Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bread Upon The Water who wrote (125229)	11/20/2009 6:56:13 PM
From: Mary Cluney	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 543072

<<<You're arguments, if I understood them correctly, speak to a state of human culture that HAS ALREADY made science one of its cultural norms, but not yet a dominant one.>>> I think you hit upon it when you say "It's there whether we accept it or not." The value of Pi (the mathematical constant), for example, is going to be the same whatever language you speak or whatever religion you believe. Almost everything we accomplished is based on that foundation. In other words, civilization is derived from "scientific" fundamentals. You can dance around it. You can even thrive by denying it but it will eventually catch up to you or us (as a civilization).

To: Bread Upon The Water who wrote (125229)	11/20/2009 8:19:33 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 543072

"It's there whether we accept it or not. " My argument, such as it is, is that whether or not the "norms" of a society allow it to profit from science, those who use it (where and when it is available) will live better (assuming they aren't killed by the troglodytes) than those who ignore it. That really was pretty much my whole point. That people can ignore science is a given; but imo people ignore it at the expense of their well being. That is not to say I think science alone is important- I value many forms of learning. One thing I do not value, though, is ignorance. I've never bought the myth of the noble savage, because I'm not much of a romantic. Science is important to me because I like the fruits of science. I suppose it would be fascinating even if it wasn't so conducive to my comfort and entertainment- but since it is both fascinating and practically contributive to my happiness, how could science not be important to me? It is important to most people- but sadly, many people are so ignorant they do not realize it.

To: Bread Upon The Water who wrote (125229)	11/21/2009 3:26:40 AM
From: Cogito	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 543072

>>You're arguments, if I understood them correctly, speak to a state of human culture that HAS ALREADY made science one of its cultural norms, but not yet a dominant one. IMHO, the human cultural norms of this era are in fact in conflict, over which cultural norm better reflects "reality".<< Vinter - I would submit that outside the United States, the human cultural norm has come down decidedly in the science camp. Among the developed nations, as an example, this is the only one where slightly more than 50% of the population has serious questions about the validity of the Theory of Evolution. Pretty much everywhere else, people have accepted the fact that not just one, but many different branches of science have validated the theory. Paleontology, zoology, biology, chemistry, genetics, and geology, to name a few, have confirmed it via observable evidence. The trial is over. The jury has come in and returned a verdict. But for some reason, certain groups in our country are still insisting on believing that there's some kind of controversy. If there is, it's only because they're perpetuating it. - Allen