CHAPTER XCVII. Faith And Knowledge

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# CHAPTER XCVII. Faith And Knowledge ## Overview "CHAPTER XCVII. Faith And Knowledge" is a chapter from Herman Melville's novel, [Mardi: And a Voyage Thither](arke:01KG8AJA6157W2830190N652KA). It spans lines 10557 to 10669 of the source text [mardi_vol1.txt](arke:01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK). ## Context This chapter is part of the larger work [Mardi: And a Voyage Thither](arke:01KG8AJA6157W2830190N652KA), which is included in the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It follows [CHAPTER XCVI. Samoa A Surgeon](arke:01KG8AJWWJ265DXSXTVW9GT1DB) and precedes [CHAPTER XCVIII. The Tale Of A Traveler](arke:01KG8AJWVXPP13NE17MPTAAVDR) within the novel's structure. The content was extracted from a plain text file, [mardi_vol1.txt](arke:01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK). ## Contents The chapter delves into philosophical discussions concerning faith, knowledge, and credulity. It explores the relationship between intelligence and belief, positing that higher intelligence correlates with more faith and less credulity. The narrative includes a first-person reflection on historical events, where the narrator claims to have participated in various significant moments throughout history, from the Deluge to the American Revolution. The chapter also features a continuation of Samoa's incredible tales, specifically recounting a surgical procedure where a portion of a live pig's brain was transplanted into a human, leading to the patient's survival but also a change in personality, exhibiting "piggish" characteristics before eventually dying in delirium. This anecdote sparks further philosophical debate among the characters, particularly Babbalanja, who speculates on the possibility of creating new species through the mixing of "essential ingredients of various creatures."

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2026-01-30T20:49:25.998Z

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CHAPTER XCVII. Faith And Knowledge

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10669

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2026-01-30T20:47:39.469Z

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01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK

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10557

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CHAPTER XCVII. Faith And Knowledge