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The "martyrs" of Science.

C on the release of Agora, Alejandro Amenábar's film based on the life and death of Hypatia, the Alexandrian astronomer fourth century we have already discussed in a previous post, some forums have circulated for some criticism of the view that the English director (or English-Chilean prefer) that the scientist's death occurs in the film. Amenábar in various interviews he has given to present his film speaks of Hypatia was the victim of bigotry (which is true in the highest degree because only the fans are capable of resorting to violence and murder to defend their ideas or dispel the others) and it seems that somehow has offended some sectors because the murderers of the sap of Alexandria were hordes of Christians allegedly instigated by Cyril, the bishop of the city. Whether the bishop were directly responsible for the crime or, as it seems that some authors argue, Hypatia was killed in crossfire of a political struggle between the Roman Empire and the nascent power of the Church no doubt that this admirable woman died their thinking than rational, to do and teach philosophy and science, regardless of ideology or religion they profess their murderers (ah, and the mere fact of being a woman also played a lot against him.) In that sense I align myself with the position of Amenábar, who claims not to attack Christianity, but to the bigots, are the sign they are, in this sense, the story picks up not only the fate of Hypatia but many more victims of a thought does not conform to political or religious charges tax in place and the times in which they lived.

Making a very quick count, I remember Anaxagoras, who in the V century BC (BC) was charged with wicked in Athens say that the sun was a fiery boulder, not a god, and the moon reflected merely the light of these statements led to his exile and had ended up in jail if not saved by Pericles, his student.

back in time and space, travel the twelfth century Muslim Spain with Maimonides , Jewish physician and philosopher from Cordoba who suffered exile, first in Al Andalus and then through northern Africa because of religious intolerance Almohad Empire. Maimonides, one of the greatest philosophers in history tried to reconcile faith and reason that it drew criticism from both Muslims and thinkers of their own fellow Jews.

In 1600 was burnt down Roman Inquisition astronomer and philosopher Giordano Bruno accused of heresy. Among his claims "heretical" was his cosideration of an infinite universe and the existence of many more than our own solar system. His trial was instructed by the same cardinal sixteen years later would lead one to the astronomer Galileo Galilei for defending the Copernican heliocentric system stating that the Earth and other planets revolve around the sun and attack Aristotle's geocentric system, according the Bible. Galileo would end his days under house arrest after retracting his ideas (or at least defending them.)

To complete this brief delay will travel back to twentieth century, namely the Soviet Union where he lived and botanical geneticist Nikolai Vavilov . Vavilov was sentenced in 1940 to prison, where he died three years later, to defend the principles of modern genetics in Soviet scientific circles of the time, dominated by his bitter enemy Trofim Lysenko who strongly supported the Stalinist regime defended between 30 and 60 years of evolutionary theory by stating that Lamarckism could modify plants environmentally modeándolas regardless of genetics. He declared war on genetics as "bourgeois science" that led to the elimination of all defenders of modern biological ideas. As we have seen attacks on science and scientists are not isolated events, affecting all ages and faiths and different policy options. Despite all scientific progress has not stopped and continues to fight many enemies, declared or not, even today.