On science and uncertainty

Should science be slowed down by the law to regulate the enterprise more tightly to limit what we humans should know or not? Is there a genuine apprehension that science might be taking the meaning out of life? In this blog I will be extending, challenging and connecting what knowledge I hold with the essay from Discover, by Lewis Thomas

Science is something that cannot be stopped even if it becomes illegal. The human race is one that likes to discover and try reach to the end of things, as science is a topic that allows the human mind to express themselves whether theoretically or practically. Science is not only used be doctors to find cures for a sickness that has physically replicated itself over time however it also exaggerates on the topics of LIFE, not only does science discover the new areas of our body and test them to a certain extent but it also studies the things we are able to do and to the extent that we are able to reach to with the help of scientific studies.

What challenges me in the article that we have read is why would Lewis Thomas ever take into consideration that science should be banned. This not only stops the discovery of new things in life but it also, limits the depths in which we are able to reach as human beings. It stated that we should be worried about traffic on Mars however I dont think that this is the top priority for us humans right now. Instead I beleive that we should be allowed to reach the limits and expand or develop our knoweldge that we currently hold between the globe.

Indigenous Knowledge Systems

In class we learnt about indigenous knowledge systems which are basic traditions that people used to use ages ago, or still do. My indigenous system is about local communities in Africa, it goes like this :

Local communities and farmers in Africa have developed intricate systems of gathering, predicting, interpreting and decision-making in relation to weather. A study in Nigeria, for example, shows that farmers are able to use knowledge of weather systems such as rainfall, thunderstorms, windstorms, and sunshine to prepare for future weather. Indigenous methods of weather forecasting are known to complement farmers’ planning activities in Nigeria. A similar study in Burkina Faso showed that farmers’ forecasting knowledge encompasses shared and selective experiences. 

Elderly male farmers formulate hypotheses about seasonal rainfall by observing natural phenomena, while cultural and ritual specialists draw predictions from divination, visions or dreams. The most widely relied-upon indicators are the timing, intensity and duration of cold temperatures during the early part of the dry season. Other forecasting indicators include the timing of fruiting by certain local trees, the water level in streams and ponds, the nesting behaviour of small quail-like birds, and insect behaviour in rubbish heaps outside compound walls.

How reliable are past traditional ways  in preserving the hypothesis about natural

phenomena.