Today I received an email from the hivemind, saying, in part:
In
his first speech as President-elect last November, Barack Obama
reminded us of the promise of "a world connected by our own science and
imagination." He recently stated, "promoting science isn't just
about providing resources--it's about protecting free and open
inquiry... It's about listening to what our scientists have to say,
even when it's inconvenient--especially when it's inconvenient. Because
the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a
greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as
President of the United States." And today, in his inaugural address,
President Obama cemented his commitment to this ethos and culture by
vowing to "restore science to its rightful place."
What is being asked is this: help define the rightful place of science
in our world. The answer is this: Literature, Science, and the
Arts. The three noble human endeavors. Each necessary; none
sufficient; each overlapping; none mutually exclusive.
Science is one leg of the three-legged table that elevates all mental sustenance out of the mud.
Science is what has kept Malthusian Armageddon from overtaking us all,
at least so far. In the epic conflict between exponential growth
and limited resources, science is what has kept us one step ahead of
starvation.
Science is a source of power, in at least two ways. The most
obvious is that it enables us to manipulate our environment. Less
obvious is the fact that the scientific tradition hardens the prepared
minds. This makes it harder for our political environment to
manipulate us.
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