The Scope of Science

This is something I've wanted to talk about for a long time.

I must confess: the first time I hear about any breakthrough in science, the first thought that comes to mind is - okay, what next?

This approach to anything new is ambiguous. Because you can take that to mean one of two things -

1. This new discovery that has been made has answered one question, but opened up many ten other questions that now need to be answered.
2. How can I or the community benefit from this discovery? What is its scope? 

The first one of these is fine. Explore away. Satiate your curiosity. Nothing wrong with that. The second one is a bit problematic.

See, when you ask about the "scope" of any scientific breakthrough, the answer at first is a wee bit unclear. Heck, sometimes there isn't even an answer at all. It's just something the rolling tide brought in. And it's too valuable to undo (not to mention it could be someone else's lifelong goal).

The thing is, just because something doesn't have any short-term benefits doesn't mean it's useless. A very good example is the quantum theory. It is at the base of this Digital Age. It has allowed the existence of smartphones, tablets, this new research called "Li-Fi" - making our lives what they are today. But when you sit to study it, it's mumbo-jumbo. There's no better way to put it. In fact, as one famous scientist said, "If you haven't been fundamentally baffled by quantum mechanics, you haven't understood it." (I'm paraphrasing, of course.)

Something as elegant the quantum theory rules our lives. But we didn't know that in the 1920's, when work first started on it. And it certainly doesn't seem like it when you're in your chemistry class and it's your first time learning about this.

Where I'm going with this is that scientific research shouldn't be stopped because you can't see what will come out of it. Humans are curious creatures. It is our curiosity and our ability to satisfy our curiosity that distinguishes us from the rest of the kingdoms. It has allowd us to practically rule the world, even though we are less in number than even the insects. The insects, who came before us.

A lot of the things we take for granted today have long story being discovered and being put to use. So the second question isn't even a valid one. It'll come to us, eventually. It is one bad habit I have to work to eradicate.

SCIENCE & FAITH

"Science is not for me.” “I’m not a sciency-type.” “I’m not interested in science.”

I don't usually encounter such question, I am already with people pondering over science. However the question is worth a thought. Why not? These same students, took science and math throughout elementary school often and did well academically. Where do they get the idea that science is something to avoid?

Science is bigger than any human-centered subjects. Perhaps it’s overwhelming to think deeply about the implications of concepts like evolution, the big bang, subatomic particles. We can get out of our comfort zone pretty fast.

Science is like a foreign language but is not taught that way. The vocab is pretty rough. Words like “biogeochemical” or “neurotransmission” or "warp drives" don’t work well in our texting, tweeting world. Neither are they very appealing to our senses (except warp drives, they'll be fabulous).

Science is an extreme sport. Meanwhile, the vocabulary may changed, the language is the same. The grammer is all what it was ever before. 

A lot of the time, what we’re learning about and discovering in science is not good news. It’s a bummer to learn about climate change. It’s a bummer to think about cancer. Ongoing human-caused mass extinctions are kind of depressing to think about, let alone acknowledge. This leads many of us to feel helpless.


Why is Science so important?

Perharps this is the most interesting section I'd like to address. A basic human motivator is to try to understand WHY. Why did something happen? How does something work? Curiosity about the world around us, about what makes it and us TICK is at the foundation of invention, of creativity. Teaching and in particular studying science well can nurture that curiosity, can satisfy some of that yearning to understand WHY. Understanding why a year is what it is for us on planet Earth feels good (it will when you realize what Mondays can be on Mars). Understanding how organisms are all connected by the long thin thread of evolutionary change gives depth to our sense of stewardship of the Earth.

Having a methodology to turn our native curiosity into knowledge gives us the power and possibility of invention, of finding solutions to problems

Science is the ultimate equalizer, the pathway to human rights and a better quality of life.

Our knowledge of how and why things are the way they are in the natural world is our greatest natural resource, second only to water. The way we acquire that knowledge and understanding, called the scientific method, is not difficult, nor does not require memorizing a list of words: observations, hypothesis, experimentation, interpretation. These are simply ways we go about learning.

Kardashev Scale and Our Imminent Doom

Yes, morbid topic. But there's no escaping the fact that we have hit our own self-destruction button.

But I wanted to talk about the pace at which the human race is progressing.

This year we received direct evidence of the violent side of our universe - gravitational waves. Combine this with news of pollution, global warming...well, is the glass half-empty or half-full? Are we like a three-year-old wanting to pay his own taxes and live independently? (Rhetorical question.)

Following that question, I have another one. But first, let me explain the Kardashev scale.

This is a scale that summarizes intelligent life, however hypothetical, in the Universe in four increasing levels -

Type 1 - Civilizations which can use the resources of one planet.

Type 2 - Civilizations which can directly use the resouces of its star.

Type 3 - Civilizations  which can directly use the resources of it galaxy.

Type 4 - Civilizations which can use space-time itself, manipulate it, go faster than the speed of light, etc. Yes, it also includes warp drive. (Awesome.)

Now, obviously we humans are a Type 1 civilization. And not even a very good one, going by our efficiency in use of resources. Sustainable development, anyone?
But my concern is that the path of our discoveries is taking us from a Type 1 to a Type 4 civilization. Humans can't inherently be blamed for that, the desire to explore is in our genes. But knowledge isn't always power. In cases like this, we may have to slow ourselves down. Before looking for a home, make sure we have one to return to, backups, things like that. Become an adult before handling taxes.

This is a painful hypothesis/realization for me. But science has no obligation to make me happy.