THE SCIENTIFIC MAN      

The Story of the

~ Clock Doctor ~

and the

~ Scientific Musician ~

Quimby Clock ~ Belfast, Maine ~ 170 Years Old and Still Keeping Time ~ Copyright 2007 ~ Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Philosophical Society of New England

§

Imagine yourself
listening to two persons
conversing about religion.

The natural man is religious - not scientific.
The scientific is not religious.

The conversation
is from the
world of opinions
(or religion)
to the
scientific world -
this is no easy thing....

Both have their identity:
one in the world of opinions,
the other in science,
and to separate them
more plainly,
I will call one
“matter”
and the other
“wisdom.”
 
The world of matter
is governed by opinion -
that of science,
by wisdom.

So the thing talked about
must first start
in the world of opinion -
for wisdom
never
starts
anything.

Every sensation
is made on the senses -
and if they are attached to
wisdom -
a scientific answer comes.

But if a sensation
is made on the senses
attached to
 opinions -
then dis-ease
and misery
come.

These are the two worlds.

The man of opinion
asks the question,
"Do you believe in death?"

The man of wisdom says,
"No."

(Opinion)
What do you believe?

(Wisdom)
I have no belief.

§
To bring these more clearly
to your belief
I will assume the character
of the man of wisdom
and you
- the reader -
the man of opinions.
§

(O)
Do you not believe that the soul leaves the body at death?

(W)
I have not said that I believe in death.

(O)
Of course you believe that the body dies....

(W)
You say I do -
but I do not say so.

(O)
Well... what do you believe?

(W)
I have no belief
about the other world -
I know it.

(O)
Then if you know it -
do not men die
before they get into
the other world?

(W)
Why do you wish me to admit
death
when I have told you
that I do not believe in it?

(O)
You do not believe that
your body
can go to the
other world?

(W)
Yes, I do...
but not in the sense that you do....

Each world has the same ideas.

The only difference between us is that
your world
is made by superstition -
and your ignorance
“is the matter.”

My wisdom
is in your matter
(or ignorance),
and your error
cannot see it,
you -
being blind -
cannot see
the light of wisdom
(or science),
so that my world is
to your world
a mystery.

(O)
I do not see any sense in what you say....

(W)
I shall not quarrel with you on that score...
it looks to me
as though you do not understand
yourself....

(O)
I can make nothing out of your ideas.

(W)
Can you make anything out of your own?

(O)
I think I can explain it better than you have done.

(W)
I have not tried to explain at all -
I cannot explain what never had an existence.

(O)
You do not deny that man dies....

(W)
I do not admit it...
do you?

(O)
Yes.

(W)
Will you tell me how you know
that a “dead” thing
has life?

(O)
I do not mean the soul -
I mean the body.

(W)
 Has your soul senses?

(O)
Yes.

(W)
Do you mean that your senses die?

(O)
No.

(W)
Then the body only
“dies” -
as you say?

(O)
I do not know.

(W)
I agree with you in the last statement....

(O)
Have you any proof
that you will have any senses
without a body?

(W)
Yes.

(O)
What is it?

(W)
If you wish me to tell you
what I know of myself,
I can do so...
but if you believe in
death
- why do you not show it -
so that I may have some idea of it?

(O)
I suppose that you do not deny that man dies?

(W)
You have asked that question a number of times.
It seems as though you never would know what I do believe,
so I will ask you to explain your belief about death.
Do not tell me what I believe
or disbelieve,
but tell me what you believe -
yourself.

(O)
Well... I believe that this body dies
and that the soul... or life... or something
lives independently
in another world... or this world... or somewhere.
I cannot tell exactly where...
but I do not believe
that when man dies
that is the end of him.

(W)
All this is a belief - is it not?

(O)
Yes -
I admit that I have
no positive proof
of it.

(W)
How can a man have proof that he is dead?

(O)
The living have the proof that he is dead.

(W)
Then the living are the judges of the dead?

(O)
Yes.

(W)
Then because you say a man is dead - he is so?

(O)
Everyone will admit that he is dead.

(W)
I wish I could make you stick to one thing,
that is -
 what you mean by
“dead”
and
“not dead.”

(O)
All the Christian world believe in death.

(W)
Well... because all believe in death
is that proof
to anyone that does not believe it?
 
