This is http://www.essayz.com/a9311021.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %CELEBRATE RITUAL WORSHIP MYTH HOLY SACRED SCIENCE+931102 %TECHNOLOGY SCHOLAR PROFESS AFFIRM RITUAL IMPORT 931102 Each community celebrates through ritual and mythology what it regards as ultimately important, holy, sacred and sacramental. This is true all the way from primitive communities through modern scientific and technocratic communities. Communities differ as to how open and honest they are within and about their celebrations, rituals, worship and myths. Some pretend that they have transcended celebrations, rituals, worship and mythology. Others openly and honesty present their celebrations, rituals, worship and mythology as what they are. Technocratic communities present their celebrations, rituals, worship and mythology as focusing only upon objective realities without honest reference to the personal roles played by the leading persons in the celebrations, rituals, worship and mythology. In a systematic way the discussions and publications of technocrats avoid focusing attention upon the essentially personal ways in which the leading participants define many details of the processes in which manipulated objects participate and how the leaders personally define the language, categories and attitudes in terms of which only some of the details of the processes are selected for close observation, measurement and analysis. Rarely do teachnocrats acknowledge how selective is the process of personally choosing only some of the details of the manipulated objects and processes for close observation and analysis. Often the neglected personal processes which would call into question the technocrats' theories are conveniently ignored in favor of focussing attention very selectively upon only those impersonal processes which confirm the technocrats' theories; or upon only those aspects of the processes which conform the technocrats' theories. We will do well to keep these considerations clearly in mind as we review the histories of science and technology, and as we review the current requests for public funding of modern scientists and technocrats. Will public funding contribute to an increase or to a decrease in personal and communal integrity? Is funding asked for in terms of that question or other versions of the same question? Is funding asked for in ways which insist that reflexive insights, perspectives and considerations be avoided? It is dangerous not to ask and not to get honest answers to these questions. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================