Friday, 30 July 2010
Our Elders
Another tea party coming up on 13th September from 6pm to 8pm on getting older and how we feel about it. This one should brew up a storm. Plenty to talk about.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Science
Here are the notes from our last conversation on Science. Why not take a break, look through and consider what Science means to you. Drop us a comment and let us know if you’ve had any thoughts since on this important subject.
Often we use the word science to refer to a very broad spectrum of activities… so part of the conversation focused on what is meant when we think & talk about “science”.
There was recognition between everyone present that science is the basis for our existence and also the basis of future progress. Science is creative thinking and problem solving. In its purest form, science is completely objective and dispassionate because it seeks to find the truth about things. And yet, there were a lot of questions, misgivings and concerns about how science is developed in terms of motives, economics and applicability / human relevance.
If science itself is the pursuit of understanding and how things work, then it is the truth of all things that exist. Therefore, in its purest form, science is amoral. The scientific method examines, develops hypotheses and then proves what is true with concrete evidence. Yet in many ways, science is driven by human fallibility – what are we exploring and why? Who is funding that work and why?
We drew a distinction between pure science and applied science or technology. There are many things that we can discover through science, but not all discoveries are applicable for society and human development.
As an example, we discussed the atom bomb, the Manhattan Project (the drive to develop it) as well as the role of the scientists who were involved, such as Robert Oppenheimer. What the team of scientists did as part of the work on the Manhattan Project undoubtedly marked a significant scientific development, but the science cannot be completely abstracted from the mission. Science needs humanity.
We also discussed our personal experiences with science and how we feel about our understanding of science. Whether due to unpleasant experiences studying science in our youths (e.g. high school chemistry!) or through illness in adulthood, many of us acknowledged that we are not “up to speed” with the biggest scientific challenges of our time.
Often, the media does not help with this. We need to seek more understanding of science, to keep ourselves informed, and we need the scientific community to make these developments more accessible and understandable, such that we can reflect on the implications and applications.
Just as we are obligated to engage in and understand scientific developments, scientists are obligated to acknowledge and explain when their discoveries lead to meaningful change for society.
Often we use the word science to refer to a very broad spectrum of activities… so part of the conversation focused on what is meant when we think & talk about “science”.
There was recognition between everyone present that science is the basis for our existence and also the basis of future progress. Science is creative thinking and problem solving. In its purest form, science is completely objective and dispassionate because it seeks to find the truth about things. And yet, there were a lot of questions, misgivings and concerns about how science is developed in terms of motives, economics and applicability / human relevance.
If science itself is the pursuit of understanding and how things work, then it is the truth of all things that exist. Therefore, in its purest form, science is amoral. The scientific method examines, develops hypotheses and then proves what is true with concrete evidence. Yet in many ways, science is driven by human fallibility – what are we exploring and why? Who is funding that work and why?
We drew a distinction between pure science and applied science or technology. There are many things that we can discover through science, but not all discoveries are applicable for society and human development.
As an example, we discussed the atom bomb, the Manhattan Project (the drive to develop it) as well as the role of the scientists who were involved, such as Robert Oppenheimer. What the team of scientists did as part of the work on the Manhattan Project undoubtedly marked a significant scientific development, but the science cannot be completely abstracted from the mission. Science needs humanity.
We also discussed our personal experiences with science and how we feel about our understanding of science. Whether due to unpleasant experiences studying science in our youths (e.g. high school chemistry!) or through illness in adulthood, many of us acknowledged that we are not “up to speed” with the biggest scientific challenges of our time.
Often, the media does not help with this. We need to seek more understanding of science, to keep ourselves informed, and we need the scientific community to make these developments more accessible and understandable, such that we can reflect on the implications and applications.
Just as we are obligated to engage in and understand scientific developments, scientists are obligated to acknowledge and explain when their discoveries lead to meaningful change for society.
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