From: Mark Steven Heyman (markheyman@infoproconsulting.com)
Date: Wed Apr 20 2005 - 20:16:33 BST
Hi Sam,
Just time enough for a quick response...
On 19 Apr 2005 at 16:47, Sam Norton wrote:
In particular, I asked MSH if he could think of an example of science
having 'solved' a problem in the third level of the MoQ (I'm not
saying it hasn't, I just think the question could do with being
thought about).
msh says:
If you consider health and standard of living issues as social
problems, then sure, science has solved a tremendous number of
problems. And I believe you could make the case for a number of
similar issues, better airplanes, bridges, dams, flood control.
But I suppose one could argue that these are really biological
issues, not social, though I think a strong contradictory case can
be built using the MOQ's Moral Hierarchy. Can Science, per say,
solve social problems like redistribution of resources in a more
equitable manner? Or provide a truly democratic economic system
where everyone has an equal say in what's produced, and how? I'd
say no, not in any extant socio-political arrangement, since science
and technology are merely expensive tools.
So, because Science is unable to solve social problems on it own,
that is, without the approval of entrenched power, many problems are
not solved and , in fact, Science is used in socially negative ways
in order to better serve powerful interests.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Although the hard sciences
themselves can't directly apply to many social issues, the tools of
Science, i.e., reason and evidence, CAN be applied to solving any
kind of social problem, as long as power is equitably distributed,
or, if this is unrealistic, as long as people in power can be
persuaded by reason and evidence, and are truly motivated to act in
the public's best interest.
I know... we are a long way from having such leaders, so the
struggle goes on.
Best,
Mark Steven Heyman (msh)
-- InfoPro Consulting - The Professional Information Processors Custom Software Solutions for Windows, PDAs, and the Web Since 1983 Web Site: http://www.infoproconsulting.com MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org Mail Archives: Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/ Nov '02 Onward - http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at: http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Wed Apr 20 2005 - 20:25:58 BST