On Science

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and an internationally renowned scientist and writer. He sent this letter to Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), one of the greatest scientist of the Enlightenment and the discoverer of oxygen.

Read the letter carefully, then answer the questions.

DEAR SIR,

[...] I always rejoice to hear of your still being employed in experimental researches into nature, and of the Success you meet with. The rapid Progress true Science now makes, occasions my regretting sometimes I was born so soon. It is impossible to imagine the height to which may be carried, in a thousand years, the power of man over matter [nature]. We may perhaps learn to deprive large masses of their gravity, and give them absolute levity, for the sake of easy transport. Agriculture may diminish its labour and double its produce, all diseases may by sure means be prevented or cured, not expecting even that of old age, and our lives lengthened at pleasure […]. O that moral science were as fair a way of improvement, that men would cease to be wolves to one another, and that human beings would at length learn what they now improperly call humanity!
[…]
I am ever, with the greatest and most sincere esteem, dear sir, yours affectionately

B. Franklin, 1780
Benjamin Franklin.jpg

This letter is an example of the Enlightenment’s thinkers’ strong belief in...
1. empiricism
2. progress
3. rationalism
Which of the following texts summarises the letter best?
1. Benjamin Franklin congratulates Priestley on his success as a scientist but is sad that Priestley was born so soon. He thinks Priestley’s inventions in the areas of transport, agriculture and medicine are a great improvement because they allow people to live longer. He thinks that it is only now in the Enlightenment that people can be truly called human.
2. Benjamin Franklin is happy about the experimental research that has recently taken place. However, he regrets that a lot of inventions are still impossible for another thousand years. He thinks that people should have the power to transport goods easily, to make agriculture more profitable and to cure diseases. He believes that morality has improved alongside science and that all men now live happily side by side.
3. Benjamin Franklin would like to be able to see the development of science in the future. He believes that one day people will be able to control nature. He imagines the invention of planes that allow goods to be transported by air and that farming will become much easier and more profitable. He is certain that one day medicine will be able to make people immortal. He is, however doubtful whether people will ever develop a true sense of kindness towards one another.

On Science

A letter from the Enlightenment