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The advancement of science is one of mankind’s greatest triumphs. And who could be against it? Deploying the raw power of rational analysis, science exponentially increases our understanding of the natural world and leads to wonderous applications to improve the human condition.
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No. Dangerously wrong. Science is an unnecessary afterthought.
The advancement of TECHNOLOGY is the triumph. NO problem was ever solved by “the raw power of rational analysis”. Problems are solved by farmers, stonemasons, glassblowers, blacksmiths, potters, cooks, painters, mothers, fathers, kids….
Solutions depend on a very slow buildup of trial and error, with cultural memory and communication maintaining the buildup and discarding the errors at each stage. Without the cultural memory and communication, too many solutions are simply lost. Solutions require STABILITY. Without STABILITY you can’t keep track of known solutions and can’t measure a known baseline to determine your progress. Without CONSTANTS there is no experiment.
Solutions happen when the proper combination of materials and methods is available to implement a long-standing need or dream.
Scientific analysis comes in AFTER the problem has been solved, and develops an abstract way of describing the problem. The abstract description may occasionally provide an alternate viewing angle for the next generation of solvers, so it’s marginally valuable. But the next generation would end up solving the same problems when the materials and methods were ready for the solution.
MATERIALS are the key to progress. Rationality is the key to tyranny.
Polistra's Mill 