From: mece1xg@menudo.uh.edu (purna)
Subject: Re: Science and Technology
Organization: Dept. of Applied Alchemy, Univ. of Houston
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 20:34:03 GMT

howdy!

first, i'd like to say hi to all you people that may or may not remember
me. our site FINALLY got alt.culture.us.asian-indian just this past week
(yea!).  obviously, i've been missing some pretty lively debates going
on (though that's a good/bad kind of thing).  anyway, on with the debates.... 

In article <1992Jul29.184020.17893@Firewall.Nielsen.Com> mgundeko@pcserver2.Naitc.Com (Murthy Gundekota) writes:
>In article <1992Jul28.222513.20974@athena.mit.edu> tyadav@athena.mit.edu (Tapesh Yadav) writes:
>> Well then, what is science?
>> What are we talking about here? :)
>
>Okay, I think you have been a bit zealous in keeping the discussion
>at pure science & technology level (same with another poster who
>wouldn't agree any comments diminuting science or technology, however,
>more reactive). There is a whole gamut of literature that covers this
>angle. From my understanding, no one denies that science has a
>positive effect on family values. However, everyone more or less
>agrees that technology gave new challenges for the continued existence of
>traditional family values that were thought to be immutable. So
>science & tech. will continue to shake up all the conventional wisdom
>about family values, much like everything other walk of life they have
>affected. In that sense, family values are nothing but a set of
>agreements about family units for the survival of the species. And
>science is not a villain but a way of life that guarantees our
>survival.  The question is: where do these seemingly two different
>fronts come together? Religion, of course.
>
>
>Murthy
>
>

how about discussing this on several levels.  first, from a "pure"
science & technical level, both science and technology do not
have any positive OR negative connations.  they are just things that
are there.  HOW the knowledge, technology, etc. is USED determines
their effects on society as a whole.  for example, the same knowledge
that can blow up the entire world (nuclear bomb) also reheats mom's
cooking in the microwave oven!

if we take the discussion one step further and look at the implications
of this knowledge that can occur, then we can discuss the impact upon
society/family values.  in your comments above, you mention that 
science and technology (s&t) "will continue to shake up all the conventional
wisdom about family values....".  i can agree in the sense that
it changes our perceptions of what our world is.  for example, the
world was considered to be the center of the universe (by most major
cultures) for a NUMBER of years.  only thru science, and the
further pursuit of "truths", do these perceptions change. we know
now that we are NOT the center of our solar system (though we may
still be the center of the universe :) ) because of "science". there are
a number of other ways to try and attain these "truths" including
religion, philosophy, etc.  each of these, in turn, will ALSO shake
up the conventional wisdom in our society.

just as an example, take the changes that
occurred due to the Buddha upon hinduism, or the Protestant Reformation
upon christianity!  these are certainly NOT s&t phenomena that changed
our family/society values. or, how about music?  music has ALWAYS affected
society and many types question those "traditional family values", like
rock-n-roll did during the 50's, 60's and 70's, or rap does in the 80's
and 90's (in the u.s.a.)!  there again, it's not science that's causing
the changes. 

what i guess i'm trying to point out is that each has its place, science,
technology, religion, history, etc. and each of these can change
many of our traditional values.  just as s&t change our values, so do
music, art, philosophy, religion, etc.  singling out s&t as carrying
the brunt of this battle is an error of omission.

one last thing.  as for religion being the blending of the 2 different
fronts that you put forth, well.....i won't agree. if you're using
"religion" to mean "philosophy" (you know, those "who am i? why am
i here? what good am i?" type questions), i'll go along with it.
but religion is just another means of trying to understand ourselves and
our surroundings, just like science.

of course, all of the above are my personal opinions only.  all
commentaries are welcome.

peace,
-purna
  
Newsgroups: alt.culture.us.asian-indian