Science & Religion
For as long as the two have existed, the worlds of science and religion have been at war. It is not because of mutual hatred or a desire to dominate human consciousness (although I’m sure this plays some part in certain battles). Rather, it is that the two lines of thought are constantly contradicting each other. They simply cannot seem to both be universal truths in our world. The common man is often forced to live a this-or-that lifestyle, choosing one over the other with little room to maneuver in between.
Science vs. Religion: Square Pegs and Round Holes
The Scarlet Letter sets up an interesting dichotomy between these two worlds—and allows them to collide—through the portrayal of Roger Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale. Their opposing lifestyles come to a head in Chapter 10. What caught my attention in particular was their disagreement over the act of confession. While Chillingworth obviously had ulterior motives, their differential views are indicative of “square peg, round hole” relationship between science and religion.
Chillingworth argues for immediate, open confession, and while Dimmesdale agrees that this is often the case, he notes that regardless, all secrets are known by God, and will be revealed on Judgment Day. Dimmesdale also notes that only Divine power can extract the truth from the heart, stating that the belief that this power can also lie within man “merely…promote[s] the intellectual satisfaction of all intelligent beings…” (120) Foucault discusses how those dedicated to the medicalization of sex borrowed from the church through the religious practice of confession. However, it seems that confession was not only adopted, but adapted as well. The physician’s work is not quite parallel to God’s. There is no point in which all truths will be revealed. There is no judgment day in science, and as such, the only time in which to divulge (and learn) the truth is in life.
Another interesting element of The Scarlet Letter is the power relationship between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. Chillingworth inserts himself into Dimmesdale’s life, and in trying to dissect the truth from him, establishes control over both his body and soul. It is interesting to see the man of science hold power over the man of theocracy, and this power relation seems representative of the exchanges and shifts of powers during that time. As Foucault explained in Part 5, sovereigns had power over the death of his subjects—this power being his divine right. However, through the growth of scientia sexualis, this power soon shifted to control over life (bio-power). The Puritanical lifestyle merges religion and law, giving leaders a similar control over death, as seen in the Massachusetts Colony Laws on Sexual Offenses. The introduction of science to the New World threw many of these laws into question with regards to their severity. As the Puritans would find out roughly half a century later, this rigid desire for power over death could not last in a changing world—although it would take numerous souls down with it.
Tags: Foucault, Peiss, Power-Relations, Religion, Science, The Scarlet Letter
February 18th, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Hi Nadia,
Your last paragraph is an astute description of how Chillingworth represents the growth of biopower through his application of medicine. But it goes against your first statement about how religion and science are at odds. See if you can make a case for how religion provided a way of shaping basic assumptions of science and medicine, even as science was indicating that it was replacing certain religious belief.
February 19th, 2013 at 12:31 am
Hi Nadia,
I really appreciate your dissection of the relationship between science and religion. Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are both at odds, but for what reasons? We know that Dimmesdale is reluctant to admit the truth because it forces him to deploy a discourse on his “immoral” sexuality (I’m sorry for looking back with a modern perspective.), but I also believe that Chillingworth is himself motivated. Earlier in the novel, he tells Hester that he intends to seek the father of Pearl. Could this be his motivation in finding the truth in Dimmesdale and is this pursuit of the truth then valid?
February 19th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Hey Nadia,
I enjoyed your discussion of the roles of science, religion, power by the sword, and bio-power. This statement stood out to me: “As the Puritans would find out roughly half a century later, this rigid desire for power over death could not last in a changing world—although it would take numerous souls down with it.”
It could be seen that the village is well on their way to bio-power now, since instead of killing Hester, they force her to wear a mark, and in a sense regulate her life. Although science is tied to bio-power and religion to death-power, both institutions have borrowed techniques (and even foundational ideas) from each other.