- Sesarr Sesarrian
- Sofia
- Bulgaria
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Has science made us gods even before we've become worthy of being men?
"Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being men"
said the biologist and philosopher Jean Rostand almost 70 years ago, at the beginning of the Nuclear Arms race.
Is that quote even more true today or have we grown to be better people? Has science given us too much power? Will we ever be able to use that power responsibly?
I believe that science has given us power to create and destroy at "godlike" proportions, but we might've not grown enough morally to be able to use that power responsibly. I don't deny science, nor I think scientific knowledge can go "too far". What I'm worried about is how we use (or don't) that knowledge today and how shall we continue to use it in the future.
Just to clear things up: For me this question is purely a question about morals. I don't put any spiritual meaning in it. I don't believe people are divine, gods or anything "special" like that. Even with science we're still men with all the good and bad parts that come with us being just human.
Kanwar Sodhi
I am not trying to trivialize the question, all i am saying is that since science provides humans to be creative on a "godlike" level, it is entirely upto us to use it responsibly, and based on the evidence, that is more or less the case. Even the abberrations have been well-meaning and we just need to focus on the creative aspect of it more.
Dustin Boyd
I must say I have been guilty of such misconceptions. It took me 23 years to realize that my grandmother isn't just a sick old woman who has lost her mind. Once I began to ACTUALLY talk with her, I realized I couldn't have been more wrong.
Angus Dowling
Nuclear destruction is on a lot of peoples minds. Many people believe that we will be our own end. It's almost universal that people realize that we are, in some shape or form, "in over our heads", or "too naive". I wonder if anybody has paused to ask why this actually is?
During my life I have observed the human race to be very efficient at passing down knowledge from one generation to the next (comparatively to other things, such as wisdom). We have several different types of schools for hundreds of different branches of knowledge. Just look at the differences in science 500 years ago, or even 50 years ago - unlike then, scientists have been given almost free reign over their research.
There is no doubt in my mind that knowledge is growing exponentially.
During my observations of human race, I have found that in terms of wisdom, we seem to reinvent the wheel. We all seem to make the same mistakes as we go through life, we grow as a person through our experiences - whether its in love, or in science, one of our main approaches to life is to "live and learn".
In my opinion, we haven't an efficient way of passing on wisdom. The only sure-fire way of understanding something to it's fullest extent, is to experience it, to make the mistake ourselves - and even then, some people are prone to making the same mistake again.
We haven't the wisdom, the understanding to use the knowledge which is exponentially growing, until we find a way to pass down wisdom as efficiently as knowledge, the gap will only widen.
As that gap widens, I feel our room for error only gets bigger.
Nick Lemyre
If I wanted to give an easy answer, I would say ensure the elderly live on long enough to transmit their experiances. However, as you so effectively pointed out, most people nowadays feel not the need to seek them out, not untill it is too late. Another problem with this mistake is that not all elderly are the wise and knowlegable patriarchs and matriarchs. They are also humans, and as so, may be flawed.
I believe storytelling is a very effective way to instill this at childhood. Not the modern, debilliting stories of piggie the puggy pink pig, but true actual stories, with deep morals and examples. As they grow up, don't indoctrinate them, use the Pythagorian kind of learning, in which they must develop their own thoughs rather than gobble up those they are given. Be a guide, not an instructor.
Truth be told, there is no better way of obtaining wisdom than earning it. Forbidding something leads to indoctrination rather than comprehension, and hiding some things only makes them more vulnerable to them. Thus is indeed the greatest riddle of our time. How do we transmit wisdom?
Edward Coates
I think we have to watch our moral compass more today then ever before because large corporation lead the exploration of our scientific endeavors. In the past, the major of those who sought knowledge went to universities and mostly looked to understand. Now, I believe more people are looking for a pay check and are willing to push the envelope without questioning it. They are not looking to understand but to bring results for the company. This in my opinion is the most dangerous type of science.
Dustin Boyd
Just like children, we (the human race) are still very naive. If we are the first species with a brain that allows us to be so creative and think on our own, then we definitely have much to learn. And, also like a child, we sometimes act like we are invincible, or unstoppable. Like Aaron Morrison was saying, in a previous post, "getting older makes you more able to see change... really you have a broader point of reference to base your thoughts/ideas/reality on..." we are very young as humans, and naturally, we don't always think about consequences. We may feel like we can act like God's, but we have so much to learn. I feel that we need to slow down a little, and take time to fully (as fully as we can) evaluate the consequences of our decisions.
Dan Notty
I see it as the smartest among us bring it to the next level, and it forces people to become more educated about such things after being immersed in it long enough. Imagine if someone didn't have a concept of what germs were for instance.
I think that as technology and science develops, it's also important to increase our education regarding it. When I hear a person on their cell phone yelling about how their "stupid" phone is cutting out, there's a part of me that just thinks, wow I bet this guy doesn't even know how a cell phone works in the slightest, yet here he is criticizing.
Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+
Bob Shingles 10+
We are still men, our sticks for clubbing things have just grown more destructive. We are far from immortal.
If people are going to cite Al Gore for anything climate related, have them try to find a conversation in which he addresses why meteorologists can't get their forecasts correct. Apparently our world is doomed in so many years yet we can't get an accurate weather forecast for the week.
Yes we have made powerful breakthroughs as a species but it can all end in a flash today if a giant rock was to hit our planet.
Sesarr Sesarrian
However, our knowledge is giving us power of god-like proportions and to quote Churchill (not Spider-man!) -- "With great power comes great responsibility". Responsibility that we might've forgotten somewhere along the way.
And yes it all can end in a flash. From a giant rock *or* a nuclear apocalypse.
Aaron Morrison
He was right about a lot of things.. more than I thought at the time… getting older makes you more able to see change… really you have a broader point of reference to base your thoughts / ideas / reality on…
Take for instance the idea that we could throw our garbage out the window of our cars and expect it to somehow not matter… or pollute the water by continuing to disregard what we flush down the toilet or release from our factories… or how we allow large overflows of sewage… and somehow that wouldn’t matter either… well that was the view back then… wasn’t ok back then… and even more true today…
Just stop look and listen… the world is groaning under the weight of our consistent disregard … Think I am being a little harsh here… check out any water related website..
Or grab your camera and go down to the waterway where you live, take some photos and ask yourself would I drink that water… Check out the reports of how your water supply measures up.. find out all the chemicals that are in it.. I could go on and on but as this Sunday is Fathers Day, I’ll raise a glass to my Dad and say.. “you were right dad…” and even more true today!
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Sesarr Sesarrian
I just think it's about time we begin asking that question more often.
PS: I edited the debate description to make things more clear. Tell me if there's something still unclear about the question. :)