Sunday, March 4, 2012

thought for the day/ scientific humanism ethics

I recall bringing up some Jacob Bronowski ethics when trying to explain and point out that despite the early Hebrew innovation of a single god and refusal to accept other cultures beliefs( Judges 1:19 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron." this is one thing that didn't make it in my gosple of truth; really one can throw the whole bible and those who don't think critically about it; here we see that the early Judahites were trying to cleanse the other cultures around them; they were saying they are the chosen ones and everybody else are evil and someday god will wipe them out; the innovation of the single god goes hand in hand with this refusal to accept other people gods!  The flood story is saying god must wipe out all the non-chosen evil cultures surrounding them!  they were the original intolerants!), the word 'all' is dangerous.  Not all Judahites were these extemists(as the bible shows; they constantly mention some of their fellows willing to do others religions; hence, not all Jews were intolerant extremists).  There's more to say about the qualifications that need to be said when pointing out how supernatural religion is anti-science(since humanity is defined by its dependence on scientific knowledge; every human being is born with natural curiosity) and the fact that well, when you reach back to learn about this, you end up talking about the Hebrews; but, I've reviewed enough and wants to get on with some more stuff.

I don't recall pointing out Jacob Bronowski's findings about ethics and spirituality of mathematics and science.  He points out that humanity is defined by our dependence on science and technology(whether mathematically understood!  I've recently, finally, put up notes on Stephen Wolfram's recent speach which I posted a few months ago).  And, I think the fact that most people start pointing out that mathematics doesn't solve the universe all in one go shows that there must be a mental/emotional problem with those who go off on a anti-science spirituality tangeant; hence, one reason for this blog!

Jacob Bronowski further finds that to do science and mathematics, one must have courage to take on new ideas, skepticism to question those new ideas, and honesty to admit when the facts fit the logic(theory).  These are probably the two biggies.  Maybe there's a third when he points out perhaps more in his "origins of knowledge and imagination" than his "Science and Human Values." is that mathematical science cannot have a final answer.

Today, there's a transhumanist movement of uploading oneself into nanocomputers.  I don't share this view.  I agree that humanity can and almost certainly will become more technologized, but I don't think we'll just upload ourselves in a nanocomputer, and that's it.  I think our dynamisism is a big part of our consciousness(feedback, talking to oneself must be a big part of consciousness; but, of course, if it only happens once, then, the consciousness only happens once; to be continually consciouse, this feedback process most be happening continuously or dynamically)  I feel like I'm gettin ahead of myself already.(coming back, seems to me that some choose to excercise and some don't and choose to go party; i've chosen to excercise both the mind and body; and I think that humanity has to chose whether to be an intellectual and excercise rational viewpoints, or go and party at the church; i for one am shocked that the transhumanist movement has chosen not to excercise rationality and get away from those who will mary you to irrationality)  I mean to point out that fact that mathematics is always a finite approximation suggests something ethically.  Well, maybe that fact means something spiritually; this human adventure of finding the rythm and harmony of the ideas of that we can find of the universe is a spiritual thing; it is the greatest human adventure; and the fact of the organisatio of humanity both secular and religiously does not take this into account shows that we are in the wrong right now(i'm of the opinion that nano-manufacturing can make for a better organisation that allows the human mind to be freed)  The rythm and harmony of thought, that is indeed what mathemaitcs is; and it is infinit adventure and shown by Kurt Godel's incompleteness theorems(Jacob Bronowski's "origin of knowledge and imagination" is distinguished by his other books by his relating various philosophica issues of mathematics and science to Godel's theorems). 

I further point out that those who choose not to solve things rationality(that is what Jacob Bronowski's scientific humanism is; a rationalist philosophy; and the most general rational philosophy), do so by means of violence, and vagueness games such as supernatural religions and they're "respect my religion".  They'll play all kinds of vague games like believe and you will believe, and 'because we don't know, therefore, god exists." They refuse to ask questions or look through the telescope.  You'll never see Jesus Christ saying "question me".  In fact, the first chapter of Mark has it to follow authority; you know who made up the Gospels, the Romans and/or herodians. 

I'm still not sure I've written this thouroughy or well enough; but, i think this post is a bit of a culmination point for this blog; it comes full circle.  The modern day transhumanist movement is off on a Platonic(require that all mathematics be geometrical and straightedge and compass requirements, and be socially bound up with irrationalists religion) path.  Looks like we're in for Logan's run(also see Arthur C Clarke's "Against the Fall of Night") world.  The only thing they'll forget is the same thing guys like Tertullian forgot(who said what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem); we're the science technologically dependent species.  Go ahead, lock us up!  Maybe that'll be a good thing!  I have a feeling it will.  The irrationalists will forget the outside world like they do now.  Someday, there'll be an Alvin(the main character of Arthur C. Clarke's "Against the Fall of Night.") again, and a Jacob Bronowski, and a . . . I'm not telling you! 

1 comment:

  1. A note on Scientific Humanism ethics. Today's world is paranoid about rascism. Yet, most people would never think of what scientific humanism says about rascism. In mathematics and science, one must idealise - chose what's relevant and what's not. Rascisms come from those who do not weigh out what is relevant and what is not. Is color relevant to a persons intelligence?

    I'm amazed at the intellectual leadership of today who doesn't want to think about the fact that humanity is the technological dependent species and what science and mathematics can say(as found by Jacob Bronowski) about the real spirituality of mankind. Instead they want to be Platonic irrationalitst apologists!