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Return to E-mail Discussion page Next in threadI came across a listing from a 1969 book (The Prometheus Project, by Gerald Feinberg) of 5 principles from science which the author thought were important for choosing social goals. I thought we might use these to go back to my question from a couple of months ago, about what key insights from science are really important for people to know about: "1. All forms of matter are made of a few basic consituents, and the same general laws of physics describe all natural phenomena from atoms to stars, including (people)." "2. The characteristic activities of living things are the result of the same kind of physical and chemical processes as are found in nonliving things. This very probably includes human mental activities." "3. There is no indication of any plan in the development of natural phenomena. The present complexity of living things has evolved from a much simpler condition through the random process of natural selection via the survival of the well-adapted organisms." "4. The universe is immense in size and extremely old by the measures of human spaces and times. Hence it is unlikely that the universe is made for (humans), or that (we have) been chosen to be its central theme." "5. Many of the forms of human behavior are not inborn but rather are learned. Specific behavior patterns can be changed by psuchological, chemical, and physical methods. Human nature is therefore not something unalterable but can be changed." Some of these overlap with what I suggested before, though I'm not sure I agree with all 5 points on Greenstein's list. What additions or disagreements do people have? Todd > (Nov. 20, 1999) > I've been thinking recently about the following question: For someone who > knows little about science, but is interested in looking for "meaning" > (where do I fit into the overall scheme of the universe, what makes my life > significant, etc.), what would we list as the important insights from > science so far, which this person needs to know as part of an effective > search for meaning? > > The spirit of where I'm trying to head with this is captured in a statement > by Gerald Feinberg: "What is required...is not a detailed understanding of > the content of each science, but rather a kind of synthesis of many > different strands from many sciences.... When this synthesis is achieved, it > could well bring the excitement of scientific discovery to many who have > remained unmoved by the detailed accomplishments of the individual science." > > The list below is just what came to mind off the top of my head, to get the > discussion started. Please suggest additions, deletions, or modifications, > and help compensate for my physics/astronomy bias! :-) > > Physics: > - predictability - the fact that we have consistent, repeatable laws about > how things will work when we observe them > - universality of laws - the same rules seem to apply to the whole universe > (they don't work just on earth, for example, as they might have) > - special relativity (its implications for how we understand what space and > time really are) > - foundations of quantum mechanics (Bell's inequality, EPR paradox, quantum > measurement, etc.: all questions that have something to say about our basic > knowledge of the world) > - things are made of fundamental, identical building blocks (one electron is > exactly like another, etc.) > - ideas about the arrow of time > - conservation of energy as it relates to constraints we feel in everyday > life (e.g. needing to eat) > > Biology: > - genetic basis of life (and links between living/nonliving matter) > - basic ideas of evolution, evidence for it, timescales involved, etc. > > Astronomy: > - basic ideas of and evidence for the expansion of the universe, big bang, > etc. > - time and distance scales - the universe is much bigger than we can easily > comprehend, so it's useful to have a sense of perspective > - origins of elements that now make up different materials on earth > > Chemistry: > - chemical basis for mental processes, etc. > - pattern formation, auto-catalytic reactions > > Geology: > - determination of the age of the earth > > I know I've left out many important things...but this is a start. |
