The Myths We Live By Mary Midgley Analysis

Critique of Midgley Although I agree with Mary Midgley’s holistic argument that knowledge has many sources and can be viewed from multiple perspectives, I argue against her flawed, overriding assumption that knowledge is reality that can be discovered. In an excerpt from her book The Myths We Live By, Midgley portrays the world as an aquarium with “a number of small windows” to suggest that ultimately, knowledge can be acquired “if we patiently put together the data from different angles” (Midgley 40). In addition, she points out the dogmatic ignorance that comes with “[insisting] that our own window is the only one worth looking through” (Midgley 40). By making this analogy, Midgley emphasizes the concept of scientific pluralism, which recognizes multiple sources of knowledge. Her argument is sound regarding the different roots and lens through which knowledge can be explored, but I find the representation of the complex world/reality in its entirety as observed knowledge still very questionable. Following her problematic implication that knowledge is reality, everything that does not readily exist, at least not yet, cannot be considered knowledge. In other words, everything unknown to humans is not knowledge. However, since certain material is unknown, shouldn’t people be more compelled to not

From the DNA example, it can be safe to assume that reality today will continue to evolve and expand. Because of this, perceptions of what is unknown will also continue to change over time. Research brings about so many new questions and insights that have people regularly questioning how much of what is known knowledge. Even though a lot is still not certain right now, what is certain is that people are making gradual, but steady progress toward true