Comments on: How Science Sparked Democracy http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/ Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:59:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steven J. Wamback http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-7125 Steven J. Wamback Sat, 15 May 2010 19:56:28 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-7125 Chile Con Carne y Democracy Con Science... I like it ! Chile Con Carne y Democracy Con Science… I like it !

]]> By: Steven J. Wamback http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-7109 Steven J. Wamback Wed, 12 May 2010 16:23:31 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-7109 Fascinating! Science, Democratism, and Democracy have always gone together. Open-mindedness and liberalism always lead to new discoveries, freedom, and ultimately to the common good. Look at Socrates and the ancient Greeks. Conversely GOP-style fascism, closed mindedness, and reactionary philosophy are at odds with the liberal democratic thinking and methods of Science. Look how the right wing rejects the Science of Darwin, the process of Evolution, the realities of Global Warming, and the religious beliefs of others. One path leads to peace, freedom, justice, and the welfare of the common person. The opposing path leads to stasis, criticism, closed mindedness, war, ignorance, loss of civil rights, and in its worst case, concentration camps. Like the democratic will of the majority of the people, Science looks for Truth to set us free. The opposite philosophy holds us back, keeps us in the dark, restricts freedom, inflicts rigidity, and cares more about wealth of the few, than the good for all. Science seeks continuously for the Truth and makes adjustments when necessary as new and better data arrive. The other side rejects Science and sticks rigidly to an unbending world view that does not change no matter how much fresh, new, and better evidence come in. Steven J. Wamback SJWamback@aol.com Fascinating! Science, Democratism, and Democracy have always gone together. Open-mindedness and liberalism always lead to new discoveries, freedom, and ultimately to the common good. Look at Socrates and the ancient Greeks. Conversely GOP-style fascism, closed mindedness, and reactionary philosophy are at odds with the liberal democratic thinking and methods of Science. Look how the right wing rejects the Science of Darwin, the process of Evolution, the realities of Global Warming, and the religious beliefs of others. One path leads to peace, freedom, justice, and the welfare of the common person. The opposing path leads to stasis, criticism, closed mindedness, war, ignorance, loss of civil rights, and in its worst case, concentration camps. Like the democratic will of the majority of the people, Science looks for Truth to set us free. The opposite philosophy holds us back, keeps us in the dark, restricts freedom, inflicts rigidity, and cares more about wealth of the few, than the good for all. Science seeks continuously for the Truth and makes adjustments when necessary as new and better data arrive. The other side rejects Science and sticks rigidly to an unbending world view that does not change no matter how much fresh, new, and better evidence come in. Steven J. Wamback SJWamback@aol.com

]]> By: Michael F. Sarabia http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-6996 Michael F. Sarabia Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:24:22 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-6996 I think there is, by reveerse engineering, a flaw in this. I, more than anybody, hope I am wrong. ---- If Experimentation leads to better science and better government, i.e., Democracy, THEN The nation with the best science, practical or otherwise, may, probably, have an edge to a better democracy. Right? Which nation has the better scientific products? Who build the computer you are using right now? Yes, I know, I skipped intermediate Terms in a chain of syllogisms. I think there is, by reveerse engineering, a flaw in this. I, more than anybody, hope I am wrong.
—-
If Experimentation leads to better science and
better government, i.e., Democracy,
THEN
The nation with the best science, practical or otherwise,
may, probably, have an edge to a better democracy. Right?

Which nation has the better scientific products? Who build the computer you are using right now?
Yes, I know, I skipped intermediate Terms in a chain of syllogisms.

]]> By: Linda Ann Prasil http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-6985 Linda Ann Prasil Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:45:30 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-6985 Con does not mean against. It's the Latin root word for "with." So America should use its conscious WITH SCIENCE. Con does not mean against. It’s the Latin root word for “with.” So America should use its conscious WITH SCIENCE.

]]> By: Monica Metzler http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-6984 Monica Metzler Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:37:22 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-6984 Sounds like a great book. Dennis - one point - "conscience" is not con-science as in "anti-science." The origin of the word conscience is from the Latin 'conscientia' or knowledge within, or with knowledge or shared knowledge. CONSCIENCE is completely compatible with SCIENCE. Sounds like a great book.

Dennis – one point – “conscience” is not con-science as in “anti-science.” The origin of the word conscience is from the Latin ‘conscientia’ or knowledge within, or with knowledge or shared knowledge. CONSCIENCE is completely compatible with SCIENCE.

]]> By: Dennis L. Oberholtzer http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-6983 Dennis L. Oberholtzer Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:53:45 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-6983 Excellent review, and it looks like a great new book and thought. Just one comment. While science is a great innovator, the U.S.A. has come to a point beyond reality. Example: When I asked an intellectual, If the Arabs would want to build a 500 plane international terminal in our country, would you let them? He said as long as they abide by the laws, I guess it is OK. I wrote down the word CONSCIENCE and asked what it said. He answered conscience, con science, against science. And he got this huge expression of shock on his face. I said, America is losing its conscience for the sake of science. Excellent review, and it looks like a great new book and thought. Just one comment. While science is a great innovator, the U.S.A. has come to a point beyond reality. Example: When I asked an intellectual, If the Arabs would want to build a 500 plane international terminal in our country, would you let them? He said as long as they abide by the laws, I guess it is OK.
I wrote down the word CONSCIENCE and asked what it said. He answered conscience, con science, against science. And he got this huge expression of shock on his face. I said, America is losing its conscience for the sake of science.

]]> By: Jan Voght http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-6966 Jan Voght Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:40:41 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-6966 Followed this on Book TV this week-end. Makes alot of sense. Good information Followed this on Book TV this week-end. Makes alot of sense. Good information

]]> By: Jamie Vernon http://scienceprogress.org/2010/03/how-science-sparked-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-6964 Jamie Vernon Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:41:18 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=5477#comment-6964 While it can not be proven that the socialist and communist governments prior to WWII were more effective at developing science and technology, I think the example of China's rapid development of the green energy industry demonstrates the advantages of a top down approach to science. The Chinese government has shown itself to be more capable of maneuvering in the face of opportunity than the US govt. While our politicians bicker over issues raised by skeptics, China is pouring billions of dollars into renewable energy research. How can our democracy compete with that? While it can not be proven that the socialist and communist governments prior to WWII were more effective at developing science and technology, I think the example of China’s rapid development of the green energy industry demonstrates the advantages of a top down approach to science. The Chinese government has shown itself to be more capable of maneuvering in the face of opportunity than the US govt. While our politicians bicker over issues raised by skeptics, China is pouring billions of dollars into renewable energy research. How can our democracy compete with that?

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