Chance or Planning Maureen C. Lett HSS 208-Dr. O’HaraApril 17, 1996 Intelligence and planning are necessary factors in scientific research, however chance and luck are also important and somewhat necessary factors. The Autobiography of Charles Darwin and the memoir, The Double Helix, written by James Watson, prove this assertion.
Charles Darwin, James Watson and Francis Crick were all intelligent men that planned their experiments, however without chance and luck their success and scientific achievement would not be as great. Intelligence and planning are important in scientific discovery, but are not always the dominating forces that drive scientific research. Such is the case with Charles Darwin, James Watson and Francis Crick. All three of these men were extremely intellectual, but their intellect only contributed partially to their success. Intellect and planning, combined with chance and luck contributed to their overall success. People take chances on a daily basis.
If you actually stop and think about it, life is one big game of chance. It is by chance that we are born, that we continue to survive, and that we will eventually die. Some people feel that this cycle occurs do to the will of God, others, like Charles Darwin believe that it happens based on chance or natural selection. Whatever you believe or disbelieve, life cannot be planned. No matter how hard a person attempts to ” plan’ their path in life, it is by chance and luck where that path takes us.
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Scientific breakthroughs are achieved either by chance or by a thorough scientific research where people discover or come up with new information about the world they are living in. These research projects are designed according to a standard that provides qualitative and quantitative data through experimentation and analysis. Part of the standard in a scientific research/investigation is the ...
Darwin’s career was also based on chance, not planning. Darwin never planned to become a scientist or the father of natural selection. It was by pure chance that he obtained the job on the voyage of the Beagle, which started his career. Darwin stated about this voyage that, ‘The voyage of the Beagle has been the by far the most important event in my life and has determined my whole career…
.’ (Darwin, p. 76) Darwin had not planned to take the trip on the Beagle, he obtained the opportunity by mere chance. One can attempt to ‘plan’ for a job or career, but chance and luck are the major factors which allow for success. Although Darwin’s intellect played a role in obtaining the position, chance and luck were the major factors. Many scientists suffer great strokes of luck. Two other scientists that did not ‘plan’ their success were James Watson and Francis Crick.
These two men were not great planners of scientific research, but through chance and luck they obtained their scientific goal. Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA and its double helix. Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, and Linus Pauling were other scientists that were extremely close to discovering the structure of DNA at the same time as Watson and Crick. They all had basically the same information, however Watson and Crick, due to chance and luck finished the race first, but not very far ahead of their competitors. Watson and Crick admit that the race to find the structure of DNA was close, however their luck or chance contributed tremendously to their achievement. Watson and Crick, much like Darwin achieved their ‘greatness’ due to mere chance, not planning.
Watson and Crick were very fortunate that their chance or good stroke of luck did not run out. They were lucky that they conceived the notion to make a three dimensional model of the helix. They were also lucky that death did not strike either of them. Crick states, in the book The Double Helix, that, ‘If Watson had been killed by a tennis ball I am reasonably sure that I would not have solved the structure alone…
.’ (Watson, p. 143) Fortunately Watson was not killed by a tennis ball and Crick did not have to ponder the problem of DNA alone. Both men were extremely fortunate to have each other. Again luck and chance were important factors in their discovery, not planning. Charles Darwin was also lucky that death did not strike him. Disease is extremely common when traveling by ship, and by mere chance Darwin was not struck with any life threatening illness.
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Darwin, while traveling on the Beagle, could have contracted any type of disease. Medications for illnesses were not easily available for consumption, and often the infected patients died. By chance Darwin did not become ill, if he had perhaps the world would not know about evolution or natural selection. Darwin could not ‘plan’ for the success of his book Origin of the Species. I twas by chance that some people agreed with his theory of natural selection. Darwin stated about his religious belief that, ‘…
I gradually came to disbelieve in Christianity as a divine revelation.’ (Darwin, p. 86) Darwin became disillusioned in Christianity due to the fact that several of his closest friends did not believe in God. Darwin stated about this that, ‘I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true… the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this is my father, brother, and almost all of my best friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine.’ (Darwin, p.
87) Darwin went out on a limb when he expressed his disbelief in God and the Bible. He could not plan for the general public to agree with his radical idea. It was by chance that his book became such a success. Both believers and non-believers purchased his book. Also, by chance he converted many non-believers into believing his radical form of thought. A Cambridge painter once stated that, ‘…
the important thing is to be there when the picture is painted. And this it seems to me, is partly a matter of luck, partly good judgement, inspiration, and persistent application.’ (Watson, p. 145) This statement holds extremely true to Watson and Cricks discovery of DNA. Intellect, persistence, and good judgement contributed to their success. However, luck and chance were the major contributing factors.
Charles Darwin said that his, ‘… success as a man of science, whatever this may have amounted to, has been determined, as far as I can judge, by complex and diversified mental qualities and conditions. Of these the most important have been – the love of science – unbounded patience in long reflecting over any subject – industry in observing and collecting facts – and a fair share of invention as well as common sense. With such moderate abilities as I possess, it is truly surprising that thus I should have influenced to a considerable extent the beliefs of scientific men on some important points.’ (Darwin, p.
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145) Although Darwin stated his theory with clear and concise arguments, it was by chance that people believed him, considering he could not plan for his future success. Although planning is somewhat important in scientific research and discovery, chance plays a much more important role. Without chance most scientific discoveries would not have happened. John Lennon was quoted as stating, ‘Life is what happens as we make other plans.’ Science is much like life.
One cannot plan for it, it just takes place.
