it

Taka

All genuine science has its origin in the intellectual curiosity of the free human spirit, in its creative genius, and in its power of insight.

What does 'its' refer to, '(genuine) science' or 'the free human spirit'?

I think it's 'science', but I'm not sure on this one...

I'm quite sure it refers t

Pemmican

Taka

All genuine science has its origin in the intellectual curiosity of the free human spirit, in its creative genius, and in its power of insight.

What does 'its' refer to, '(genuine) science' or 'the free human spirit'?

I think it's 'science', but I'm not sure on this one...

I read it differently - I would think it means "all genuine science has its origin in the intellectual curiosity of the free human spirit, as well as in the creative genius of the human spirit and in the power of insight of the human spirit." I think the sentence is ambiguous.

Taka

All genuine science has its origin in the intellectual curiosity of the free human spirit, in its creative genius, and in its power of insight.

What does 'its' refer to, '(genuine) science' or 'the free human spirit'?

I think it's 'science', but I'm not sure on this one...

Yes, I'd agree with Khoff:

Me too! 'free human spirit'.

Clive

I vote for--

All genuine science has its origin in: the curiosity, genius, and insight of the free human spirit.

Very interseting.

Now, to those of you who vote for 'the free human spirit,'

(1) All genuine science has its1 origin in the intellectual curiosity of the free human spirit, in its2 creative genius, and in its3 power of insight.

So, even though they are all the same 'its', its1 refers to a different thing from its2 and its3?

(2)

I agree that the original sentence is draconian in its ambiguity-- typical of such flights of holistic philosophizing-- but that the 'it's can and do have different referents. I take my understanding from the meaning of the phrases: I fail to see how science itself can originate in its own power of insight or creative genius, where I can understand that the human spirit may have th

MrM,

Hmmmm ... 'draconian in its ambiguity-- typical of such flights of holistic philosophizing--'

Do you say holistic philosophy is 'draconian', or 'ambiguous', or 'draconian in its ambiguity'?

'draconian in its ambiguity-- typical of such flights of holistic philosophizing--'
Holistic philosophy is
a) 'draconian'
b) 'ambiguous'
c) 'draconian in its ambiguity'
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
f) next question

Please choose an answer, and then we will tell you how wrong you are.