Science and Religion Flashcards
Professional and personal life - S&R
L keeps his scientific career and religion separate
J creates a mix of the two - “that hard law of life” “unscientific balderdash”
The 2 characters act as the oppoing sides of science and religion, demonstrating the rift between the 2 in victorian society. Described as “Damon and Pythias” - showing the extent of conflict between these two parts - almost to biblical proportions.
J’s experimentations lead him to go “wrong in the mind”, demonstrating that L has morals which he most likely judges people against
Guilt - S&R
After the carew murder case, J reconsiders his position in society and became “distinguished for religion” and charity, once again creating the contrast that religion and science cannot, in good conscience, be combined. He is shown to be a hypocrite, as “he did good” in public to keep up his image, but indulged in dark secrets in private.
J often represses parts of himself in the name of religion, hiding parts of his true self with a “morbid sense of sin”, “sin” having uniquely religious connotations. This intrigues the readers because they wouldn’t think that J would care about religion, but it demonstrates a deeply personal struggle he had to go through.
J only did good deeds for his own personal, selfish gain.
Science is a powerful force - S&R
Never fully understood by the characters. J can never understand just how much power he actually holds. His experiment was “incomplete” - he couldnt quite comprehend the levels of power, struggling to see how the science influence in his life affects the people around him.
As a result, he receives a “deadly nausea” and “racking pangs”.
To give him temporary power, he receives long-term ailments willingly. This shows the unintended negative impacts of the powerful force of science. When describing J’s cabinet, Stevenson uses vague language of “some strange things”, expressing the unknown aspects of these experiments.
Forbidden knowledge - S&R
J’s science would “stagger the disbelief of satan”.
L, who “denied the virtue of transcendental medicine”, is cursed by this knowledge and cannot even “set on paper” what he saw as it goes against his strict, religious beliefs. The knowledge of J’s transformation islife-changing for L, causing his “death warrent to be written legibly upon his face”
Similarly, J causes his own downfall and eventual death. Leads him to become the “chief of sufferers”
This is interesting to note as it shows that being on either side strongly of this science vs religion divide has led to the men’s eventual death, perhaps implying that the two sides of this debate are not that different after all.
Discoveries - S&R
j’s discovery is shown to be the “truth”, expressing his skepticism of religion and his seeking of a discovery “so singular and profound” to be the correct options.
This links to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
J feels “temptation” for this discovery, which has great connotations of sin and religion. His struggle against temptation won out, which blurs the line between science and religion.
Upon his experimentation, J repeats that he “was the first” in a feverish manner, showing that this desire to be the next great scientist has taken over him and caused him to act irrationally, which seems to be the opposite of what science generally is (rational thinking). The power went to his head.
