Another on “GOD” and the Bifurcation of Faith and Science

I know you all as the benevolent spirit of nature that created the conditions for the possibility of me. With that spirit and that set of conditions still viable, I have the faith and belief that more like me will continue to be produced.

The trouble is, those potential beings like me may have all the attributes of people like me, but they may be missing some good sense of reason and, with a flawed reason, find their nefarious, or extremly unreasonable thinking process leading to ways of action that undermine the reasonable majority, for example, affecting the climate to such an extent that Goldilocks may have to die, that millions must be afflicted with the terror of improvised death, that some will experience gut-wrenching diseases, and mind-blowing inhalations, and the parade toward extinction will thin out to a few hardy souls, crying, “Why couldn’t they just go and leave us few behind, healthy and reasonable and wholly competent to make life rightly lived?!”

What would a life “rightly lived” be?

For that answer, I must bring up the parable of “Doubting Thomas”. It was one of the stories told by Jesus to convey his religious message, straight from the Bible. This point in time has given us the historical dichotomy between faith and reason. Thomas wanted to see the wounds of the Crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails . . . I will not believe.” (John 20 [25]).

Jesus answered, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Does that imply no blessing for Thomas, perhaps even a curse, or some severe affliction or evil spell on Thomas, as the opposite of a “blessing” on unbelievers? Or was it meant simply as a mere slight? No, I think it was something more powerful and hurtful than that. (I know how seriously “scriptural” people take these things.) I think there is something hurtful in a “non-blessing”. It says to me that Jesus, for all his deified presence, did not anticipate the modern era of scientific reasoning, or he could have, or should have, given his blessing to the desire of Thomas for proof in reliable, not rumored, knowledge.

At that point, it seems to me, faith and the power and hope of science part ways, two divergent pathways to truth. A state of being of two minds, is that possible, or healthy? Schizophrenic? Mentally ill? Bipolar, certifiable, confused, demented, deranged, diminished responsibility, insane? The scientist being a Christian?

And yet, I believe people have found some way to live lives in two different compartments, without feeling any need to reconcile the two opposed behaviors. How do they do it, have two ways of thinking, faith and/or reason, a scientific method and “creation”? Some have created “creation science”, or the “science” of “creation”. The acceptance of a creation beginning was the result of the methods of poetry, which prevailed long before science presented a different method of observing phenomena. Early scientists came under the murderous hand of believers who had the upperhand in society. Society made the atrocities of the purgation of heresy happen. It could not happen in present society, could it? Orthodoxy will continue trying, won’t it?

However, the dichotomy still exists, not so much between groups of people, but more within individual people.

How would you agree or disagree?

I believe that any imagineable deity would be accepting of a life-form which, through a species-magnified intelligence, creates an environment that advances survivability for that life-form, or adapts to a given environment that furthers the survival of that life form.

The powers that led to the prosecution and killing of scientists have themselves been “killed”, by the fruits of the labors of the “doubting Thomases” of the healthy skepticisms, living in harmony side-by-side the true believers. Science: “Don’t tell me it can’t be done!? I will prove it to you.” Technology: “I am telling you, this must be done! I will show you how it’s done.”

If a claim to know is spoken, the voice of reliable knowledge in good science and technology will ask you to believe and then deliver, saying, “You will be healthier, safer, because there is a demonstrable way. I will show you.” We must all become “Doubting Thomases”.

A First Approximation of “Genius”

We each and every one of us are like blossoms on a twig on a branch on a limb on a trunk on roots deep in the soil of Earth. We blossoms have in us all the message codes that determine what we are.

Anyone with basic standard intelligence can do the work of genius, but we must apply the ethic that genius is 10% education, leading to 10% inspiration, requiring 80% perspiration.

In undergrad school I began to learn how to study, and especially in grad school, I really learned how to study. I wondered why I had not learned to study in my secondary education. The answer is in that perspiration thing, motivation, that which energizes, arouses, excites, stimulates behavior.

