The definition of knowledge is a true belief that is eternal, universal in nature, and eternal. However, in the future, science may discard the claims we have today which we believe are true, accurate, and well-supported. Science may discard, challenge or alter some of the knowledge we have today. Suggesting the acceptance of knowledge is ambiguous, even though one can interpret this to mean one that experts support and verify. However, there are experts whose works were discarded by science many years ago, and the process seems unending. There are examples of cases which prove how the science and research, in the future, can discard the knowledge we have today. Some of these examples include Louis Pasteur’s and Galenus’ works. Even though these examples prove how one can discard others’ knowledge, there are examples, such as mathematics, which according to Plato, are unchanging and eternal. This paper, using several examples, looks at how the future and science may discard the much we know today.
Louis Pasteur’s Swan Necked Flask proves how the future may discard the knowledge we have today. In the ancient days, people believed that germs generated spontaneously. Humans believed that germs were called into existence and caused decay by decaying in organic matter. However, Pasteur sought to prove that germs did not generate spontaneously. Using the Swan Necked Flask, he wanted to prove that microbes were in the air (Bordenave, n.p); hence easy for them to transfer from one organic matter to the other. Through successful experiment, Pasteur was able to prove that microbes exist. He was also able to show the world microbes’ nature. Pasteur was able to create a paradigm shift as the thought that microbes generated spontaneously faded and the universe accepted the “Germ Theory.” Pasteur’s example shows how it is easy to discard the knowledge we have today by the use of scientific research.
Claudius Galenus’ works also prove how science can discard the knowledge we have today. Periods of innovation have proven how research and science can disapprove or improve the knowledge humans have today. An example of such times is the Renaissance. During the Renaissance, there were several cases in which many scientists disapproved Galenus’ works while others were improved. Scientists discovered several inaccuracies in his work and corrected them. These discoveries led to a significant improvement in the knowledge of human anatomy. For many years, Galenus worked on enlightening the human population on the subject of human anatomy (Rath Marr 139). However, within a short period, future scientists, in the Renaissance period, discovered the errors in some of these works and they are no longer in use in the present. However, several scientists came to his defense and argued the errors were as a result of his inexperience of human dissection since he only dissected animals with similar anatomical structures with humans. Due to this, veterinary doctors still use some of his knowledge in treating some animal sicknesses. Even though his knowledge of human anatomy is no longer in use, Galenus work provided the perfect explanation why it is important to carry out human dissections when researching on human anatomy. These experiments carry weight in them as to why it is important to ensure the information people gather is correct and accurate.
Even though science may discard the current knowledge humans have, there are examples which may prove hard to discard. Mathematical knowledge is an example of such knowledge. From one generation to the other, humans have passed on some mathematical concepts for many years. Some of these concepts include numbers, forms, and, magnitudes. Many scientists have claimed to advance mathematics and some of its concepts. Even though many scholars talk of advancements in mathematics, we fail to understand what “advance” in this concept means. The question is to whether people have “discovered” ideas which were there or they have come up with complicated versions of the same knowledge. When in math class and students are given a mathematical problem to solve, they have a profound sense of accomplishment after the test. This feeling comes from the fact that the problem had only one way of solving it and one answer. It is such an instance in which Plato, through his Platonic viewpoint believed that mathematics lies in ideas’ realm; meaning that mathematics is eternal and unchanging (Linnebo). Due to this, there is a reason to believe that 2+2 will forever be 4. It is in this case that humans find evidence of same mathematical rules in ancient architectures such as the Pyramids of Giza and the Babylonians’ Sexagesimal system like hours, minutes, and seconds. No one has discarded these systems, and the human population has used it for more than a thousand years.
In conclusion, it is safe to state that science and the future may discard the knowledge we have today. Even though by definition knowledge is a true belief that is eternal, universal in nature, and eternal, there are cases which have proved that the eternal aspect can sometimes be false. As this paper shows, there are perfect examples, such as Galen’s works which people believed as true but other physicians later discarded the work, hundreds of years later, due to their errors. However, there is some knowledge, such as mathematical formulas, which have remained to be true for thousands of years since no one has come up with proof of discarding them and pointing out errors in them.