(O)
No... but the Bible teaches it.

(W)
Then because the Bible
as you say
“teaches” it
it must be so,
of course.
I must take an opinion
of someone
who knows nothing at all
for a truth.

Just look at the absurdity of your own belief -
there is not one single idea of truth
in all your opinions.

If you will listen to me,
I will tell you facts,
demonstrable,
that will explain all your error -
for yours is an error
arising from heathen superstition -
and I will show you where
they lie.

(O)
Well... I will listen -
if you will not fly off from the point.

(W)
I will try not to.

(O)
You are a clock-maker by profession?

(W)
Yes.

(O)
Do you understand
how to calculate
the train of wheels
and the length of any pendulum
to fit any case
of a given length?

(W)
Yes -
I do not care what length of pendulum you give me,
I can calculate the number of
vibrations
in a minute
and
calculate a train of wheels
to correspond to the beats
so the clock will keep correct time.

(O)
Did you always have that power?

(W)
No -
I do not call it a “power.”

(O)
Why not?
I do not have that gift... or power.

(W)
It is because you will not try to obtain it.

(O)
I have prayed
and talked
and used every means
to get it
and have finally concluded
that it is a gift... or power
which derives from some
higher power
which you do not acknowledge.

(W)
How do you know?
Can you calculate a clock?

(O)
No...
I have not the gift -
but
I know just as much about it
as you do -
in fact
no one knows.

We see clocks run
and keep time -
and that is all we know about it.

To talk about a science
is all nonsense -
for it is mystery.

(W)
Then because you can not see
there is a science
by which a clock
can be calculated,
all these clocks
are made
and kept in order
by a power... or gift
that a man knows nothing of?

(O)
I will admit your power -
but to admit that you know more about it
than all the rest of the world -
I cannot.

Because if it could be taught
and learned,
every person could teach it -
this shows it
to be a
power.

(W)
Do you admit that I can make a clock
and repair old ones?

(O)
Yes...
I know you can -
but I do not believe
that you know anything more
about how you do it
than I do.

(W)
What is your business?

(O)
I am a musician - a violinist.

(W)
How long since you had the gift... or power?

(O)
It is not a gift.

(W)
What is it?

(O)
It is a science.

(W)
You do not know any more
then
about the power
than I do.

(O)
Can you play?

(W)
No.

(O)
Then how do you know
that I do not know
any more about it
than you do?

(W)
I judge you
by the same standard
that you judge me.

(O)
I do not judge you at all.

(W)
You said you know as much about a clock as I did.
So why should I not know as much about music as you do?

(O)
Perhaps you do,
but...
we cannot agree -
and when doctors fall out,
we must leave it to
some person
whom we agree
has more knowledge
than either of us.

And as we are sick
(or out of tune),
we will call a physician
to get his advice -
for we both acknowledge
the medical skill.

§

A physician is called and
- looking very wise -
he listens attentively
to each story
and after
a careful
investigation
makes the following report:

Man is like a machine
(or clock) -
his
"power"
is in the
"pendulum"
which makes so many
vibrations
in a minute.

The clock will keep good time -
but if it gets out of order,
you must send for a
scientific man
to repair it -
not a
“quack.”

You are both right.
There is no correct rule to make a clock.

Careful investigation
by scientific men
show that it is impossible
to make any accurate calculation
in regard to a science,
from the fact
that on examining clocks,
all lengths of pendulums are found
also -
all sizes of wheels
with a different number of teeth
in each wheel -
and very few are alike.

Therefore,
I have come to the conclusion
that a clock-maker
cannot tell
with accuracy
about a clock
any more than a physician can
about a man -
they are both mysteries in the world.

It is true
the world
has given
the medical faculty
the credit
of wisdom
(or power)
superior
to the clock-maker
or
musician.

But I am free
to admit
that the medical men labor
under the same trouble
with the rest of the world,
that is -
that there is no such thing as science.

It is true
that men can play
on musical instruments -
but it is folly
to say
that there is a science
by which it can be taught
and learned.

Listen to the bird that sings -
there is no science about that.

One bird learns from another
by sympathy.

To set up a standard of science
shows an amount of general information
that the common people lack.

Here is the trouble.

