The Immense Journey

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1. psalminenJul 2020
   +1 for this recommendation.

   I'll add The Immense Journey by Loren Eiseley. It's gems are a little metaphorical, but a great read nonetheless.

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2. calinet6Feb 2015
   You're absolutely right, I was being an arrogant prick by saying that, and I regret it. I've gotta stop doing that. Apologies. I only offer advice, especially for young people which I mistakenly assumed, and I didn't mean it arrogantly. I highly recommend reading one book: "The Immense Journey" by Loren Eiseley.

   I completely agree that the problem of the lack of respect nor understanding of science is at an extreme, and it is an immense problem. You're absolutely right.

   But the way to attack it is systemically, from both sides. What we are experiencing is a societal divide, and it is not one sided, as unbalanced as it seems. It's highly complex. Science has lost the ability to appeal to humanity in such a way as to be trustworthy in and of itself. For that, I do believe science as an institution (scientists, leaders, new institutions not yet imagined) requires a deep understanding of humanity and the ability to connect with it at a core level. This will be difficult.

   There are some things for which evidence will never be enough. If you don't understand that, well—there's direct evidence for the disconnect between science and the humanities. When the scientific world collectively understands that, then, I believe, we will no longer have an issue with how society relates to science. It will have become clear and obvious.

   Blaming the individuals for their knowledge will never solve anything. The right question is not what people do not know; but why do they not know? And how do we make it irresistible to know and understand and pursue science? How do we integrate scientific understanding into our very core? That is the question.

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