" (Swift 179). The projectors also propose
for bees and spiders, it is plainly ridiculous forthat "Ministers consult the publick Good" and that
humans to do so.Other projects that Gulliverpeople should be rewarded based upon "Merit,
encounters include using hogs to plow and fertilizegreat Abilities, and eminent Services" (Swift 179).
farmland, instead of the traditional method ofGulliver takes the opposite side and calls these
cattle and man made plows. This new method ofscientists "unhappy people" who are "wholly out of
plowing does not make the system any better,their Senses" (Swift 179). While this practice of
but rather "the Charge and Trouble" was found tochoosing people for employment and favors
be "very great" (Swift 172). Furthermore, thisbased upon merit would be useful for mankind,
method produced "little or no Crop" (Swift 172).Swift shows (through Gulliver's deprecation of it)
Nonetheless, the scientists refuse to give up theirhow most people would not appreciate this being
project as fruitless, and continue working on theput into practice since most do not achieve their
invention.Another projector counsels Gulliver thatposts due to their merit.Perhaps the most useless
using spiders' webs for thread instead ofproject described in Gulliver's Travels is that of
silkworms is infinitely much better. He maintains"discovering Plots and Conspiracies against the
that by feeding the spiders with flies of differentGovernment" (Swift 182). The projector claims
colors their webs would be of many differentthat by examining the excrement of a person
colors, which would save people from having tominutely, one would be able to "form a Judgment
dye the silk. This is another instance of trying toof their Thoughts and Designs" (Swift 182).Gulliver
replace a current way of doing things in whichinforms the projector of his own country's
there is nothing wrong with the present system.manner of discovering plots, which are equally
Swift's attitudes concerning science and scientistsludicrous:It is first agreed and settled among
become explicit in his descriptions of thethem, what suspected Persons Shall be accused
experiments of the "universal artist" (Swiftof a Plot: Then effectual Care is taken to secure
175).The Artist himself was at that Time busyAll their Letters and other Papers, and put the
upon two great designs:The first, to sow LandOwners in Chains. These Papers are delivered to
with Chaff, wherein he affirmed the true seminala Set of Artists very dextrous [sic] in Finding out
Virtue to be contained, as he demonstrated bythe mysterious Meanings of Words, Syllables, and
several Experiments which I was not skilfulLetters. For instance, they can decypher a
enough to comprehend. The other was, by aClose-stool to signify A Privy-Council; a Flock of
certain Composition of Gums, Minerals, andGeese, a Senate; a lame Dog, an Invader; The
Vegetables outwardly applied, to prevent thePlague, a standing Army, a Buzard...(Swift 183).In
Growth of Wool upon two young Lambs; and hethis passage, Swift satirizes people's ability to
hoped in a reasonable Time to propagate thetwist words and phrases into meaning whatever
Breed of naked Sheep all over the Kingdomthey wish them to mean, disregarding the obvious
(Swift 175).Sowing land with chaff is "themeaning of the words and phrases contained in
traditional images for wasted labor" (Turner 336).the letters and other papers of suspected
This reveals Swift's belief that most of the workinsurgents.Thus in the voyage to Laputa, Swift
of scientists is only so much wasted labor. Thegives his view of science and scientists. He
experiments of trying to breed naked sheepsatirizes their absentmindedness, their detachment
delineate Swift's belief that studying animals isfrom humanity, their disregard for studying
useless for mankind; how would sheep with nomankind, and their lack of social graces. Swift
wool benefit people?After Gulliver visits theviews much of scientific studies as a waste of
scientists working on utilitarian projects, he goestime, money, and energy in that it does little to
to see some of the inventions classified underbenefit mankind. This view of Swift's is expressed
speculative sciences. The first invention hethrough his satires of scientific
investigates is a "Frame" that is designed toprojects.BibliographySwift, Jonathan. Gulliver's
improve "speculative knowledge by practical andTravels. Ed. Paul Turner. New York: Oxford
mechanical Operations" (Swift 175). This FrameUniversity Press, 1998.Turner, Paul. "Introduction
consists of all the words in the English languageand Footnotes." Gulliver's Travels. By Jonathan
written on pieces of paper which were thenSwift. Ed. Paul Turner. New York: Oxford
pasted onto bits of wood. By turning a handle, theUniversity Press, 1998. ix-xxvi, 289-371.Mary
words shifted around as the bits of wood wereArnold is an author on which is a site for Writers.