I firmly hold that science is the single most important concept that humanity has thought of in its entire existence, no other ideas or styles of thought have ever come even into a close second with the astounding grace and arcane beauty that rational thought allows us.
Not a single other process has the predictive power that science as a whole has allowed us, nothing brings forth such tangible benefits as the application of these theories and process the general populace knows so little of. Quantum electrodynamics allows us to have this discussion right now, with grand sweeping trans-oceanic optical fiber cables. Agricultural sciences, along with the burgeoning agro-biotechnology sciences have saved over one billion lives in the past fifty years alone.
We no longer have to worry about the plagues and epidemics of old, thanks to rapid vaccine development and deployment. Diseases which once ravaged whole communities, destroying lives; these are now a relic of the past for most of us. In first world nations we have eradicated polio, vanquished the plague, and even in the developed world, completely eliminated smallpox. All of these lives saved are only a small part of the amazing advances in the medical sciences. In the past hundred years, we've made the general life expectancy of a person go from ~30 years to almost 80 years of living. We've done transplants of every major organ, and even some organ systems; we have artificial hearts and synthetic blood to keep us alive in the face of organ shortages.
Nothing else has saved more lives than the works of science; and one day, science will save all of humanity. It is not a question of if some global catastrophe will strike us or not; but a matter of when it will. I hope, that given enough time, we will have branched out species out on to other celestial bodies, enabling us to make the first baby-steps out of the cradle of mankind, and in to the world beyond. Without acknowledging and supporting the works and progress of the physical sciences, we are all doomed to die on this planet, along with everything on it.
As no cleric can claim to have saved the same amount of lives as science has, neither can any prophet claim predictive powers as vast and wide as the logical pursuit of truth. By making observations about chemical properties and the way that compounds interact on a macroscopic level, we have managed to figure out the basic structure and makeup of matter, the very essence of what we are made of. We know the proton's mass with an obscene degree of accuracy: 1.672621637(83) × 10^−27. We have directly observed and confirmed our predictions of molecules using atomic force microscopy:
[img]http://www.rsc.org/images/AFM_350_tcm18-161978.jpg[/img]
On the other side of this same coin, we have used rational means to know not only where we came from as a species, but indeed where the universe as a whole has had its beginning. We have grand and subtle evolutionary stories of life and matter reaching back billions of years. Science is the only thing that can offer true answers, not faith, or a matter of simply believing in something without evidence. It offers a strong grounding in reality, with hard data supporting your world view. Even so, science is not rigid and unyielding to new developments; when new data comes around, the evidence is reexamined and new conclusions are drawn, possibly invalidating prior theories. But even then, we expand our world, we never shrink it or limit it.
It does us no harm to look at the world in a critical light, no misdeed to examine all claims with a skeptical eye. For without this, we are wandering in the dark; science allows us each to hold a small candle to that darkness.
[editline]|[/editline]
Also, yes, I know, a bit rambling, I need to edit it a bit.
Scientists sometimes perform science.
Thread music:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cd36WJ79z4&hd=1[/media]
I love science.
I used to be a Christian, but sheer common sense and the things science is able to do (plus the outright stupidity of most Christians and the fact they don't follow a single thing they are meant to do), made me convert.
I'm still unsure, but I'm pretty confident there is no God.
this thread has been touched by /b/
Science, if used improperly, can result in permanent eye damage.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fI8834iCgo[/media]
[QUOTE=SamPerson123;23864728]Science, if used improperly, can result in permanent eye damage.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fI8834iCgo[/media][/QUOTE]
Science used improperly can pretty much cause anything.
atomic force microscopy is really neat but x-ray diffraction confirms stuctures better
Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks and Dicks and Cocks and Cocks and Dicks!
[highlight](User was permabanned for this post ("Spammer" - Rusty100))[/highlight]
Science is cool.
[QUOTE=mike;23864736]atomic force microscopy is really neat but x-ray diffraction confirms stuctures better[/QUOTE]
Yeah but it's less cool to look at. It also doesn't work so well for simple single molecules like that one, it has to have the ability to be crystalline.
