Reflections on science

[CrystalMagic]

I've been thinking. I decided to write one really serious topic. Those who have read my previous topics know that sometimes I have written humorous topics. Now you will understand why I did it. I see a lot of people here who understand the sciences or are interested in them. Sorry English is not the language of my country, I don't know it well and I have a little dyslexia. If you don't understand me, just ask me again what I wrote. If you don't understand something, then write what you don't understand, I will try to answer if I have time. I have one question for you. Why are you doing this? I'll explain in more detail. Have you ever thought that science is not developing? One might think that all science is only in words? Where are the real changes? Previously, I always believed in the rapid development of science, but many years have passed. As a child, when I was at school, teachers said that they were jealous of us, we would be the first people to visit other planets. I am almost 30 years old now. I think they were joking or were they just stupid? People have been to the Moon just once and that's it. But I'm not interested in space. I think it's probably not right to spend money on space at all right now. I wanted to cure oncological diseases. I've been studying this for many years. Everywhere they said that we are approaching the moment of cancer treatment. But all this was only in words, in reality this does not happen. I studied the ideas of vector adeno associated virus, CRISPR Cas9, Elizabeth Parrish, Shinya Yamanaka, Timothy Ray Brown and many others. These ideas have been known for a long time. They say every year that it wakes up openly soon and nothing changes.  They say they invented something, but why is it not used. What is the point of inventing something if it is not used? How much longer do I have to wait? Many people who were ill or just elderly scientists died without waiting for answers. But some areas of science are developing. The science of rapid resource extraction. Nobody cares about ecology completely. The science of creating weapons. Here are the most profitable sciences. But it doesn't help humanity much. I don't know what we can do? I do not know what to do. I think it may just freeze at the end of life and perhaps with some probability get into the bright future.

[exchemist]

2 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

I've been thinking. I decided to write one really serious topic. Those who have read my previous topics know that sometimes I have written humorous topics. Now you will understand why I did it. I see a lot of people here who understand the sciences or are interested in them. Sorry English is not the language of my country, I don't know it well and I have a little dyslexia. If you don't understand me, just ask me again what I wrote. If you don't understand something, then write what you don't understand, I will try to answer if I have time. I have one question for you. Why are you doing this? I'll explain in more detail. Have you ever thought that science is not developing? One might think that all science is only in words? Where are the real changes? Previously, I always believed in the rapid development of science, but many years have passed. As a child, when I was at school, teachers said that they were jealous of us, we would be the first people to visit other planets. I am almost 30 years old now. I think they were joking or were they just stupid? People have been to the Moon just once and that's it. But I'm not interested in space. I think it's probably not right to spend money on space at all right now. I wanted to cure oncological diseases. I've been studying this for many years. Everywhere they said that we are approaching the moment of cancer treatment. But all this was only in words, in reality this does not happen. I studied the ideas of vector adeno associated virus, CRISPR Cas9, Elizabeth Parrish, Shinya Yamanaka, Timothy Ray Brown and many others. These ideas have been known for a long time. They say every year that it wakes up openly soon and nothing changes.  They say they invented something, but why is it not used. What is the point of inventing something if it is not used? How much longer do I have to wait? Many people who were ill or just elderly scientists died without waiting for answers. But some areas of science are developing. The science of rapid resource extraction. Nobody cares about ecology completely. The science of creating weapons. Here are the most profitable sciences. But it doesn't help humanity much. I don't know what we can do? I do not know what to do. I think it may just freeze at the end of life and perhaps with some probability get into the bright future.

Why learn science? The short answer is curiosity: curiosity about why phenomena in nature occur the way they do. 

The second part of your post seems to concern something rather different: technology. Technology is the application of science to the human world. But many people who study science don't do it because of a wish to apply it via technology. It is curiosity about nature that drives them.

 

[Genady]

5 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

Why are you doing this?

For sport. Science is the best sport I know. It's a team sport. Humans vs. Nature. Learning science is like watching your favorite game, and doing science is like taking part in it.

 

5 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

science is not developing?

Of course, it does. It keeps discovering new 'tricks' of the Nature and keeps coming up with its own 'tricks.' It gets more and more interesting. Nonstop and not slowing down.

 

5 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

I do not know what to do.

If it is not your favorite sport, look for another.

 

5 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

But it doesn't help humanity much.

This is not true.

[Phi for All]

12 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

How much longer do I have to wait?

Maybe this is the real problem. Stop waiting and start studying. Knowledge doesn't drift past you while you're standing still. Get a shovel and dig, put your boots on and climb, and you'll find the progress you can't see when you yourself aren't progressing.

