Philosophy is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat.
Metaphysics is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat that is not there.
Theology is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat that is not there and shouting “I found it!”
Science is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat using a flashlight.
The following poem was written by an African child. It was nominated by the UN as the Best Poem of 2006.
When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still blackAnd you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grayAnd you calling me coloured?
Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, corneal disease, diabetes, trauma, optic nerve disease; myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism, colour blindness…
There are many causes and types of blindness, but by far the most powerful, debilitating and dangerous blindness is prejudice – the blindness to what is deep to the surface.
This disease affects 100% of the adult population and causes a severe impairment in judgement, leading the patient to make wrong assumptions. Much like colour blindness, prejudice robs the world of colour, transforming it into black-or-white. The patient’s visual acuity falls dramatically, not being able to see the beautiful scenery of the human soul, and instead seeing a distorted, superficial image.
Despite the devastating effects of the disease and extreme prevalence, the treatment is simple. Just as you would treat someone who claims that “the room is too dark” – take off your sunglasses and see the world for what it truly is.
(Source: http://www.deviantart.com/download/193661196/aph__color_by_lolitamyangel-d37atxo.jpg)
This disease, also known as Pest or the bubonic plague, was a vicious infectious disease that decimated medieval Europe. It is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, usually transmitted by fleas. The symptoms vary from high fever, malaise, nausea and vomiting, headaches, muscle cramps, seizures, red rashes, coughing and swollen lymph nodes, and causes death within four or five days without treatment.
People did not know about the existence of bacteria back then (it would be 200 more years until Louis Pasteur would suggest germs as the cause of infections). Back then, they considered diseases to transmit through miasma, or bad air. Also, they believed that to prevent transmission, they required a stronger smell to counter it.
Plague doctors, who treated according to the miasma theory of disease, wore a special set of equipments that were known as beak doctor costumes. They wore an overcoat, hat, gloves and boots made from waxed leather, carried a cane to assess the patient and point things out, and a peculiar mask. The mask had a long beak like a bird’s, giving the doctors the nickname beak doctors. The masks had round, glass windows to see through, and two small nostrils at the end of the beak.
Why did they wear this strange mask? The beak was hollow and doctors filled it with flowers, herbs, vinegar and incense that produce a strong smell, so as to “purify” the air coming through the nostrils.
Although the miasma theory has been falsified by germ theory, this gear was the first hazmat suit in history.
There is another fascinating fact regarding the Plague, miasma theory and beak doctors. It regards the nursery rhyme, Ring a Ring o’ Roses:
Ring-a-ring-a-roses,
A pocket full of posies;
Atishoo! Atishoo!
We all fall down.
This nursery rhyme actually describes the Plague. The ring of roses refers to the red rashes and swelling of lymph nodes – a symptom of the Plague; the posies were herbs used to counter the miasma; coughing and sneezing were end-stage symptoms before death, which is shown in the final line.
