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Is Science a Good Thing?
- Thread starter Kurt31416
- Start date
whereismynotecard
Treasure Hunter
I like science. It tells us what things are healthy and what things aren't, like don't lay out in the sun, or you might get skin cancer, and eat an apple instead of french fries, so you don't get clogged arteries. It does lots of other cool stuff too, like telling us what things are made of and just all sorts of things. I don't think anyone doesn't like science... It makes us know things. 
freethinker44
Well-Known Member
Science is neither good nor bad. It is just a system we use to collect and organize knowledge. What people do or don't do with that knowledge is outside of science.
rojse
RF Addict
Science is just a process that allows us to observe the natural world and make theories to explain these observations. Science is neither good nor bad.
If you meant to ask is technology good or bad, the real-world application of scientific ideas, then I say technology is neuteral, too. Dynamite can be used to hurt or injure people, for example, but on the other hand, also allows us to implement large-scale mining operations. Nuclear energy has been used in warfare, but also helps to generate power and radiation also has it's uses in medicine. If technology is perceived to be good or bad, this is only because of how we choose to implement it, and the problems we create for ourselves solely lie with us.
Science is a tool, and like any tool can be used for good or ill...
whereismynotecard
Treasure Hunter
it could be used to try to breed a monkey and a human.
That would be cool.
That would be cool.
All knowledge is worth having.
Science is morally neutral, and is the study of some field or discipline, aka the search for knowledge. Knowledge itself is also morally neutral. Technology, the application of science is potentially not morally neutral, depending on the use to which the technology is put and possibly on the purpose of the technologic development. As was pointed out earlier, a nuclear weapon is a thing of horror with one purpose, but a nuclear reactor (technology developed out of the pursuit of the nuclear weapon) used for power generation is a more beneficial thing. Both are technological innovations stemming from scientific study of the fundamental structure of matter, with two distinct purposes, one that is decidedly evil the other which is not so evil.
... he asks on the internet.
tumbleweed41
Resident Liberal Hippie
As has been said by others, science is a tool... whether it is used for "good" or "evil", it is merely a tool that, overall, has allowed humans to progress to a better quality of life, and a better understanding of the universe.
slave2six
Substitious
Human beings who have not had a frontal lobotomy are incapable of existing without science. We are curious and capable to reason. Science is the natural outcome of being human.
May as well ask if nature is good or bad.
slave2six
Substitious
Dogmas are incapable of "doing" anything. It is human beings that do things. I have read the Nazi dogma and yet somehow I have managed not to kill anyone...
tumbleweed41
Resident Liberal Hippie
Your OP was about Science. Was this just a a false lead-in to get to your real intent?
"Nazi Dogma" and "The Golden Rule" are a long way from your original question.
Putting aside you didn't answer my question and asked one... I'm interested in fundamental stuff like this. Science is nothing to sneeze at, how it fits in, approaching the truth of it, seems important.
Do I have opinions, well sure, who doesn't? One thing that doesn't make sense to me is how only hairless apes are capable of good and evil, like the universe is centered on us. That the universe circles around the earth/humans stuff has been a bad bet in recent centuries.
heh heh
Jeremiah
Well-Known Member
"One thing that doesn't make sense to me is how only hairless apes are capable of good and evil, like the universe is centered on us."
Because "good" and "evil" are human concepts and that is why they only pertain to us.
But surely you'd admit there are some it would appeal to, that it would influence? Seems we have a history of that.