contents
march 2015
3
EDITORIAL: MARCH
One of the reasons we humans seem to think that we are so evolved is because of our ability to simultaneously feel and question, and marry science with emotion. It's a rough union, to be sure- the purists among us would like to suggest that strong emotions like fear are the least scientific things in the universe, and to an extent that's a consensus that has been reached by scientists and philosophers alike. But as much as I love to ponder the universe and speak the language of existentialism, I love hipster paradoxes even more. What drives our human quest for knowledge if not feelings like fear and emotions that we think limit our thinking? After all, Sputnik started the Space Race in more ways than one. We can't deny that our own insecurities and emotions power our sense of curiosity on a daily basis- how else can we fuel our comeptitive thirst for superiority? In all cases, it's best to know your enemy before you combat it- perhaps none too original if the battleground is the college application pool or the game of life, but there's certainly a science to the everyday things and an algorithm for success. I'd take another perspective to viewing emotion as a driving force towards this success, because if you ask me that's exactly what the 'X' in 'X-factor' stands for. Emotion really is the bridge between what we call pseudoscience and real science- I would vouch for the power of intuition. But in general, we shouldn't ever be quick to count out our perceived weaknesses as acquired strengths- it's our evolutionary X-factor. My two cents.
-Adithi