Are some things unknowable?

Unknowable refers to something that is not knowable or understandable. In the context of Theory of Knowledge, it refers to the notion that certain forms of information are fundamentally beyond the comprehension of humans.

Our society became very confused by this enigma as it seems to be a logical circle. For instance, if the egg came before the chicken, who laid it? Furthermore, if the chicken came before the egg, where did it originally come from?

This conundrum first started in the ancient Greeks with Aristotle claiming it was an infinite loop with no true origin.  As well as other philosophers not coming to a certain conclusion. However, these ancient Greek views on the chicken and
the egg were not definitive or universally accepted.

As we have technologically evolved, we have found an answer. According to scientists researching the formation of chicken eggshells, for the calcium to be deposited in the form of CaCO3 crystals necessary for the shell to develop, chickens must have access to certain proteins that enable this process. Ovocleidin-17, also known as OC-17, is one such protein that can only be found in the ovaries of chickens, therefore raising the hypothesis that the chicken must have existed before the chicken egg because OC-17 is necessary for the development of chicken eggs. However, if the chicken came before the egg, where did it come from?

Some scientists suggest that the first chicken may have been created through years of genetic mutations. Therefore, they originated from dinosaurs which are in fact egg-laying animals. In order to find that answer, scientists used practical or material tools, as well as cognitive tools. I am in accord with those scientists. I think so because I believe that the chickens originating from dinosaurs through evolution is a rational approach.

Hence, this object depicts that some things that may be believed to be unknowable can turn out to be knowable with enough scientific evidence and by inferring to a conclusion.

Human evolution is a debate that started back in 1859 after Charles Darwin’s book named “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” was first introduced to the public. His book depicts his theory of human evolution where he proposes that species can change over time. He stated, “The One Most Adaptable to Change is the One that Survives”. This quote affirms the mechanism of evolution which he believes to be natural selection. He argues that natural selection is the mechanism that explains how populations can adapt to different environments over time. For example, Giraffes' evolving long necks have allowed them to consume leaves that other animals cannot.

While Darwin’s point of view suggests that humans are the product of biological evolution, the Bible differs. The Bible holds that every human being was individually created by God. The Bible, Genesis 2:7, states that “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living person”. This verse describes the creation of the first human being, Adam, by God. It demonstrates the belief in the Christian religion that human beings are a special creation of God, distinct from all other creatures, and that human life is, therefore, sacred and valuable.

I personally believe in Darwin’s Theory as well as the Bible’s. I think that we were all created by God, but as time passes, our facial features as well as our bodily features have evolved and we would look more different than the first people on Earth. However, my synthesis may not be correct or validated by everyone as no one will ever truly know how man was created because no one was there to witness it.

Thus, this object leads us to believe this topic seems to be contestable. Furthermore, this object also highlights how some things may be unknowable because of the lack of real physical evidence.

A spherical Earth is a conflict that has surrounded our world for ages, from the ancient Greeks to the 21st century.

Pythagoras first proposed the idea of a spherical Earth around 500 BC, primarily based on aesthetics rather than physical evidence. Later, Aristotle supported this notion by presenting physical evidence. He observed that ships disappear hull first over the horizon, witnessed the Earth's curved shadow during lunar eclipses, and noted the varying constellations visible at different latitudes. While most Greek philosophers embraced this concept, it wasn't until 250 BC that Eratosthenes, a polymath, determined the Earth's circumference by using a stick and logical reasoning. Eratosthenes learned from travelers about a well in Syene that had no shadows at noon during the summer solstice. Comparing the angle of a stick's shadow in Alexandria during the same time, he discovered a difference of 7.2 degrees. Realizing that the distance between the two cities was 800 kilometers, he used proportions to calculate a circumference of 40,000 kilometers. In such a way, a man 2200 years ago proved the earth is not flat.

Furthermore, today, our world has many new technologies such as satellites, photo cameras, documentaries, and so on, that back up the concept of a round Earth. However, many still believe that the Earth is flat. They believe that all images of a spherical Earth from NASA or any other space program are fake. Additionally, they argue that gravity doesn’t exist, the North Pole is the center of the disk and the South Pole is an ice wall on the circumference.

I believe that the Earth is round based on my experiences. For instance, the Earth was curved while I was at a high altitude. Therefore, I have an empiricist point of view on this subject.

Hence, this paradigm shift depicts that, despite the fact recent scientific evidence supports claims made over two millennia ago, some people still believe this subject to be unknown or false.

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Uri, J. (2020, December 21). 90 years of our changing views of Earth. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/history/90-years-of-our-changing-views-of-earth/