Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
We do not know for sure that those things exist. But there is overwhelming evidence that something like them exist. The present and past behavior of the natural universe indicate that something with the approximate characteristics of the Higgs boson must exist, and that something with the approximate characteristics of dark matter must exist. If it is not those exact things that we have hypothesized, by looking for them we will come closer to finding the exact things that are responsible for the phenomena we observe.
In contrast, there is absolutely no evidence of any kind suggesting that an invisible, illogical supernatural universe exists, from which conscious, angry creatures capriciously unleash powerful forces to perturb the behavior of the natural universe. On the contrary, all of the evidence we have collected, since science as we know it arose, supports the premise that the natural universe is a closed system, whose behavior can be predicted by theories derived logically from empirical observation of its past and present behavior.
We have not solved all of the mysteries of the natural universe, but the ones we have solved never required throwing up our hands and saying, "Oh crap, there simply must be supernatural forces at work because there's no other way to explain these phenomena." The Higgs boson and dark matter may turn out to be incorrect hypotheses, but if they are falsified they will not send us running to a shaman, witch doctor or "priest" for the correct ones.
Because we never know what's going to help mankind. The Theory of Relativity gave us nuclear power plants. As much as we regret the parallel development of nuclear weapons (which have killed far fewer people than the current Holy War among the Christians, Jews and Muslims), nuclear power appears to be our only short-term hope for reducing greenhouse gases and slowing global warming. Our only long-term hope is a ring of gigantic solar energy collectors in high orbit, beaming energy down as microwaves to receiving stations. This too is the product of science.
You never know where science will take you until you get there. Cosmology may yet unveil something like wormholes that will allow us to found colonies on other planets, greatly reducing the probability that the Holy War among the deluded believers in "God" will destroy civilization.
Certainly. But religionists--especially the Children of Abraham--have a nasty habit of rising up in unison every two or three generations in a paroxysm of violence, killing everyone who disagrees with their particular concept of God. This doesn't make anybody happy.
Asked and answered. We never know the benefit of a discovery until it's been made. On the balance, the unexpected discoveries of science have been a boon to civilization. As a musician and a music lover I personally would not want to live in a world that did not have the 24/7 availability of professionally composed and performed music that we have today.
That's a rather cynical view of humanity--not to mention historically incorrect. We have been solving problems with technology since the first ancestral species of humans learned how to use rocks as tools. The twin technologies of farming and animal husbandry--the Agricultural Revolution--made life immensely more secure by creating the first food surplus this planet had ever seen, ensuring that there would never again be a famine. At least not until colonialism left the world with dysfunctional nations ruled by despots.
Would you like to explain your objection to the technology of metallurgy, the wheel, or writing?
Generally both. I suppose if you have children you have to edit what you say, but I don't have any.
I have told people what I would like to do but have not found the time or strength to do it. When possible I explain why I failed. Perhaps they will have better luck than I did.
