The nature is untamed and unpredictable

Last week we all saw on TV the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy in a vast region located on the East American Coast. Before coming to American soil, the cyclone had affected Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Haiti.

On the night of October 29th, the hurricane touched in southern New Jersey and its effects began to be felt also in the entire northeast coast. In New York, there were floods, fires, power outages to 650,000 people and winds up to 180 km / h. Furthermore, the moisture brought by the storm caused blizzards and cold air in West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. After the storm, the hurricane left outstanding as a high number of deaths, destruction of varied species and incalculable losses.

Talking about Hurricane Sandy, several Brazilian and American experts have emphasized something that common sense always imagined and scientists now have no doubt in admitting: nature is unpredictable and truly indomitable.

Interestingly, a few days ago, an Italian court convicted seven experts - four scientists, two engineers and a civil servant - to six years in prison for manslaughter, because they have not provided the L'Aquila earthquake that destroyed the small comune located in the region of Abruzzo, in the province of Áquila, Italy.

Obviously, as expected, the condemnation sparked protests worldwide. A letter of support to the defendants, signed by 5000 scientists, was awarded to Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy. In demonstrations, the focal point of criticism of the court's decision is this: "Science today has no way to predict an earthquake. Soon, scientists cannot be blamed for something that is beyond their ability."

In a letter to Italian President Alan Leshner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, outlined the main arguments against criminalization of the scientists: 1) The charges are unfair and naive to the extent that there is no scientific method can accurately predict earthquakes, 2) it is unreasonable to expect more than what scientists can do with the knowledge currently available, 3) condemn scientists for allegedly failing today to impossible predictions, it will have dangerous effects on the whole Science to the extent that inhibit the free exchange of ideas and knowledge circulation, fundamental to the advancement of scientific research of great public interest.

They are completely right who protested against the court's decision because, as acknowledged in the episode caused by Hurricane Sandy, nature is unpredictable and truly indomitable. If there is no sufficient scientific knowledge to predict earthquakes and plagues called natural, it's not fair to blame scientists for not predict what it cannot be predicted.

In the main work Spiritist - The Spirits' Book, published 155 years ago - the issue was the subject of a long dialogue between Kardec and immortal entities, which transcribe three questions today, so long after, it stays current and deserve, so all our attention and appreciation:

739. Are there destructive usefulness calamities, from the physical point of view, despite the evils that cause?

"There are. Often it changes the conditions of a region. But the good that it results from, only future generations will experience."

740. Will there flagella also evidence for moral man, put him in the throes of the most distressing needs?

"The flagella are proofs that give men the opportunity to exercise their intelligence, to demonstrate his patience and resignation before the will of God and offering them an opportunity to express their feelings of self-sacrifice, of selflessness and love of neighbor, if not dominates selfishness."

741. Is the man casting the scourges that afflict him?

"Part of it is, not, however, as generally understood. Many flagella result from the improvidence of man. As acquires knowledge and experience, he might cast, that is, prevent, if they know how to find the causes. However, among the evils that afflict humanity, some are of a general nature, which they are in the decrees of Providence and of which each individual receives, more or less the kickback. To these nothing can oppose the man, unless his submission to the will of God. These same evils, however, he often aggravated by his negligence."