Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Tormod
...I'd say science isn't good or bad. Science is a tool, a process.
|
I'd have to agree, neither good nor bad, simply a new way of looking at the universe. Perhaps a better (or different, anyway) question would be: Has science made people happier? Are we more content and happy now, knowing what we do, then 600 years ago or 6000 or 60,000 years ago?
It's not an easy question. When you think about it superficially- of course, I'm happy my grandparents are still alive, due to medical science, at 70. But that's really only because I know medical science could keep them alive for this "long, full life." 300 years ago, a long full life would have been to 55 or so. Not knowing it was possible to live past that, I would most likely be just as happy as now.
Science brings this possibility of more food, but it is only percieved as good in contrast to the knowledge that without science, there would be less. For example, the Native Americans were supposedly very content in their system of living, but when the scientific Europeans came along, suddenly things weren't good enough. Those that survived lived longer, sure, but were their lives any better?
I don't know the answer to my question. Has science made people happier, or has it only made people more aware of how "bad off they are," and then filled that void. A lot of times I wonder if science is just making people happier and more content by creating crisis to solve.
That sounds like I'm against science.... hmmm, it's not supposed to. But I do like to keep teh scientific part of humanity in perspective, I guess. And yeah, I support stem cell research as well.