The masses
- like the brutes -
have the power of imitation.

See the beavers,
how perfectly
they arrange their houses
and their young
have the same imitation,
and so on.

The clock-maker does
and the medical men too -
only
medical men
have been selected
as teachers
to the masses.

This gives them more power -
for the power of the profession
is in the confidence of the people.

If there had been any such thing as science,
the medical faculty could not have stood one year -
from the fact
that all their power
is in the position
that the world
has given them.

It does not come from wisdom
in their profession -
but from their opinions
being acknowledged
as superior
to such men as you.

You have given them
the charge of your lives -
and they are bound
to preserve them
to the best of their ability.

But so far as my wisdom is concerned
in calculating any theory
to cure diseases
by a science -
it is just as erroneous
as to undertake
to say that
there is a science
in music
or in
clock-making.

In conclusion,
I will say to you
both
that all the science
in our three cases
lies in
making the masses
believe
that we have a science.

But here is where we
- as medical men -
have the advantage
of you,
as the common class....

We do not recognize anyone without a diploma!

This all cannot get,
from the fact
that the
deception
must be kept from the people -
or the faculty
is ruined.

No one has any respect for your mechanical power -
it is too much among the masses -
and your musical power
is in the same category.

But we -
when a man undertakes to step in -
cry out,
“Humbug!”
“Quack!”
and the people
are so loyal
that they put down
all opposition -
so that all we have to do is
not to appear to notice them.

(O)
Do you not think there is some science in it?

(PHY)
Oh... yes.

Or that some men have more sagacity than others?

This, you see, is the profession.
To be a
"good professional man"
is to keep aloof from the masses -
for otherwise
he loses his dignity -
and his wisdom
will not sustain him.

So popularity
and not wisdom
is the medical science.

Wisdom never was popular -
for it had no identity.

So... hoping
I have settled your troubles -
I leave.

§

(Clock-maker and Musician alone)

(Clock-maker)
What do you think of the doctor's opinion?

(Musician)
He has shown
that he knows nothing
of music;
what do you think
of his opinion
in regard
to your science?

(CM)
I have come to the conclusion
that he knows nothing
about clock-making
and we are in the same predicament
that we were before.

If a man could be found
who is a
clock-maker,
musician
and
doctor -
then I think
we could get at the right answer.

(M)
I think I know just the one
- so if you please -
we will have his opinion.

§

(Here is introduced a third person.)

(C)
Have you read the doctor's report on our cases?

(Wisdom)
Yes -
but I saw nothing in what he said,
showing that he knew anything
about his own business
or yours -
for I happen to be acquainted
with all these
“powers”
as he calls them -
and he showed entire ignorance
in regard to them all.

(O)
Can you explain where the truth is?

(W)
Yes....

The word
“science”
has never
had life
attached to it
but has always
been looked upon
as a
power
that never had
life.

So that when we speak of science,
we never have attached any
of the
senses
to it.

Therefore,
science is not known
by the natural man -
yet he has science
but knows it not -
and it has no place
of respect
in his heart
or senses.

I will try
to give it a foundation
that you both will admit....

Before you knew how
to calculate a clock,
the calculation was a mystery -
but as soon as you learned it,
the mystery was gone.

Your senses left the mystery
and attached themselves to
the wisdom
you obtained.

And the mystery
- to you -
was like an opinion
that never was true.

So when the musician
called it a
“mystery,”
you could see
where his senses were attached -
also
that he was in the dark.

But your senses -
being attached
to the
light
(or wisdom) -
you could see
through his darkness
(or error).

The difference between you was this:
his senses were in his error,
and error's
light
is a
"false light."

Your senses -
being attached to the
"true light"
that lighteth everyone
who is scientific -
are
a
mystery
to
his
light...
his
senses
not knowing
the
true light.

You both are right
and neither knows it,
from the fact that
science
has never been acknowledged
by opinion
to have any wisdom -
while
Science
is
Wisdom.

And as fast as a person finds wisdom,
he finds science,
for the word
“science”
is the name
of the
wisdom
that sees
through
the opinions
of man.

As far as the doctor's science went
in his explanation -
you could both see
that his science
was ignorance
in regard to your cases.

And as far as the sick -
his wisdom
is just the same.

Here is the mystery....

