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   %TECHNOLOGY MEANS DENY TRUTH HUMAN LIMITS HONEST 890721

     Human knowledge,  understanding and techniques can be
used  honestly to meet real human needs,  or they  may  be
used  as  means to dishonestly deny the reality  of  human
limitations.

     The   same  means,   which  can  serve  to  genuinely
satisfy  real human needs,  can become the means by  which
humans  celebrate pretensions that they  have  transcended
ultimate human limitations.

     Science   and   technology  are  not  value   neutral
activities  of  objective  people who  are  without  bias.
Science  and technology provide means which are used  both
honestly and dishonestly. There is nothing inherent in the
process of discovery/development within the scientific and
technological communities which make their efforts or  the
fruits  of  their  labors immune to abuse by  addicts  and
codependents  engaged  in desperate games of  mutual  self
deception.

     Advances  in  science  and technology may push   back
the boundaries of human limits, may give some people a big
sense  of achievement and transcendence and may  give  the
appearance  of  having transcended all human  limitations.
There  is a temptation to worship at the alter of  science
and  technology,  and to pretend that humans have achieved
ultimate control over their destiny.

     Such  temptations  need to be moderated by  a  cosmic
view  of  human origins informed by the best  research  of
astronomers,  astrophysicists,  chemists,  and biologists.
The  place of our microscopic planet earth on  the  cosmic
stage needs to be kept in mind.  The reality of  planetary
beginnings and planetary endings needs to be kept in mind.
An  honest sense of human proportions in the  vastness  of
space and time promotes wise humility.

     People   are   often  proud   of   their   increasing
accumulation  of  information,   if not of  knowledge  and
wisdom. The more information is accumulated the greater is
the   challenge   of  information  management;    and   of
recognizing the difference between useful information  and
garbage information.  In information management it is hard
to  discard  garbage  if  there  is  no  sound  basis  for
recognizing  the  difference  between garbage  and  useful
knowledge and wisdom. An exponential growth in information
is  hardly  to  be desired,  if  it  is  fundamentally  an
exponential  growth in garbage which we do not know how to
manage.   We  have  limits to how well we  can  manage  an
exponential growth of information.

     Effective  education  in science  and  technology  is
fatally  flawed if it does not liberate students from  the
dangers of worshipping science and technology.  Scientists
and  technicians  who  do not honestly discuss  in  public
their limitations as persons and as professionals are  not
liberally educated, and are not liberating educators.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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