Throughout human history, people strove to determine truth. In the ancient times, REASON was the prevalent method of determining truth. This worked out fine and much was accomplished. In fact, many profound truths were discovered in this way, and the ancients formed secret societies known as the Mysteries to protect them. Focus for the masses at this time was enjoying life and obtaining wisdom. To obtain the Mystery truths one must be initiated and then pass through a series of tests of the individual's qualities, and once initiated, one can then begin to learn. However, although the existence of these Mysteries is known, their truths are mostly lost.
The creation of the Roman Catholic Church marked a shift in human history. Focus for the masses changed from enjoying life and obtaining wisdom to merely enjoying life, for the Church was truth. After the fall of Rome, the Roman Catholic Church had a stranglehold on Europe. It is during this time, the prevalent method of determining truth was FAITH. During this time, whatever the Church says is considered true, and the focus for the masses changed from enjoying life to staying alive, and getting into heaven. The only way to go to Heaven after you die is if the Church lets you. Passes to Heaven is bought from the Church. However, most people, who were either serfs of peasants, could not afford to buy their way into Heaven, so they would have to work on the Church's land for no pay in order to get into Heaven. So of course, every good faithful peasant did. Then, at the end of the year, the peasants would have to pay a tax to the Church, even though they worked for them for free! Since they usually did not have a lot of money, they would have to pay the church with grain. The granaries of the Church would be full year round and much of it would be spoiled by rats and mold, while the peasants were working hard and barely had any food to eat. Little was accomplished during this time, as the only way to learn was through the Church. Incidentally, the Arabic world flourished, spiritually and intellectually. In fact, almost all the European alchemists had learned their trade from Arabic Mysteries. Not much would happen until the renaissances, to which the Church was outraged, as emphasis in art became the people rather than God. Then, again, there was stagnation in social and intellectual reform. Until Martin Luther, and there was reform, and there were less restrictions. Coincidentally, the Age of REASON beings about a hundred years later (16th Century), to which follows the Age of Enlightenment (17th Century). It is in the Age of Enlightenment that SCIENCE is discovered.
SCIENCE is a way of determining truth defined as truth through experimentation. Essentially, according to SCIENCE, something is true if repeated experiments are observed. Through this method, much as been accomplished... in the physical realm. People began to understand the physical world around them. Life expectancy increased. Industry revolutionized. Things became more convenient and entertaining. Focus for the masses began to shift from staying alive to enjoying life but still get into Heaven. The latter is slowly fading as the Churches grip on the population slowly crumbles. However, SCIENCE is flawed. It can only determine truth in the Physical. It can only determine truth about an observable phenomenon. But with SCIENCE came Technology.
Technology has made it so easy to look up information that there is no reason to think or have to do work. We are now lazy slaves to an economic system where our daily routines alternate from work and play. We are always bombarded with entertainment (and with it, propaganda), as technology has made it possible to reach millions (if not billions) of people at once. It almost seems as there is something missing from our lives. It's because there is. REASON. There is no emphasis on REASON anymore! Why is that? Why is it that people aren't encouraged to exercise REASONING? Even though we are escaping from the mind-slavery of the Church, we are in essence just switching masters! Only REASON can determine truths about the Physical AND the Metaphysical. Perhaps one day, through use of REASON we may discover a method of determining Metaphysical truths with SCIENCE-like efficiency. But first we must shift the focus of the masses from enjoying life to enjoying life and seeking wisdom! Only then will we be truly free.
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Another great post. Scientific method is all well and good. But what we are usually presented with as science is not all that scientific because it has become increasingly dogmatic. This is especially easy to see in pop medical science such as CNN reports by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, just as an example. What's behind it? Hubris, greed, a lack of critical cognition, a void of imagination where its most vitally needed.
I truly believe in the Cycle of Ages and we are poised at the brink of a major paradigm shift. All day last Friday MSNBC ran reports about the "controversial" nature of the film "The Golden Compass". This is not due to any overt content in the film as much as it is about the author of the novels, Philip Pullman, being an atheist, a class that it is apparently just fine to ghettoize.
So the Church, to use a blanket term, is concerned that the film will make children read the books and that the books will demonstrate to children that they should question authority and be free thinkers. Major news reports worrying about children reading books and thinking for themselves. Scary. So the Church of the real world, in complaining about their negative portrayal, behaves exactly like their fictional counterpart, because they'd readily desoul a child rather then risk the power of the unfettered imagination.
So thank you very much. It is time for everyone sick and tired to rise up. I like this blog very much so far, an intellectual call to arms.
Cheers
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