미국문학에서의 과학의 의미 포우, 휘트만, 제퍼스, 베리의 경우

Abstract

This paper examines complex correlations between the human mentality and science which American writers have pursued, paying special attention to Walt Whitman, Robinson Jeffers, and Wendell Berry. That is, through a reading of Whitman's, Jeffers', and Berry's works, I will attempt to explore how science contributes to the formation or pursuit of the mentality in various periods and how objective facts of science have been correlated with the inner experiences of human beings; namely their esthetic, imaginative, and ethical reactions to the world. In American literature, it is Walt Whitman who has the most positive attitude toward science. The poetic forms, contents, and vision of Whitman's works are combined to form a poetic wholeness. In his work, science plays a significant role in forming new poetic forms, contents, and visions, serving as a ground for providing new visions and dictions. Scientific facts are also employed as images and metaphors to support his visions which are expansive, progressive, and democratic. Robinson Jeffers tries to study human beings and the world objectively and believes that science and its facts are useful tools for his purpose. He uses science to deny and deconstruct the anthropocentric vision which Whitman pursues and supports with science. Throughout his entire poetic career, Jeffers attempted to relocate human beings from the center of meaning and truth to inconsiderable beings. Thus, objective truth and facts of science are valuable because they destroy human solipsism and anthropocentric visions. Wendell Berry is concerned with the problems of the industrialized society and its mechanism between politics, economics, and science (or its technologies). It is not science itself but its dogmatism and abstractions that are important for Berry. He argues that the abstractive mind of scientists becomes a destructive force, because, although it seems to increase knowledge, it actually fragments knowledge. It also, according to Berry, contributes to solidifying the centralized power and monoculture. Berry senses the potential danger that which the dogmatism and abstraction of science can produce.