“Science”
- as it is called -
is something
that the natural man
worships.

He looks upon it
as coming from
some superior power
independent of himself -
when his own wisdom
is all the science he knows of.

For to the fool who knows nothing - there is no science.

§

Your wisdom
in regard to making a clock
is one thing -
but
if you can
calculate it...
and know
by what principle
you do it...
that
wisdom
is not of
"this world" -
but of
God
(or Science).

It has never entered man's
senses
that his
senses
are his
wisdom
and his
body
is an
idea
that his
senses
are attached to.

He admits it, himself -
when the very
senses
are not recognized
by itself -
but speaks of itself
as a third person.

This is the case in sickness -
the senses
often speak of themselves
as another person.

I will try to illustrate....

Suppose we should differ
in opinion
on some subject
- for instance -
about a certain man's
"complexion."

Suppose I said
he had black eyes,
and you insisted
that his eyes were hazel
and we argued
to convince each other.

We are both certain we are right -
but ours is the wisdom
of opinion.

We cannot agree,
so we refer our differences
to a person
who decides
that his eyes are
black -
 so the one in error
gives it up.

In all this,
no science
(or wisdom)
is displayed.

Now suppose I am called to decide their controversy.

They do not tell me the thing in dispute -
but ask me to tell them
what they are disputing about.

I tell them they are disputing about "Mr. A."

“How do you know?”
they ask.

Because I see him here -
and the thing in question
is his eyes.

Turning to "Mr. B,"
I say,
“You think he has black eyes
and "Mr. C" thinks
they are hazel,
but I know
you both
are mistaken -
for his eyes are blue.”

§

They are not bound to take my opinion as such
because I say so -
but if I tell them
what they think,
and they know
that I have no knowledge of it
through my natural senses -
they believe.

This belief
was founded on
my telling them
what they thought.

This
- to them -
was stronger proof
than they could give me,
so they admitted
it was a truth
although
it was still
to them
a mystery.

§

I will try to give a stronger proof
that I knew more than they did -
and show that
my power was wisdom.

Their minds excited mine
till I could see the
man in question.

His eyes were blue.

I also saw another man
with hazel eyes.

The man with blue eyes
was in harmony with me -
but the one with hazel eyes
was not...
neither was the man with black.

As I
convinced them
of their wisdom,
their error
disappeared
and
at last
there stood a man
with blue eyes.

§

Now to the world of opinion,
this is a mystery
(or power) -
but to me
it is
wisdom -
just as much
as it is
to the
clock-maker
or
musician.

Let science be looked upon
as a character
and opinion
as a character -
and every man
may be as these two principles.

Then man can measure himself
by his own wisdom  -
but now he is weighed
by the scale of
public opinion
which is not
science.

Every science
that is acknowledged
is wisdom
to those who understand it.

Why should it be
an impossibility
that a person might
see
and
feel
another's
feelings?

Is not this the case in every branch of wisdom?

Does not the musician feel the discord of his pupil -
and does not his wisdom correct it?

If the mind is not something that can be corrected -
then there is no wisdom
(or science)
to be applied.

§

Now man is a machine,
acted upon by
one of the powers:
opinion or wisdom.

The discord is made
by a sensation
on the mind.

If the sensation
is rightly directed -
then the effect is harmless...
but if not -
then it embraces an opinion.

For instance - take two persons....
One knows the cry of
"murder"-
the sensation
following it
depends on the
wisdom
or
error
of those who hear it -
for otherwise
all would be affected
alike
by every sensation -
for it contains
the basis
of
wisdom
or
error.

Now if error is aroused,
discord and dis-ease follow -
but if
wisdom
feels or sees it -
it amounts to nothing.

---

Now the masses acknowledge both as musicians
and class them in the same catalog.

The scientific musician knows they are not alike,
but the masses cannot understand the difference
for the tunes sound just alike to them.

The wisdom of this world
(or the masses)
sees no difference.

Now the scientific musician wants someone
to tell where he makes the difference.

He need not play or teach music
but show by experiment
 that one can play a tune
that anyone can bring him
and at the same time
show that the other
plays by rote.

teloV

The First Church in Belfast ~  Quimby Clock on Tower Copyright 2007 ~ Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Philosophical Society of New England