Forever at war, religion and science divide the people. For some, there must be a reason behind any phenomenon. Events do not happen haphazardly. To others, a higher power is all the reasoning they require. Being able to look up to a higher power give some people comfort. In Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Cat’s Cradle, Vonnegut questions the authenticity of both institutions through the reaction humanity has on the stances of religion and science. Through Bokononist ideas and the field of science, Vonnegut is able to portray the effects religion and science have on society.
Vonnegut creates a fictional religion that allows him to show how people find unity through their religion. Bokononism is intended to represent all religions. Bokononism gives people …show more content…
Scientists do not agree with that notion due to the fact that society still supports the products of their experiments. Scientists are aware of what society has to say about them. To show their knowledge about the claim Vonnegut says, “‘All your questions seem into getting me to admit that scientists are heartless, conscienceless, narrow boobies, indifferent to the fate of the rest of the human race, or maybe not really members of the human race at all’” (39). It seems to be difficult for society to humanize scientists because they are all generalized as heartless. Although society denounces them, they still put their trust and money into the field of science because they are able to provide what society needs. In the article Shameless Lies: An Analysis of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, the author of the article shows how much society relies on science by stating, “We place our lives in the hands of childish men like Hoenikker on a daily basis. Science has dangerous potential when not treated with the utmost respect, and when used frivolously, to keep marines out of mud, for instance, it can have devastating repercussions” (“Shameless Lies: An Analysis of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle” 3). How would the scientists know that their work is wrong if the masses still support their creations? The atomic bomb Dr. Hoenikker creates to end World War II is a great example in which it was an evil for the greater good. Innocent lives were taken due to the bomb, but without it the war would have continued which could potentially take even more lives. Sacrifices have to be made unknownst to the public in which they can benefit
Vonnegut creates a fictional religion that allows him to show how people find unity through their religion. Bokononism is intended to represent all religions. Bokononism gives people …show more content…
Scientists do not agree with that notion due to the fact that society still supports the products of their experiments. Scientists are aware of what society has to say about them. To show their knowledge about the claim Vonnegut says, “‘All your questions seem into getting me to admit that scientists are heartless, conscienceless, narrow boobies, indifferent to the fate of the rest of the human race, or maybe not really members of the human race at all’” (39). It seems to be difficult for society to humanize scientists because they are all generalized as heartless. Although society denounces them, they still put their trust and money into the field of science because they are able to provide what society needs. In the article Shameless Lies: An Analysis of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, the author of the article shows how much society relies on science by stating, “We place our lives in the hands of childish men like Hoenikker on a daily basis. Science has dangerous potential when not treated with the utmost respect, and when used frivolously, to keep marines out of mud, for instance, it can have devastating repercussions” (“Shameless Lies: An Analysis of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle” 3). How would the scientists know that their work is wrong if the masses still support their creations? The atomic bomb Dr. Hoenikker creates to end World War II is a great example in which it was an evil for the greater good. Innocent lives were taken due to the bomb, but without it the war would have continued which could potentially take even more lives. Sacrifices have to be made unknownst to the public in which they can benefit