How does Swift satirize science in “Gulliver’s Travels?”

Answer

How does Swift satirize science in “Gulliver’s Travels?”

Jonathan Swift’s (1667-1745) “Gulliver’s Travels,” published in 1726, is a brilliant piece of literature that uses satire to critique various aspects of society, including science. Swift’s satirical take on science is most evident in the third voyage, where Gulliver visits the floating island of Laputa and its nearby territory, Balnibarbi. Through these chapters, Swift mocks the impracticality and absurdity he perceived in contemporary scientific endeavours and intellectual pursuits.

Laputa and Theoretical Obsession: In Laputa, Swift introduces us to a society obsessed with mathematics and music to the point of absurdity. The Laputans are so engrossed in their abstract calculations and theoretical knowledge that they neglect practical concerns. For instance, despite their vast knowledge of geometry, they are depicted as unable to make simple tools or even proper clothing. Their houses are built in a way that disregards practical architecture, leading to structurally unsound buildings.

Their houses are very ill built, the walls bevil, without one right angle in any apartment; and this defect ariseth from the contempt they bear to practical geometry. (Part III, Chapter II)

It highlights Swift’s view that excessive focus on theoretical knowledge without practical application is foolish.

Symbolism of the Floating Island: Swift also uses the floating island   as a metaphor. The island of Laputa, hovering above the ground, symbolizes the detachment of these scientists from the real world. They are literally and figuratively disconnected from the earth and the practical matters of everyday life. This detachment is further emphasized by the need for their servants, known as “flappers,” to keep them focused during conversations because the Laputans are so lost in thought that they cannot pay attention to the world around them.

The Absurdity of the Academy of Lagado: Swift describes the Academy of Lagado, an allegory for the Royal Society of London. The satire intensifies when Gulliver visits the Academy of Lagado in Balnibarbi. Here, Swift introduces a variety of bizarre and pointless experiments being conducted by the “projectors” (scientists). These include extracting sunlight from cucumbers, turning ice into gunpowder, building houses from the roof downward, and turning human excrement back into food. Here, people try to soften marble for pillows and breed a species of wool-less sheep.

He had been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers, 

Satirical Allegory of the Royal Society: Through these absurd experiments, Swift criticizes the Royal Society and similar institutions of his time. Swift believed the scientists of his time were engaging in frivolous and impractical research. The absurdity of such experiments reveals the futility of such pursuits when they do not bring any benefits for the  society. 

Consequences of Impractical Science: Swift’s satire extends to the implications of these scientific endeavours. In Lagado, the kingdom is depicted as decaying and ruining Because people abandoned practical agricultural activities for this absurd experiment. As a result, once fertile land was barren, the economy was on the brink of collapse.

that none of these projects are yet brought to perfection; and in the meantime, the whole country lies miserably waste, the houses in ruins, and the people without food or clothes. (Part III, Chapter V)

This scenario warns of the potential dangers of valuing theoretical science over practical knowledge and common sense. Swift suggests that pursuing science without regard for its real-world applications can lead to societal downfall.

Gulliver’s Disillusionment: Moreover, Swift uses Gulliver’s reactions to these societies to underscore his critique. Gulliver, who initially approaches these scientific wonders with curiosity and admiration, soon becomes disillusioned. He recognizes the impracticality and absurdity of the Laputans’ and Lagadans’ pursuits. This reflects Swift’s own scepticism about contemporary scientific endeavours.

In “Gulliver’s Travels” Swift criticizes various subjects by criticizing the irrational activities of science. Laputa and the Academy of Lagado highlight the danger of detachment from reality for detachment from reality for personal gain through irrational actions.