[CrystalMagic]

16 hours ago, exchemist said:

Why learn science? The short answer is curiosity: curiosity about why phenomena in nature occur the way they do. 

You say science is just something to like? Entertainment? A game? Sport? I disagree. Science can change the world. This is different from a simple activity. And we all understand this. Science can save the world or destroy it, no matter how arrogant it may sound.

13 hours ago, Genady said:

For sport. Science is the best sport I know. It's a team sport. Humans vs. Nature. Learning science is like watching your favorite game, and doing science is like taking part in it.

I'm sorry, is this a translation error? Did you say use science to fight nature? What does it mean?

6 hours ago, Phi for All said:

Maybe this is the real problem. Stop waiting and start studying. Knowledge doesn't drift past you while you're standing still. Get a shovel and dig, put your boots on and climb, and you'll find the progress you can't see when you yourself aren't progressing.

I was unable to translate your text. Perhaps it was a proverb or a quote? Perhaps you wanted to say that you should not whine? I think you are right. But what exactly do you recommend? I spoke about myself. What are you doing? This is not a matter for dispute. I'm really interested in people's opinions on this. Personally, so far I see only one idea at this forum of creating joint scientific computer programs. But nothing concrete yet. Maybe I'm not the only one doing this on this forum?
I want to tell you that my thoughts are similar to the thoughts of a famous person who speaks English, you may have heard of him. His name is Jacque Fresco.
I remember Jacque Fresco said about space exploration by Stephen Hawking. That space exploration is good but what's the use if humanity can destroy itself. It looks like my thoughts.
Science has created atomic weapons. And now the greatest forces of science and money are aimed at creating effective protection against these weapons. Although we could develop medicine, save the planet, start building cities on other planets. If any of the countries with developed science creates an effective defense against atomic weapons, then an atomic apocalypse will begin. Then you can forget about all scientific dreams. But there is also a possibility that this will not happen. They say we are now standing at the point of change? Have you heard of such theories? Besides, I don't understand what an ordinary person can do with this?

[Genady]

2 minutes ago, CrystalMagic said:

I'm sorry, is this a translation error? Did you say use science to fight nature? What does it mean?

Evidently it is a translation error. I did not say this. And I don't know what it means.

[CrystalMagic]

9 hours ago, Phi for All said:

Maybe this is the real problem. Stop waiting and start studying. Knowledge doesn't drift past you while you're standing still. Get a shovel and dig, put your boots on and climb, and you'll find the progress you can't see when you yourself aren't progressing.

Actually, I thought about it, maybe and the truth is that people have become lazy. I recently read the book Ring Kumin Vyacheslav. The book makes you think about it. If you take it as a willingness to give your life for science. Then it is no longer a game, entertainment or sport. There is a theory that the greatest achievements of science were in difficult times. Do you think this is true? If so, then despite the effectiveness, I do not agree. What should ordinary people do if they like science? It seems that such people are misunderstood. Lifelong learning while others are doing business. Society does not understand this. Big money is in trade. Many do not understand that all the money came from science. Society has created a wrong economic system. Scientists are changing the world. Scientists should be the richest. I didn't study science for money. Do not criticize me with this topic. But I'm not a robot either. I have my desires, goals and plans. Like everyone else I think.

2 hours ago, Genady said:

Evidently it is a translation error. I did not say this. And I don't know what it means.

Yes, it's probably because you wrote a quote or a saying? You wanted to say that the development of science is similar to the evolution in nature? I once saw a video where artificial intelligence made a quadrocopter similar in shape to a flying squirrel. Have you heard about this?
 

 

[exchemist]

6 hours ago, CrystalMagic said:

You say science is just something to like? Entertainment? A game? Sport? I disagree. Science can change the world. This is different from a simple activity. And we all understand this. Science can save the world or destroy it, no matter how arrogant it may sound.

 

"Game", "sport" and "entertainment" are your choice of negative words, not mine. All academic study is driven by the wish to learn more, the desire to acquire knowledge. Curiosity is one if the most fundamental signs of intelligence in the human race.

It is largely a myth (though one beloved of ignorant politicians) that scientists are - or should be -  motivated by the potential technological applications of their work. Most of what they do has no obvious application at all, at the time. It is only later when the structure of knowledge, to which they each have contributed a few bricks, may be able to find application through technology. Sometimes this happens quickly, sometimes it takes decades or never happens. Nobody can tell at the time they are doing their work.