Short Questions with Answers
1. How does science help people in daily life?
Answer : Science gives us better tools, like cars and modern medicine, improving daily living and health.
2. What does science teach us about the earth?
Answer : Science shows the earth is round and the sky is mostly empty.
3. What is the main idea of the essay?
Answer : The essay explains why people should adopt a scientific way of thinking.
4. What does the scientific point of view mean?
Answer : It means using logic, facts, and fairness to solve problems.
5. How is a scientist impartial?
Answer : A scientist treats everything equally, like a human, a tapeworm, or the solar system.
6. Why is science called “ethically neutral” ?
Answer : Science doesn’t decide what is right or wrong; it only gives facts.
7. What did Haldane say about false prophets?
Answer : He warned against people using science wrongly to promote personal ideas.
8. Can science replace religion in ethical decisions?
Answer : No, science cannot decide moral issues like right or wrong.
9. Why does science make scientists both proud and humble?
Answer : Science shows humans are intelligent yet still controlled by natural laws.
10. What is the meaning of “God’s eye-view”?
Answer : It means seeing all things equally without personal bias.
11. Why is pollution harmful according to scientists?
Answer : Pollution causes death, like a bomb, and spreads diseases.
12. What is a biologist’s role in the Negro problem?
Answer : Biologists study the effects of environment and disease on Negro populations.
13. What did the American Civil War do to the Negro population?
It raised their death rates and reduced their birth rates.
14. Why do people fail to use scientific cures like insulin properly?
Answer : Many people don’t follow instructions or understand their bodies work like machines.
15. What diseases can public control of water prevent?
Answer : Public control can stop diseases like typhoid, cholera, and diarrhea.
16. What role does education play in fighting diseases?
Answer : Education helps people understand microbes and adopt better health practices.
17. What does “return to nature” mean in the essay?
Answer : It is the idea of living without modern comforts, which Haldane says is useless.
18.What is preventive medicine?
Answer : It is using science to stop diseases before they occur, like vaccines and clean water.
19. What are the “rulers of the darkness of this world” ?
Answer : They are things like bacteria, cyclones, and diseases that harm humans.
20. Why should humanity adopt the scientific point of view?
Answer : It helps solve real problems and fight natural threats like disease and disasters.
Medium Questions with Answers
1. What is the scientific point of view, and why is it important?
Answer : The scientific point of view means thinking logically and relying on facts instead of emotions. It helps solve problems like diseases, pollution, and improving technology. Without it, people act based on false beliefs, which leads to poor decisions.
2. How does science affect opinions?
Answer : Science changes old beliefs by providing facts, like proving the earth is round and humans evolved from animals. These ideas improve understanding and help people make better decisions.
3. What is impartiality in science?
Answer : Impartiality in science means treating everything equally without personal feelings. For example, a scientist studies a tapeworm, a human, and the solar system with the same curiosity. This ensures fair and unbiased research.
4. How is the scientific point of view different from religion?
Answer : Science focuses on facts and does not judge what is right or wrong, while religion gives moral guidance based on beliefs. Science provides tools for solving problems, but it avoids making ethical decisions.
5. Why does Haldane warn against false prophets?
Answer : Haldane warns against people who misuse science to promote personal ideas, like banning smoking or supporting birth control. These “false prophets” confuse people by pretending their ideas are scientific.
6. What does the author say about pollution and disease?
Answer : The author explains that pollution spreads diseases, just like a bomb causes harm. Science can predict the effects of pollution, but it doesn’t decide whether polluting is morally wrong.
7. What role does environment play in the Negro problem?
Answer : The environment greatly affects health. In rural areas, Negroes live healthily, but in cities, they face diseases like tuberculosis. This shows how living conditions impact survival.
8. What caused the high death rate of Negroes after the Civil War?
Answer : The war disrupted their lives, leading to poor living conditions and spreading disease. This raised their death rate and reduced their birth rate for many years.
9. Why do some people fail to use scientific medicine properly?
Answer : Many people don’t understand how their bodies work or ignore medical advice. For example, some diabetics don’t take insulin regularly, which can lead to preventable deaths.
