Scientists and Science in Cartoons

what is so funny?

We let cartoons display the truth about scientists and science.

The Truth of Cartoons


A cartoon can tell a truth in a drastic funny way, a truth which cannot be told bluntly without comic, because that would violate social conventions. The cartoon is funny because it is true: If a person is fat, it is funny to depict the person as very fat. If a person is stupid it is funny to show the person as very stupid. To depict a fat person as slim or a stupid person as clever is not funny...because it is not true. 

The comic effect probably results from breaking a convention by revealing something known or felt by many, which however nobody dares to say out loud. Compare with the Emperor's New Clothes:



The humor of a cartoon can be mean and discriminating aimed at killing, or can show empathy and sharing of misfortune. But both mean irony and good empatic humor usually carry some truth.

Concrete evidence of the comic truth of the cartoons is presented in My Book of Knols.

According to Henri Bergson as discussed in The Clock and the Arrow Chapter 52, comedy arises from the counterparts of the essential elements of life of irreversibility and individuality, that is, comedy results 
from repetition and inversion, which represent mechanized life. A dancing doll is comical because it mecanically mimics a real dancer. By mechanically putting on a new hat, a person can change character, and this is funny. Because the inversion tells a truth: People largely act like mechanized dolls without individuality, but pretend they don't.

Theories for humor have also been proposed by Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Kant, Freud and Spencer, based on incongruity, superiority, relief and play, none of which seems to cover scientific cartoons very well. Of course breaking a convention by telling the truth can relieve the tension of pretending that what is true is not true, or vice versa, but it seems that the truth aspect is more fundamental than the relief aspect.

Hypocrisy can resist direct humour-free confrontation but not so easily comic. Einstein is by far the most popular subject of scientific cartoons because the immense hypocrisy surrounding Einstein and relativity theory: Educated people seek to give the impression to understand by stating that they don't, which is true, but not funny...or maybe it is funny...Compare with The Other Einstein describing Einstein as both a god and a clown, an ideal subject for cartoons...

More truth about science and scientists is presented on my blog. 


Gary Larson: The Far Side is Near


The scientific community adores Gary Larson's The Far Side because it tells truths about science, which scientists are not allowed to express themselves. The California Academy of Sciences created an exhibit that traveled to natural history museums around the country, showcasing 400 Larson cartoons. Entomologists have named a louse and a butterfly after Larson. The funny thing with a Larson cartoon is that it is true. Isn't that itself worth a cartoon? 



Why is this so funny? Because nobody understands quantum mechanics, not even dogs!



Albert Einstein: Stupid, Unhappy and Lonely



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Isaac Newton: Clever but Dull






       A 19th century cartoon by Cruikshank of Newton with a lady friend whose finger he uses to pack 
       the tobacco in his pipe. Newton did not smoke and he didn't have any lady friends.






Niels Bohr: Unbearable


According to Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg, Niels Bohr brainwashed a whole generation of physicists to confess to the Copenhagen interpretation of Schrödinger's wave function, and in particular ridiculed  Schrödinger who did not confess, see The Brainwash by Bohr. 
 

Erwin Schrödinger: The Cat Is Not Real





Leonardo da Vinci: Genius






Charles Darwin: Like an Ape





In the right cartoon from circa 1871, the gorilla is saying: "That man wants to claim my pedigree. He says he is one of my descendants." Mr Bergh (the founder of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) replies: "Now, Mr Darwin, how could you insult him so?"


A Venerable Orang-outang", a caricature of Darwin       Caricature of Charles Darwin as a monkey on the in in the The Hornet, a satirical magazine                            La Petite Lune, a Parisian satirical magazine 1880s.

To depict anybody as an ape is funny, because in some sense a human being is an ape. So even if Darwin was not more ape-like that you and me, it was funny to depict him as an ape, and thus display a truth about him and you and me. Really funny!



Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalysis: Works!


 





                            The way this works is that you say the first thing that comes to your mind...


It is difficult to prove that physchoanalysis is not effective, which compared with the perception that its effect is very unclear, is funny. 


Ludwig Wittgenstein: Serious



Statements by Wittgenstein:

  • I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.
  • You learned the concept 'pain' when you learned language.
  • A serious and good philosophical work could be written consisting entirely of jokes. 



Richard Feynman: Funny



Feynman presented himself as a funny womanizer playing bongo drums. It is not clear if this presentation is a sign of geniality as indicated in the bestseller Genius, or if it is a cover-up of a not so great intellect...


