Science march

[Sriram]

Hi everyone,

Many people have marched  yesterday in the US and other countries to create awareness about Science and its contribution, especially towards climate change information, GM foods among other things. I am not sure if the march should be in favor of Science rather than in favor of wise and insightful decision making.  I think it should be the latter.

Science by itself is just a tool that provides information, sometimes correct sometimes wrong. We must remember that Science & technology have been responsible for many of the ills we experience today.   

So...its incorrect to think Science is responsible for the new found wisdom on climate change and other things. Where was this 'wisdom' when we started out ruining the environment in the first place?  Science and technology have been responsible for many wrong ideas, theories and dietary & lifestyle changes that have impacted our lives adversely.

What we need is true vision devoid of selfish and short term concerns. Science can only help along...

Any views?

Cheers.

Sriram

[torridon]

Hi everyone,

Many people have marched  yesterday in the US and other countries to create awareness about Science and its contribution, especially towards climate change information, GM foods among other things. I am not sure if the march should be in favor of Science rather than in favor of wise and insightful decision making.  I think it should be the latter.

Science by itself is just a tool that provides information, sometimes correct sometimes wrong. We must remember that Science & technology have been responsible for many of the ills we experience today.   

So...its incorrect to think Science is responsible for the new found wisdom on climate change and other things. Where was this 'wisdom' when we started out ruining the environment in the first place?  Science and technology have been responsible for many wrong ideas, theories and dietary & lifestyle changes that have impacted our lives adversely.

What we need is true vision devoid of selfish and short term concerns. Science can only help along...

Any views?

Cheers.

Sriram

I don't see that is fair to blame climate change on previous generations of people who had no insight into the atmospheric processes that we now know are the main drivers of change.  The problem is more, as you say, that even when armed with insight, we still ignore it.  Can we have a march in favour of wisdom ?  Sounds a bit vague

[ekim]

I think science and technology as a method needs to be distinguished from the human beings who use it.  As a method it is neutral, it's the human motives which need transforming.  I'm not very optimistic about that.

[Sriram]

Very interesting video...

http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2017/04/specials/life-supported/

[Sriram]

How we can stop the sixth mass extinction....


http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/12/world/sutter-vanishing-help/

[Nearly Sane]

As ekim points out science is neutral. Yes, it has its limitations and often those are underestimated but the real issue here isn't that science does not achieve something beyond its remit, but rather that it is treated so often as being worth nothing more in factual terns than what flues into the head if any vacuous idiot who suddenly wants to shout about their own ideas as if that are facts.

Science cannot ever tell you a should unless you want to use it to get you to a value you have already accepted. It tells you what 'is' based on probabilities. It shows that homeopathy does not wok and no amount of anecdote changes that.