Essay Questions

Why did the artists fail to actualize their ideas during the enlightenment period?

According to the author, every aspect of the universe is interconnected by various fields of study such as science, religion, art, history, and mathematics among others. He argues that there is no single idea that can be actualized without connecting all the studies. During the enlightenment period, the artists failed to objectify their ideas because they put more focus on their field of study while ignoring others. For instance, their endeavor did not succeed because they lacked scientific knowledge. The artists during this period only believed that with faith and their knowledge they can create new things but that was never the case.

Which field of study does the author believe is critical and must be integrated into all fields to ensure that success is attained?

Wilson is specific that every field of study must be connected for ideas to be actualized. However, he puts more emphasis on the field of ethics because he argues that it is more significant. According to Wilson, scientists have failed to execute their work appropriately because they intentionally ignore ethics. Ethics is the most fundamental subject that every person should understand. Ethics is the primary root of integrity and this forms the core of any success intended to be achieved by experts.

Is the subject moral nature of life paradoxically used by the author?

Science is considered the universal principle of Consilience. The irony of science is that scientists fail to optimize the moral question in their relationship to reality and assume that their powerful existence is due to their discoveries. The author expounds that scientific creativity without morals is useless because it creates a false relation to reality.