Walt Whitman Poem

Walt Whitman's poem I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer is a famous protest against scientific knowledge and the disenchantment it can produce in the human soul. According to Whitman, exact sciences can provide only schematic and insufficient knowledge about the universe, failing to recognize the divine mystery that pervades all things. As such, Whitman advocates for a different, more "humanistic" approach to knowledge and reality. What Whitman intends is to discourage a purely scientific reflection on reality and to prompt the discovery of the surrounding world through contemplation and empathy. The progress of science with all its branches has helped humanity move forward and has significantly contributed to the improvement of mankind's style of life. However, Whitman's admonition is an imperative: the modern man can become blinded by scientific knowledge and disdain the direct, spiritual contact with the universe: "His poem 'When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer' expresses impatience with systematic observation and meticulous analysis and favors direct contact with the wonder of the night sky."(Krupp, 44) I think that Whitman's stance is extremely important for my studies and my future development as an individual. On the one hand, the poet's admonition indicates that the study of the spiritual development of humanity is equally significant and useful as the progress of technology and the exact sciences. The human spirit can not be comfortable if it becomes alienated from the true contact with its environment. Thus, in my opinion, studying the human development and the social science is a crucial endeavor for mankind. Humanity has to stay in close contact with its own spirituality and with its own nature, and thus be able to genuinely relate to the surrounding world. Exact sciences are likely to alienate the individual from his environment, if he does not maintain a keen awareness to his spirituality and his nature as a thinking, animated being.

References

Krupp, E.C. (2006) "Antagonized by poets: astronomers are crossed out when the poetic pen glides toward the stars." Sky & Telescope 111.5: 43(2).