Science is the modernists method of viewing the world; it
involves using evidence to test theories, thereby either proving or disproving
a theory. If a theory is not proven to be false, then it is assumed to be
true; these theories may be subject to further testing and be confirmed as
law. For example, the laws of gravity have been "proven" by
physics and mathematics...due to this have the laws of gravity been proven true,
according to modernist thought it has been proven true. Yet recent
studies have shown inconsistencies in this so called law in objects in outer
space orbiting our planet. These studies have thrown our whole concept of
gravitational forces into question. This is just one example of how
flawed Science can be, another example is the technique of Carbon Dating.
For decades carbon dating has been used to estimate the age of fossils and
artifacts. This dating system has been generally accepted by scientists
and the public alike as accurate and true, however most recent studies show
that carbon dating can in fact be completely inaccurate. It seems that
every year some great concept of scientific theory is proven wrong by
some new theory or law; most are not as profound as the two concepts I
previously mentioned, yet every example is just as valid when it comes to
displaying how flawed modern thought can be. How long will it be before
our modern scientific concepts are proven to be foolish ideas? At first
glance it would seem that I am against the concept of science, when in reality
this could not be further from the truth. I am a scientist, I have
studied science both independently and in college. I spent four years of
studying biology and molecular genetics, as well as nearly four years of
studying sociology. I firmly believe that our society has much to learn
from scientific thought and research, but at the belief that anything can truly
be proven and understood through modern science is fool hardy at best and absurdly
arrogant at worst.
What would society gain from understanding everything?
No matter what we are to discover about why we do what we do, it won't change
the overall outcome will it? We and know all there is to know about we
animals must eat and breathe or how DNA replicates; this does not change the
fact that animals must eat and breathe to live and DNA will continue to
replicate, whether or not we understand it. What does this all accomplish
in the long run? Many people would say it is to create a better quality
of life, so we can live longer, happier, healthier lives. Granted me may
live longer now than ever before, but are we truly happier and healthier?
People have developed new diseases in the past few decades than ever before;
these diseases are psychological...we get depressed, we have post traumatic
stress syndrome, we have nervous breakdowns when things are not as bright and
cheery as we feel they should be. We hear very little about things like
this in ancient history, people did what they had to do to survive. You
couldn't get depressed and not go to work for a few days, because you probably
farmed and hunted your own food...no work equals no eating, no eating equals
death. Another facet of our modern society is the fact that we actually will
eat to death! Science has shown what
foods are good for us and what foods are not, yet people will over eat
unhealthy foods until they are obese, and develop some kind of heart or other
varied circulatory condition. We have so
much faith in science, yet we tend to ignore it when it impedes on our
happiness. Now I am not innocent in all
of this I am slightly overweight and I am a smoker...apparently my happiness is
by committing a slow suicide every time I eat a cholesterol filled burger from
one of the varied fast food places, and light and inhale toxins and chemicals
of a cigarette...What scares me is the fact that I am just one in a billion who
do these things. Narcotics are illegal
due to their damaging effects on individuals and society, so why isn't Burger
King?
