The exclusion of Pluto from the category of planet might not be as controversial as
Scientists make new discoveries and come up with new explanations on a regular basis. Most of them don’t even close to invite untoward reaction like Pluto exclusion does. Perhaps, it’s because accepting new ways to do or understand something is not that hard, when it only concerns on “worldly” affairs like most of them are.
However, when it comes to something colossal and beyond us like planets, things become more difficult to comprehend. I mean, how can you say that this big round thingy that floating in outer space is a planet and the next day suddenly you declare it a planet no more? THAT is difficult to comprehend. I wonder, did people show similar reaction when scientists excluded fungi from the plant kingdom and decided to give them a place of their own?
But probably, the most disturbing thing is the fact that those astronomers actually made a vote to resolve upon the subject. Imagine that. Now, the cold harsh truth.
Scientific community, just like any other communities, operates on social contract. If the majority accepts slavery, then slavery is tolerated. If the majority thinks the earth is flat, then it’s flat. Get my point?
We all love to picture scientists as intelligent, neutral, and logical people who based their opinion on facts instead of emotional considerations. Unfortunately, they’re just as human as we are. There’s an interesting story about it.
Have you ever heard the term “continental drift”? It’s a wide-known idea nowadays; that the continents are, instead of being rigid bodies, indeed moving. The first person who made a comprehensive suggestion about the idea was German meteorologist Alfred Lother Wegener in 1915. The theory has been scientifically proven right in the 1960’s and since then, has been widely accepted.
However, Wegener’s idea on continental drift (the phenomenon was yet to be called “continental drift” back then) was rejected vehemently. Geologist everywhere thought the idea was absurd--no person with the right mind could come up with such ridiculous idea like that. Of course, there’s the problem that Wegener was a meteorologist and the geologists were quite offended by the fact that an outsider like him dared to cross to their domain. So much for the objectivity!
The fact is, scientific truth is not the ultimate truth. Considering our limited knowledge of the world, no wonder we always make mistakes every now and then. What we always keep in mind is that science is capable of providing a more thorough understanding of the world, but never the true nature of the world itself.
The wisest words I’ve ever heard upon the matter is: Even though the way people perceive reality has changed, the reality itself remains the same. If there’s such thing as reality, but that’s another deal. It means, even if Pluto isn’t considered a planet anymore--Pluto remains as Pluto. The big spherical thingy that floats (not float, actually; but the technical explanation would be too much to mention here) in the outer space.
Author’s Note: Gah, finally! After a month and so I’ve managed to finish this. As usual, critics are welcomed and flames.... Well, if you flame me, it means that you’re just not articulate enough to give constructive criticism. Ciao!