[QUOTE=mike;23864736]atomic force microscopy is really neat but x-ray diffraction confirms stuctures better[/QUOTE]
True dat
Science is one of those few things around than you can put faith into. Yes, you can kill billions with science, but out of the darkness comes light. Bio-warfare research has created some of the most advanced vaccines in this century. Nuclear warfare has brought us clean energy. But however, the opposite can be said about the light side of science. Flu vaccines are developed by cultivating the most common, and dangerous strains of flu, rocket transports are also used for ICBM duty.
Science, the most beneficial, and most detrimental field of knowledge mankind has known.
I just scienced all over my keyboard.
[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23864804]Science is one of those few things around than you can put hope into. Yes, you can kill billions with science, but out of the darkness comes light. Bio-warfare research has created some of the most advanced vaccines in this century. Nuclear warfare has brought us clean energy. But however, the opposite can be said about the light side of science. Flu vaccines are developed by cultivating the most common, and dangerous strains of flu, rocket transports are also used for ICBM duty.
Science, the most beneficial, and most detrimental field of knowledge mankind has known.[/QUOTE]
I don't think that you ever could actually do this, but if you were able to tally the years of life given by the sciences, versus years taken away by advancements in warefare technology, that the total would be immensely positive.
[QUOTE=Kagrenak;23864768]Yeah but it's less cool to look at. It also doesn't work so well for simple single molecules like that one, it has to have the ability to be crystalline.[/QUOTE]
true, afm stuff is generally big and silver and shiny.
and high vacuum. and high vacuum stuff generally looks fairly cool.
I'm around a hospital a lot, and it always makes me sad when I see people who are in hospitals thanking their gods and idols. Completely ignoring the science that made the operation possible, the science that keeps their organ functioning, the doctor that successfully performed the operation. Then they have the nerve to use their success as evidence for their beliefs.
I have learnt from science.
[QUOTE=mike;23864997]true, afm stuff is generally big and silver and shiny.
and high vacuum. and high vacuum stuff generally looks fairly cool.[/QUOTE]
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/X-ray_diffraction_pattern_3clpro.jpg[/img]
Plus the images make more sense on their own, while it looks neat, it isn't immediately clear how this relates to an actual structure.
Plate tectonics.
But religion
[QUOTE=Kagrenak;23865529][img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/X-ray_diffraction_pattern_3clpro.jpg[/img]
Plus the images make more sense on their own, while it looks neat, it isn't immediately clear how this relates to an actual structure.[/QUOTE]
well yeah a single diffraction pattern doesn't make much sense but getting a proper study done gives fabulous structures.
OP picture to me is one of the most sensational pictures of the last decade. Baring in mind that pretty much everything science does is theoretical (though we can be sure its accurate to a very very high degree) it was astounding to have a molecular structure confirmed visually!
Anyone studying biology here? If yes, can you tell me how much math is involved?
[editline]09:49AM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Alvaldi;23864525]I used to be a Christian, but sheer common sense and the things science is able to do (plus the outright stupidity of most Christians and the fact they don't follow a single thing they are meant to do), made me convert.
I'm still unsure, but I'm pretty confident there is no God.[/QUOTE]
I'm guessing you mean you deconverted. Unless you're now a member of another religion?
[QUOTE=that1dude24;23865190]I'm around a hospital a lot, and it always makes me sad when I see people who are in hospitals thanking their gods and idols. Completely ignoring the science that made the operation possible, the science that keeps their organ functioning, the doctor that successfully performed the operation. Then they have the nerve to use their success as evidence for their beliefs.[/QUOTE]
Beginning of this video:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfq80b500hY[/MEDIA]
[editline]02:52AM[/editline]
:argh:
I once for a brief moment did science, ever since I've been trying to recreate that same moment throughout the remainder of my life, yet I've proven fruitless
Science is the fucking best.
Fucking scientists be lying yo
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DFzpqWWrY9U/S9JQYp_9HaI/AAAAAAAAAEY/KveIECsNKh0/s400/topstorypic.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=sp00ks;23866525]
I'm guessing you mean you deconverted. Unless you're now a member of another religion?[/QUOTE]
Convert means to change beliefs, not necessarily from one religion to another.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
