By Timothy McGettigan
Currently, scientists argue that over 90% of the universe is made up of dark substances. Yet, though they remain undetectable, scientists are convinced that dark matter and energy do exist. In large part, this is because, at present, there is simply no other way to account for the anomalous behavior of the cosmos: if not for dark energy, then how can one make sense of the accelerating expansion of the universe? Nevertheless, the problem with such fanciful speculations is that they threaten to transgress the boundary between fantasy and reality. By way of comparison, let’s say that I am convinced that fire-breathing dragons exist. Although most rational thinkers would dismiss such a claim, I might insist that my belief is at least as legitimate as the scientific faith in dark matter and energy. While it is true that I cannot produce direct evidence of fire-breathing dragons, a similar lack of direct evidence has not dissuaded scientists from embracing the concepts of dark matter and energy. In addition, as is the case with dark physical phenomena, there is an abundance of indirect evidence which supports the contention that fire-breathing dragons actually walk the earth. Indeed, if anything, mythical dragon spoor is substantially more tangible than the residues of dark matter and energy.
Although scientists often insist that science is a purely fact-driven endeavor, in reality, scientific progress is often generated more by the pursuit of fantasy than facts. Take, for example, the space race during the 1960s. In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy announced that the U.S. would land astronauts on the moon by 1970, JFK’s prognostications were based more upon fantasy than good science. As of 1961, the U.S. lacked the necessary technology to achieve such a remarkable goal. Thus, it is a fact that on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. However, Armstrong could never have left his boot prints on the lunar surface if Kennedy had not dared to propose his future-building fantasy.
Therefore, crazy as it may seem, fantasies represent the most productive means through which to generate scientific progress. The more far-fetched the fantasy, the more scientifically-productive the process of realizing the fantasy will be. For example, Martin Cooper has claimed that he was inspired to invent the cell phone after watching Captain Kirk use his wireless communicator on Star Trek.
So, dream big. The future is a fantasy, and science is a mechanism through which we transform fantasies into reality. Sure as there be dark matter, so there be dragons.
Timothy McGettigan is professor of sociology at Colorado State University - Pueblo, and author of Good Science: The Pursuit of Truth and the Evolution of Reality
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