Memories within myth

[Nearly Sane]

'The stories of oral societies, passed from generation to generation, are more than they seem. They are scientific records'

The article is interesting but the use of the term 'scientific  records' is a bit of hyperbole.


https://aeon.co/essays/the-stories-of-oral-societies-arent-myths-theyre-records

[Walt Zingmatilder]

'The stories of oral societies, passed from generation to generation, are more than they seem. They are scientific records'

The article is interesting but the use of the term 'scientific  records' is a bit of hyperbole.


https://aeon.co/essays/the-stories-of-oral-societies-arent-myths-theyre-records

weirdly enough Will Self did a programme on the BBC about the nuclear industry and discussed the possibility of conveying the dangers of nuclear waste into a possible non scientific culture via religious myth.

[Nearly Sane]

weirdly enough Will Self did a programme on the BBC about the nuclear industry and discussed the possibility of conveying the dangers of nuclear waste into a possible non scientific culture via religious myth.

'Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds'

I think Self's idea is a sci fi trope. Take, for exammple, the Doctor Who serial The Face of Evil

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Face_of_Evil

[Walt Zingmatilder]

'Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds'

I think Self's idea is a sci fi trope. Take, for exammple, the Doctor Who serial The Face of Evil

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Face_of_Evil

I don't think it was Self's idea since he was investigating the nuclear industry as a novice.

I think the idea is that religion and myth have a longer half life than cultures and languages.

[Nearly Sane]

I don't think it was Self's idea since he was investigating the nuclear industry as a novice.

I think the idea is that religion and myth have a longer half life than cultures and languages.

Isn't myth and religion part of culture?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Isn't myth and religion part of culture?

Out of the two Religion is most likely to be transcultural.

[Nearly Sane]

Out of the two Religion is most likely to be transcultural.

You seem to be switching here from talking about religion, myth, culture as generic categorisations to thinking about 'a religion' and 'a culture'.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

You seem to be switching here from talking about religion, myth, culture as generic categorisations to thinking about 'a religion' and 'a culture'.

It seemed pretty clear to me what these nuclear scientists were getting at.
I'm sure they weren't thinking of specific religions just religions in general.

Not sure I agree that it would work but it might be better than a Hazchem sign.

[Udayana]

Undoubtedly myths and stories contain information but I don't think they really work to pass on history or science - otherwise they would be known as history and science rather than myths.

Suspect they stop working around the same point as they are codified as religions - at the point when people forget their meaning. 

Best for nuclear waste is to not create it, probably not possible to guarantee that waste already stored will always be identifiable in the event of the collapse of civilisation. Though seems quite likely that by that point large areas of Earth could be radioactive anyway. 

Foward Hari Seldon!

[Nearly Sane]

It seemed pretty clear to me what these nuclear scientists were getting at.
I'm sure they weren't thinking of specific religions just religions in general.

Not sure I agree that it would work but it might be better than a Hazchem sign.

Nice to know you think you they were sure but I was talking about your posts.

Your mention of the Hazchem sign triggers in me a thought of a dark version of Logan's Run

[jeremyp]

'The stories of oral societies, passed from generation to generation, are more than they seem. They are scientific records'

The article is interesting but the use of the term 'scientific  records' is a bit of hyperbole.


https://aeon.co/essays/the-stories-of-oral-societies-arent-myths-theyre-records

"Historical records" would be a more appropriate description.

[Nearly Sane]

"Historical records" would be a more appropriate description.

And still hyperbole