Intro To Richard Feynman

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[jlange73]

brilliant man

[ReductioAdAbsurdum]

"I LOVE science. But it's going to kill us all."

*facepalm*

Science = method for acquiring reliable knowledge. Period.

Apparently you feel having reliable, accurate knowledge about the Universe is dangerous, and would have us... what? Sacrificing virgins to the sun god? You think knowledge will kill us, but ignorance won't?

Ultimately, all life on this planet is doomed. Our species' ONLY hope of outliving this planet is through science.

[scuzzulus]

feynman ftw

[chuckinator0]

@ReductioAdAbsurdum Feynman is one of my heroes. It's also convenient that God always seems to want exactly what would benefit the elite and keep the masses under thumb.

[ReductioAdAbsurdum]

"It all depends on whether ignorance really is bliss"

Look at Middle East theocracies. Science recognizes human fallibility, seeking to avoid cognitive errors that lead to erroneous knowledge, and requires mature acceptance of *not knowing* (see: Feynman on uncertainty).

Those who reject this discipline happily fill in blanks with pure bullshit of which they are absolutely certain, so they'll stone a woman to death for showing her face, because they "know" an invisible sky man requires it. :/

[chuckinator0]

@ReductioAdAbsurdum We are in complete agreement. I was mistaken for not making the distinction between science itself and the knowledge gained thereof. Yes, it is the knowledge that can be dangerous, not science. Thanks for correcting me. As for the old question "would you rather live in ignorant bliss?" , I would rather not, being a curious animal as yourself, but I think some might. It all depends on whether that ignorance really is bliss (being a sacrifice=not bliss).

[ReductioAdAbsurdum]

"You seemed to imply that science can't be dangerous"

I did. Science is simply a method for acquiring reliable knowledge. It is not the tool which is dangerous, it is the *knowledge* so acquired. I wanted to clarify that distinction: when someone disparages science, what they are really disparaging is knowledge.

And that's fair. Knowledge *can* be dangerous. But do we choose ignorance instead? That's a hard pill for a curious animal to swallow, despite the fact that it may end up killing us.

[chuckinator0]

@ReductioAdAbsurdum I wasn't trying to reply to you in particular, just the subject. You seemed to imply that science can't be dangerous, and I wanted to make it clear that a powerful tool like science is, in fact, dangerous if we don't have the collective wisdom to use it in beneficial ways. Science is not enough. We need wisdom. There's a famous quote somewhere to that effect.

[ReductioAdAbsurdum]

"Science is a tool."

That's why I just said. Why are you replying to me?

[chuckinator0]

Science is a tool. We use it to cure disease, and go to the moon, but we also use it to make weapons of ever increasing efficiency and terror. Science itself helps us gain knowledge, but what we do with that knowledge is up to us. As Michio Kaku says, we are at a crossroads. We have to ability to lift our civilization to heights never before imagined--or, fall harder than any civilization has ever done before.

[sidewaysfcs0718]

tehnically in order to see an atom it needs to radiate photons ...

so u will never see an atom when its moving like a wave , u can only see it when it reflects the photons u hit it with.

[S2Cents]

@ReductioAdAbsurdum

Lol. (not really) I was being pessimistic that day. Of course I was referring to the means or methods of what is called science possibly having unforeseen consequences as well as the technologies developed with it's crucial assistance.

I agree people will have to leave the planet eventually. I doubt they will and good luck making it somewhere. Hope they develop a "warp drive" in time.