Science-Politics-Religion the hot triangle of topics

[Martin]

I'd like to know what you think and how you see this.

what I see is people getting excited around a nexus of issues where two or more of these overlap and interact.

 

there is a kind of energizing triangle of topics and issues.

 

the big issues in Science that people are most eager to address seem also issues the major religions have something to say about

what is space and time made of

how did life happen

is there life on other planets and is there another technological culture somewhere

and what's the history and future of the universe

 

when people ask scientific questions (e.g. on a message board like here) it often seems to be because they are trying to construct a world-view. and the worldview business spills over into religion and from there into political life.

 

and then there are MORAL issues---often rooted in religion---which impact scientific research and the availability of medicines and put bounds on the use of technologies

and ETHICAL issues having to do with resources and the impact on climate and the extinction of species which have both a Scientific side and a Political side. some of the premises need scientific verification, some of the conclusions are in both the ethical and political arena.

 

So I see Science very entangled with Ethics and Religion and Politics.

 

Maybe it is only too obvious there is close connection these days between Religion and Politics.

Even to the extent of war along religion-lines!

Religious conviction seems to affect people's ethics of what it is legitimate to do to other people.

 

so what I'm asking is does it string you that there is

MORE THAN USUAL AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ALONG ALL THREE SIDES OF THE TRIANGLE?

 

I have the impression that often when people are asking a science question in physics subforum that either they are groping for some kind of worldview or they suspect that scientists are. Questions about these things, in all three areas MOTIVATE each other, or ENERGIZE each other...

I think the word is "synergy"

 

Is this just my personal impression, or do other people see it too.

 

Like, I'm not a Green (I think) but for some people Ecology is their science and their politics AND you might even say their religion.

 

maybe we live in a time of synthesizing new ideals, like new chemical compounds. or maybe not. could just be my mistaken perception

[Bettina]

Martin.... I'm going to try to talk a little like you but I'm also listening to some music so I hope you understand.

 

So I see Science very entangled with Ethics and Religion and Politics.

 

Yes it is. An example is a scientist who works six days a week in a lab with his physics books, but on Sunday mornings you will find him in his church holding a very different book. A book he can separate from the others and treat as reverent as his physics books. He can do this because he keeps his religion personal. To him, his science and religion are like oil and water in a jar with each one clearly separate, co-existing, and happy like their meant to be.

 

The other examples are Kansas, intellegent design, twisted thinking, and creationism stickers placed on science books to name a few. Oil and water again only this time homogenized, blurry, and clearly unhappy.

 

I believe the first example is the way its supposed to be and I see that in my church... but its the second example that is prevalent in the world today and unfortunately continues to make challenges to science, life, and school children everywhere. Since that oil and water is seen as one by many, and isn't going to separate anytime soon, we must keep them in the same forum so we can continue to discuss them as one.

 

Bettina

[Martin]

and isn't going to separate anytime soon' date=' we must keep them in the same forum so we can continue to discuss them as one.

 

Bettina[/quote']

 

yes, emotionally based life form that you claim to be, I suspect that you are RIGHT in the following sense-----people need to be able to openly discuss things at the same table if they are going to learn to SEPARATE THEM FOR THEMSELVES.

 

when there is no reliable recipe handed down by an authority that you trust, no set of distinctions and definitions that convincingly sorts things out, then you have to learn how to sort it out for yourself

 

and that requires freedom to mix it however seems right

 

Actually YOU have learned how to do this rather well IMO. I dont agree with several of your views but I appreciate the clarity. So you learned something somewhere, maybe partly here at SFN, by talking to people and speaking your mind. Or you got it from family members, church, school or something.

[Bettina]

yes' date=' emotionally based life form that you claim to be, I suspect that you are RIGHT in the following sense-----people need to be able to openly discuss things at the same table if they are going to learn to SEPARATE THEM FOR THEMSELVES.

 

when there is no reliable recipe handed down by an authority that you trust, no set of distinctions and definitions that convincingly sorts things out, then you have to [b']learn how to sort it out for yourself[/b]

 

and that requires freedom to mix it however seems right

 

Actually YOU have learned how to do this rather well IMO. I dont agree with several of your views but I appreciate the clarity. So you learned something somewhere, maybe partly here at SFN, by talking to people and speaking your mind. Or you got it from family members, church, school or something.

 

I have no family but dad (I live with him) and he has no clue as to what I say here so he probably thinks I'm as quiet here as I am in real life.

 

So, I must be getting it here.

 

Bee

[GutZ]

The way I see it, each one of those subjects influence the way we live. I think it's alittle easier to have connections between them all to make "a path that a person can walk". Science tells how things are, Politics tells us how we should live, religion tells how things are, and how we should live.

 

It would seem that having a seperate view on all those things would be difficult since many times they can contradict each other. If you mix them so that they all led to one view it makes it easier.

 

I don't think either, people like to live with condradictions. If all those subjects are running in all opposite directions...it's confusing.

[Rebiu]

I think it is time a made a few Science posts.

[Edtharan]

I have always seen the triangle as Science, Politics and Philosophy. For some, religion forms part of their philosophy.

 

I think that all 3 are nessesary as they cover most of what it means to be human. We are social creatures and so we need politics, we are also tool using and so science has its place. Finally philosophy allows us to examine what the others mean and what it means to be human. Ethics, morqals and such are also included. The three provide synergy between them and debate involving all should be encouraged.