What energized me to make the difference? There are several sources. I was paying for my education. I wanted to have a job on the heady not body side of work. I wanted something beyond the daily grind of working in a machine shop or a furniture factory or a gas station, or an automobile production line. Working as a printer, I found more variation and interest in the job, BUT—

I gave the government my service, they gave me my higher education, and I again owed the public my service on the heady side of work. I was made into a professional student and had to do what professional students do, become more proficient at study-work and want others to become more proficient at study-work, even as a sidelight to regular work, for I saw that as the secret of the more civilized societies, the highly educated work-force. The higher education of study and problem solving for the democratic, problem-solving society. I was motivated to understand through study beginnings and ends and pathways toward “better” ends rather than “bitter” ends. I needed to become a change-agent as I had found the way to change myself. Thus, study became a good habit. Enquiry. Questioning. Analyzing. Investigation and its processes. Balancing alternatives (reasoning). Problem resolution.

I am very critical, BUT — I tend always to be constructive.

Definition is usually the key to understanding, and I learned the ways of defining. Through “science”. I am not a scientist, though I have done scientific studies. But I know the method. The rigor of study aiming at “reliable knowledge”.

When I say “perspiration”, I say with the Germans, genius is nothing but monstrous energy — “Genie ist nichts als ungeheueres Energie.”

With those principles I would legislate for all mankind.

“Genius” is within the reach of most normally intelligent people.

Democracy!
Beyond those who wear tea!
The deliberative mind!

Republicans—Conservatives: Scientifically “Challenged” (Illiterate!)

One monstrous snow storm proves that there is no global warming. Am I tarring the whole lot of conservatives with the one brush-full I got from the Fox news commentators? You betcha! And how can I do that? Because the Republican, conservative policy is to oppose Pres. Obama and the Democrats in all things so they will fail. Thus they are denying that global warming is a dangerous threat to all who live on the globe. They will deny the greater danger we are all in just to score political points. In that posture, they must take the event of a huge snowstorm as evidence that global warming is not happening. Or worse, has just come to an end.

Their stance is either shameless demagoguery or shameful ignorance. Poor simpletons! They just want their power back, and all they have to do is play savior to their base, which belies their view of their base as fundamental ignoramuses who know nothing of science—the tremendously long time-scale over which all of this global warming cycle will take place. A voter base that will respond with their approval of the absolute pettiness and ignorance and irrelevance of their conservative legislators and media news reporters.

I just could not fathom what I was hearing. They are like ants that go on a sidewalk, oblivious to the forces that will come crushing down on them.

Correlates of “Epidemics” and “Pandemics”

Evolution is generational. For bugs, a generation for the Fruit Fly (Drosophila) can be days. [Disclaimer: I am speaking from my viewpoint, not from the viewpoint of any experimental nor empirical scientist. From my opinion and only my present knowledge.] For a virus, very very short. They evolve, adapting very quickly to get around lethal barriers being erected by humans who are in a battle with them. They are impelled to feed to live, as with all life, parasitic or not.

Co-occurring with the deadly virus we want to avoid are certain conditions that imply their causation. Here follow my speculations.

We have:

• what is going around
• an outbreak (local)
• epidemic (more general)
• pandemic (global)

At this time, we are puzzled by the H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) that is infecting large numbers of people, mostly emanating from south of our border with Mexico. Where are we on that sliding scale of extent?

What conditions seem to be related to the incidence of infectious diseases? (Leave aside those diseases associated with lifestyle habits of smoking, diet, etc., that seem also to be “going around”, and some believe to be “epidemic”—obesity, diabetes, and so on.) Are those conditions coincidental, occurring together by chance or by cause?

O Great infecting Virus, how do I help thee? Let me count the ways.

1. Overpopulation
2. Population Mobility
3. Packaging the Poor
4. Hygiene Habits
5. Health Education (Hygiene Awareness)
6. Preventative Medicine
7. Global Warming
8. Warning Skills and Sources
9. Credibility of Warners
10. Availability of Health Care and Providers for All
11. Cost of Health Care and Care-Givers
12. Virus Containment Strategies and Technology
13. Medical “SWAT” Teams (intelligent, obscure and incomprehensible technology)
14. Etiological Myth (“Swine” Flu)
15. Government Responsibility/Oversight and Emergency Action Policies
16. Forecasting and Planning (“When the house is on fire, it’s too late to dig a well.”
17. Research Funding
18. Vulnerabilities of Age (i.e., the aged, the very young), Race, Gender, Cultures, etc.

What have I left out?

What have we done to adapt and change what our government has promised us, our general welfare?