Cosmology: Speculations








Nobel Prize: Decreasing Prestige







Quantum Mechanics: Probability Confusion










String Theory: Nonsense









Mathematics: Religion and Terror





Philosophy: Useless




National Economy: Low Credibility




Global Warming: True




Marxism: Catastrophy




Medicine: Difficulty of Diagnosis



Science: Non-Independent Thinking




Education: Questionable Value




Academics: Internal Fights about Formalities




Science vs Religion: Difficulty of Distinction



Evolution: Only a Theory




Intelligent Design: Man and Monkey Different




Information Society: A Computer Can Do Anything



Bio-Engineering: Maybe It Works




Civil Engineering: The Cruel Reality




Innovation and Marketing: The Cruel Reality



Mechanical Engineering: Obsolete




James Joyce: Complex Style of Writing




Pablo Picasso: New Way of Picturing Reality






Leibniz: First to Use Base Two




The Pope: The Truth




Obama: Not The Truth



                            It is also fun to depict something as true, which could be true, but is not.

Comments


Peter Baskerville

A Top Pick Kno

Dear Claes --

We are very pleased to announce that this Knol is the Honourable Mention badge winner for English Knols created in May, 2009. Congratulations. You may view your award at http://knol.google.com/k/peter-baskerville/top-pick-best-knols-of-the-month/14j3i4hyjvi88/60#.

Top writers like you may benefit from participation in the 'Google Knol LinkedIn Group', located at http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2185205&trk=hb_side_g.

Please consider joining with us to add your point of view. Knol is listening!

Great work, keep it up,


Murry Shohat and Peter Baskerville

Last edited Oct 16, 2009 12:10 AM
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James S. Kim

I like this cartoon knol as a junior scientist

Remind that pictures and videos can give much more impression to humans than words. In that sense, I recommed this knol for young scientists and interests to see for improving their science knowledge.

Please give me opprotunity to put oriental science cartoons or pictures which give readers further experience and make them rethink about sceince.

-J

Last edited Sep 25, 2009 6:44 PM
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James S. Kim

This science cartoon article is really funny

I like this cartoon which is high level and funny. Thank you.

Last edited Sep 5, 2009 1:43 AM
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Gregory Kogan

Cartoon Correction

Nice selection of cartoons!

If you have a second, could you please correct the link from my cartoon, in the cosmology section ("That isn't dark matter...")? It currently links to the cartoon to its left, but should link to http://www.eeight.com/cartoons/129/

Thanks!

- Greg

Last edited Sep 6, 2009 9:42 AM
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Asep Onde

Very smart, indeed!

The cartoons are hilarious and smart at the same time!

My favourite of all of your presented cartoons are the Leibniz one - Very smart.

I blog and recommend your knol in my blog-mag Knol Today - http://www.knoltoday.com/science/2009/08/30/scientist-and-science-cartoons-a-great-collection/

Thanks for putting up a great collection of science cartoons!


Aug 30, 2009 12:53 AM
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Sajid Khan

Untitled

Dear Sir:
You are my top favorite knoller. I voted in the top knol contest for you. I am very impressed with the depth and clarity of your grasp of the fundamentals of the underlining phenomena in so many fields of knowledge. I would be greatly obliged and honored to have a couple of my knols reviewed by you. Like my knol, 'Wisdom' and 'Redefining Philosophy to Master life.'
I am a big fan of your blogs and knols. I can see that we are on the same page when it comes to trying to make the world better by improving knowledge.

I want to start a 'Wisdom Day' to make people, en mass aware that wisdom is within grasp of every individual, even group and country. Could you be my partner in this task?

Today is world friendship day and on this occasion I would like to offer my hand in friendship to you.


Last edited Aug 17, 2009 9:26 AM
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Spiros Kakos

Use of pictures in this Knol

I have a question: what are the possible ways to use pictures in this Knol? Can I get one and use it in one of my own Knols? Are there specific usage restrictions?

Last edited Sep 11, 2009 3:16 AM
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Andreas Kemper

Best Knol of the Month July 2009

This Knol is nominated for the contest

Best Knol of the Month July 2009
http://knol.google.com/k/andreas-kemper/best-knol-of-the-month/8bgikaqot3ts/46#

If you like this Knol please vote for it.

Knol-Authors can vote if they have at least one knol which is a month old. Each Knol-Author can vote for three different Knols, but please don't vote only for your own Knols.

Best
Andreas

Last edited Jul 10, 2009 5:51 AM
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Narayana Rao K.V.S.S.

Good collection

Hope more people see the knol.

What is your assessment of knol as a publishing platform?

Why many faculty members are not showing interest in writing on knol? Any view?

Last edited Jun 30, 2009 11:24 PM
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Claes Johnson
Claes Johnson
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