How Science Humbles Us (2/2)

While humility is normally thought of as being the domain of religion, the humility that comes from science, I argue, is far more profound.


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It has taken centuries for science to wear away our arrogant assumptions of centrality. Science unwittingly achieved this by discovering that we are not at the center of the universe.
Science has also woven precariousness and uncertainty into the fabric of our existence by showing that extinction is probable for we are not particularly unique anatomically or genetically, but instead, are kin to every living thing that we know exists and ever existed. In many ways, this latter discovery has been the most difficult for us to come to terms with; it certainly has been for many non-scientists and religious institutions.

For those of us with courage and calloused curiosity, science has endowed us with the greatest humility of all.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• evolution
• science
• religion
• darwin
• big
• bang
• extinction
• species
• humility
• humble
• inreasonwetrust

[nsane87]

I wish I could get that last part in text, I would so quote it!

[InReasonWeTrust]

It has taken centuries for science to wear away our arrogant assumptions of centrality. Science unwittingly achieved this by discovering that we are not at the center of the universe. Science has also woven precariousness and uncertainty into the fabric of our existence by showing that extinction is probable for we are not particularly unique anatomically or genetically, but instead, are kin to every living thing that we know exists and ever existed.

[InReasonWeTrust]

In many ways, this latter discovery has been the most difficult for us to come to terms with; it certainly has been for many non-scientists and religious institutions. For those of us with courage and calloused curiosity, science has endowed us with the greatest humility of all.

[kurtilein3]

you could have included some cosmology, just the size of the universe alone is humbling. the pictures of distant galaxies are so humbling that religions have problems because their god-characters now just seem to be too small. those images of galaxy clusters or of the deep field, if understood, are truly humbling ;)

[InReasonWeTrust]

quite humbling; beyond our power of imagination

[tenneral]

These are marvellous videos, full of profound lessons which I will watch many times again. Congratulations on making and posting them.

[Kattarina98]

Hi Steve, wonderful video! I do hope you are a teacher.

[themanofearth]

BRAVO!

[CHAS1422]

Why couldn't my philosophy professor have been as eloquent? They need a new catagory: You Tube philosopher and educator.

[nsane87]

OH! Thank you! You're the man!!

[soulinite]

truely brilliant video, your knowledge is amazing thank you for sharing it.

[soulinite]

great job