Science and the Pursuit of Mastery

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The development of science was heavily influenced by a cultural context marked by human chauvinism, as articulated by significant historical figures like René Descartes and Francis Bacon. Descartes promoted the idea that humans should dominate nature through scientific understanding, framing this pursuit as a form of mastery. Bacon echoed these sentiments, suggesting that knowledge would empower humans to exert control over the universe, reflecting a belief in dominion and even the enslavement of nature. This historical perspective poses critical questions about the ethical implications of scientific advancement.

Economic change happens in a cultural context. We trace the tectonic shifts in the Western mind that made capitalism thinkable – in part through a look at two Enlightenment thinkers: Baruch Spinoza and Adam Smith. (The real Smith, not the one held up as the patron saint of unfettered capitalism.).

By John Biewen, with co-host Ellen McGirt. Interviews with Kate Rigby, Glory Liu, Steven Nadler, and Wendy Carlin. Story editor: Loretta Williams. Music by Michelle Osis, Lilli Haydn, Chris Westlake, Alex Symcox, and Goodnight, Lucas. Music consulting by Joe Augustine of Narrative Music. "Capitalism” is a production of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, in partnership with Imperative 21.