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%LIMITATIONS OF SCIENCE 731011
The source of one of the limitations of science is
the failure of science educators to focus upon the
limitations of science. Knowledge is power. Knowledge of
one's limitations is power. Ignorance of one's
limitations is dangerous, in that it may lead to arrogance
through the presumption of power which is not real.
Decisions and action based on the presumption of unreal
power can be very destructive. It is better to decide not
to attempt something which one does not have the power to
accomplish; than to be destructive of persons, property,
and resources in attempting the impossible.
Technocrats often try to solve with techniques many
dilemmas which are fundamentally human in character; i.e,
dilemmas. Their misguided efforts are often very
destructive of persons, property, and resources. The
dilemmas remain unresolved because they were not
approached in a helpful way. One of the most practical
limitations of science is the extent to which
scientifically trained individuals are unaware of their
own limitations, and so are often the victims of
arrogance. Through the efforts of technocrats, non-
scientists become the victims of that arrogance.
Scientists and technocrats have accomplished much
that even well informed persons not long ago regarded as
essentially impossible. Science education tends to focus
on all the wonder-full things which can be accomplished
through the understanding which science offers. Is it any
wonder that both scientists and non-scientists often fall
into the trap of feeling that if a problem or dilemma can
be clearly defined, it will eventually be possible to
solve it through the accumulation of understanding and
techniques? In a technocratic society many make the error
of feeling that it is impossible to conceive a problem or
project which can never be solved. Through that error the
technocratic society intensifies itself. One of the major
limitations of science is that it does not have the power
of being helpful towards citizens who are the victims of
the false prophecy of technocrats.
Scientists who are unaware of the limitations of
science---are not liberally educated, even though they may
have been trained at a college which falsely presumes to
be a liberal arts college.
(c) 1999 by Paul A. Smith in
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