I think you've entirely missed what science and mathematics *are*. Deep inquiry into any subject has to involve "the divine" as you call it here. Go watch some Richard Feynmann videos if you think scientists such as Alan Kay don't subscribe to deeply held beliefs of the mysterious.
You can see it in him (Alan) when he talks. He understands "the divine" as Feynmann did - deeply. Mathematics and the sciences are possibly our deepest inquiries into things. By definition that means not everyone will be interested. Alan has that driving burning question about mankind... he hasn't yet realised that there are reasons not everyone can be educated. So be it. That's his lot. I don't feel you've properly understood him *or* science and math. It's not science or math's fault that the human condition is at such a low level of awareness, though. Don't blame them or Alan for our commercialistic or warlike states. These are all of our "crosses to bear". Julian On 30/12/2012, at 10:10 AM, John Pratt <[email protected]> wrote: > > > What sickness science brings to everyday people! They cannot even believe in > mysterious things, such as the divine, without first thinking it has to show > up on a laboratory microscope. > > The petri dish has to exist before the thing will be acknowledged as fitting > inside a petri dish. > > "We don't have a petri dish for that. It cannot exist. I cannot study it > inside of its petri dish." > > "Tell me where its petri dish is first, then I will believe you and we will > go study it." > > Mystical things of the past are regarded as superstition, described in terms > of theoretical, mechanical concepts. Automobiles, air planes, and light rail > trains are the indicators of supreme accomplishments given to man by this > modern science. > > Computers, electronics are never questioned for what they are underneath-- a > huge mess of chemical circuits. Contemptible expediency in its approach to > making its own version of warped plastic and silicon clockwork. > > Cram as much as you invent into the smallest space possible, sheath it with > cosmetic jewelry cases, and sell it to the world, telling the world it is > pure jewelry, inside and out. When it happens to hit the floor, the lie is > exposed-- a mess of soldering, wires, and toxic chemicals. > > Dazzling athletics, to cram this inelegant approach to match the world's > demand for novelty and excitement. > > Pack it all into a tiny package. Call it sheer wizardry and a triumph of > modern science. Its engineers confounded by accusations of philistine > circuitry-- "engineering, math, and science works! our engineering campus > buildings are not ugly-- they are utilitarian! I like math and was good at > it in high school." > > If the shoe fits, wear it regardless of whether the shoe is distasteful in > appearance on the outside. Make a distasteful shoe, cover it up with a > cosmetic shell. Where there is a problem, an engineer will solve it. Make > sure that you don't need a solution you want to know about, however. Just be > content that a problem was solved and look the other way when the details are > explained of its operation. > > "That'll do the trick." > > I didn't like parabolas because the world cannot be reduced to two, three, or > four axes, thank you very much. > > I don't like polynomials because I want to draw the line before I call it a > function of the world, saying that the world consists only of deterministic, > reductionist functions. "Oh, then you are just tired of 'discreteness' and > you need its polar opposite of discreteness, non-discreteness." > > Such is mathematics and science today. "Why does no one want to learn math > and science anymore??" > _______________________________________________ > fonc mailing list > [email protected] > http://vpri.org/mailman/listinfo/fonc
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