When inspecting scientific knowledge, one must consider the experiment that was used to obtain the knowledge. In the pool of scientific education we frequently encounter many teachings for which the experiment that was performed in order to obtain that knowledge is not mentioned or discussed. For example, we may learn the teaching of neurology of the functional areas of the human brain without considering the experiment that was used to obtain this knowledge.
What experiment could have been performed in order to obtain this information? This knowledge may have been obtained through unethical surgical practice on living specimens.
The National Library of Medicine states that the modern diagram of the functional areas of the human brain was published in the year 1909 by the German neuroanatomist Korbinian Brodmann. Various sources claim that this information was obtained through studying patients who suffered brain injuries and survived.
Our modern technological advancement of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which is capable of leading the acquisition of this knowledge was introduced at a much later date in the year 1991.
This diagram that details the functional areas of the human brain was published prior to the advent of modern medicine. This means that the knowledge that was used to develop this diagram was obtained through the cumulative studies of living patients who sustained brain injuries that were caused by accidents or violent attacks. It is also possible that unethical surgical practice took place in order to obtain this knowledge as well. It is documented in medical history that the unethical practice of psychosurgery which involved cutting into living people's brains was performed for decades during the 20th century.
For another example, what experiment did doctors use in order to obtain the knowledge of how long humans can survive without food and water? Many sources claim that this knowledge was acquired by observation of famine and not through experimentation. It is also entirely possible that this information was obtained by experimentation.
The cases of unethical and deadly medical experimentation that are listed include the Nazi Medical Experiments and Japan's Unit 731. It is said that “Unit 731 was able to prove scientifically that the best treatment for frostbite was to immerse it in water a bit warmer than 100 degrees but never more than 122 degrees.”
Much of the knowledge of scientific teachings are professed and learned without discussing the acquisition of the knowledge itself. In order to attain a greater understanding of scientific education we must always ask the question: “What experiment was used to obtain this information?”
© 2021 Hazon, Nir
