From: Horse (horse@darkstar.uk.net)
Date: Mon Oct 11 2004 - 01:44:12 BST
Hi David
On 8 Oct 2004 at 20:53, David Morey wrote:
> Hi Horse
>
> Surely we have seen terrible secular ideologies full of scientism and eugenics
> in the 20th century.
Maybe so but my point all along has been that scientists have not resorted to violence in
order to promote science and when there are differences they are resolved by argument
and not force.
> It is only in memory of these tragedies that a scientific outlook
> can avoid & resist the temptation to lose contact with the humanity it needs to inspire rather than obscure.
What tragedies are we talking about here. I'm aware that _technology_ has been
misused over and over again but this is not the point I'm making. Science as a belief
system has not instigated violence against those that do not accept its beliefs. Religion
has and continues to do so. Scientists have not burned people at the stake for heresy or
tortured people in order to convert them to their system of beliefs.
> But can science inspire humanity? Does it deliver community and shared values?
Has religion inspired humanity or just scared them shitless? Science can and does inspire people (as opposed to humanity).
You may disagree with them or their beliefs safe in the knowledge that the equivalent of
the Inquisition won't be breaking down your door and requesting that you either do
otherwise or they'll hand you your liver for closer inspection!
Science delivers community and shared values within the scientific belief system.
> Or does it deliver techno-fantasies where people live in luxurious house-prisons?
> Where more & more adults seem to be more & more like children?
Not sure what you mean by this exactly. Is there something wrong with enjoying the
benefits that science has provided. I and the majority of people on this list are alive due
to the benefits science has delivered. I just wish that more people could enjoy these
benefits. I agree that sometimes scientists can run off at the mouth about their pet
projects but so what - you don't have to believe them or even listen to them. I seriously
doubt they will threayen you with visions of eternal damnation if you do so. Even the
more fundamental variety of scientist.
And what are these luxurious house-prisons you refer to. I don't know any - the only
house prisons that I know of are due to peoples fear of violence. What's this got to do
with science.
> Unless perhaps we can find that human beings have got more in common with
> something like DQ than well made mechanisms.
Can't we have both? A well made mechanism, such as a motorcycle, and it's use can
lead to high volumes of DQ. Wasn't there a book about it? ;^)
Horse
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