The Wonder of Space
In the article Evangelizing the Cosmos: Science Documentaries and the Dangers of Wonder Overload Kirby delves into the “wonder of space”. Wonder broadly meaning to marvel. Kirby discusses the concept of wonder within the context of scientific documentaries who gather views by advertising the “wonders of space”. Words that bring up imagery of free floating stars Kirby begins by discussing the history of the word and its secular roots. Wonder, was and is, used by the church to tell individuals how to marvel at God’s creations, helplessly in awe. Feelings of helplessness turn to worship and the heads of religion tasked with divine interpretation weave those entangled with helpless wonder to worship. “‘The danger with this “secular wonder,’ though, is that wonder still has its spiritual connotations and these recent science documentaries are merely transferring the object of reverence from nature to science and scientists” (Kirby). While science and religion both utilize awe for engagement science has removed the helpless notion. Active wonder is the replacement. Active wonder is the idea that through scientific inquiry and mastery that humans are capable of navigating the great beyond.
“The sense of “helpless wonder” that the documentaries consider an ineffectual approach to nature has been shifted on to the audience who can now only sit and marvel at the work of scientists. The deployment of wonder in this way is meant to foster an appreciation for science and the work of scientists, but the risk is that appreciation for science turns into the worship of scientists” (Kirby). Kirby warns the worship of scientists leads to adoption that uncertainty is not present in science.
“Just like with religious figures, if the public is too in awe of those in authority then they do not feel comfortable challenging their pronouncements or actions” (Kirby).
Uncertainty is a foundational scientific principle and when the public loses the ability to inquire about that uncertainty or think critically is a red flag that there is a huge problem regarding how science is communicated.
In the article, The Right to Know and Understand the Night Sky by Prescod-Weinstein the curtain is pulled back on the “wonders of space”. The author begins the piece by delving into their background as a Harvard educated particle physicist of color who comes from a low socioeconomic background. She discusses the intersection of active wonder and race, “I do not believe we can talk about the wonders of the night sky without talking about the fact that people are running for their lives beneath the same celestial structures that I get paid to think about every day” (Prescod-Weinstein). In reference to past and present POC fleeing for freedom under the eye of night. The author goes on to explain that the “wonder” of space is a commodity. To experience the CGI version tucked inside scientific documentaries discussed above there’s a price tag and an even greater one if one wishes to experience far away stars through a telescope. The luxury to explore and ponder is a luxury, one people facing persecution are not able to grasp. “Let us demand human rights for all, including the right to know and understand the night sky, not as the context of desperate and dangerous searches for freedom, but as the beautiful place that holds the answers to how we came to exist at all” (Prescod-Weinstein).