10. Why is public effort needed to fight diseases?
Answer : Diseases like typhoid and cholera require community action, such as clean water and vaccination campaigns. Individual efforts alone are not enough to control these problems.
11. What does Haldane say about “returning to nature” ?
Answer : He says returning to nature is meaningless because nature includes both good and bad things, like disease. Civilization, with the help of science, increases life expectancy and improves health.
12. How can preventive medicine help humanity?
Answer : Preventive medicine stops diseases before they occur, using methods like vaccines, clean water, and public health systems. This saves lives and reduces suffering compared to only treating illnesses.
13. Why does the author compare human bodies to machines?
Answer : Human bodies, like machines, follow physical laws and need proper care. For example, a diabetic needs insulin just as a car needs oil to function properly.
14. What are the enemies of humanity, according to science?
Answer : Bacteria, cyclones, and pollution are real threats to humanity, harming more people than wars. Science helps us fight these enemies, but public awareness and action are necessary to succeed.
15. Why does the author call for a scientific point of view?
Answer : Haldane says science helps solve real-world problems by focusing on facts, not emotions. It prevents false beliefs and ensures better decisions in areas like health, environment, and technology.
Long Questions with Answers
1. What are the main ideas of the essay “The Scientific Point of View” ?
Answer : The essay highlights the importance of adopting a scientific mindset. Science improves daily life, like curing diseases and advancing technology. It promotes fairness, focusing on facts rather than emotions. However, science is ethically neutral and cannot decide moral questions. Haldane warns against false prophets who misuse science for personal beliefs. The essay emphasizes education and collective action to solve problems.
2. How does Haldane explain the impartiality of science?
Answer : Science treats all subjects equally, from humans to animals and the solar system. A scientist studies a tapeworm without disgust or prejudice. This impartiality ensures logical research and prevents personal bias. It contrasts with the emotional or biased views of people in everyday life. Impartiality is a cornerstone of the scientific point of view.
3. How does science differ from religion in solving problems?
Answer : Science explains facts and predicts outcomes, but it does not judge moral issues. Religion often provides ethical guidance based on beliefs. For example, science can show how pollution kills but cannot say if polluting is wrong. Both approaches have value, but science focuses solely on understanding and solving real-world issues.
4. What role does science play in disease prevention?
Answer : Science helps prevent diseases through education, vaccines, and clean water systems. Public control of resources like water reduces infections like typhoid. However, individual actions like vaccinations also play a role. Preventive medicine is more effective when combined with collective efforts.
5. What is the “Negro problem,” and how does science explain it?
Answer : The Negro problem refers to health and survival issues caused by environment and discrimination. Biologists show that city living exposes Negroes to diseases, while rural areas are healthier. The essay highlights how scientific understanding can address these problems better than emotional or political actions.
6. Why does the author criticize a “return to nature”?
Answer : Haldane calls the idea meaningless because nature includes sickness as well as health. Civilization, guided by science, improves life expectancy and reduces disease. Returning to primitive conditions would harm humanity by increasing illness and mortality.
7. How does science improve life expectancy?
Answer : Science eliminates diseases like cholera and develops medicines like insulin. Public health systems and clean water also save lives. However, education is needed to apply these advances effectively.
8. What are the “real enemies” of humanity, and how can they be defeated?
Answer : Real enemies include bacteria, cyclones, and pollution. They cause more harm than wars. Science offers tools to fight these threats, but collective action and education are essential for success.
9. What does the essay say about the moral role of science?
Answer : Science provides facts but does not decide what is right or wrong. For example, it shows the dangers of pollution but does not judge the act morally. Haldane emphasizes that science must focus on solutions, not ethical decisions.
10. Why is education important for adopting the scientific point of view?
Answer : Education helps people understand how science works and apply it to solve problems. It promotes rational thinking, reduces reliance on emotions, and encourages preventive actions. Education is key to fighting diseases and other threats effectively.
Leave a Reply