At least three important things, that happened in the 20th century are still shaping our days in the 21st century.
The first one is the development of science, the second is the "victory" of the free market and the third is the mass media and internet.
What was just beginning to emerge in science at the start of the 20th century,
gained a power in the course of the century that no one could have predicted.
The individual discoveries might have had great influence, but the most intellectually important development,
which has immeasurably contributed to the authority of science and which changed the image of man of himself,
was the extent to which science began to come together, the way the different disciplines told the same story from different perspectives.
Physics and chemistry first came together, then physics and astronomy, then physics and geology
and more recently physics and mathematics, even though they have always been close together.
Economics and sociology came together in the same way.
In the form of genetics, biology came together even more closely with linguistics, anthropology and archeology.
Biology and physics have not yet come together in the sense that we do not yet understand how inert substances can combine to create life.
But they have come together in the way in which physics and mathematics explain biological structures
and then there is the fusion in the extended concept of evolution, where the story is told from the big bang
through the billions of years of history of the universe with the creation of galaxies,
the solar system, the earth, the oceans and the continents, all the way to life itself
and the spread of plants and animals on our planet. This is without a doubt the most powerful empirical-based idea ever developed.
Some like to see in this development the proof of white supremacy.
This seed was planted in the first decades of the 20th century with its racism, anti-semitism and colonialism. But is there any grain of truth in this belief?
To get an original answer we could read "Guns, Germs and Steel" (1997) by Jared Diamond, professor of geography and physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The book attempts to explain why Eurasian and North African civilizations have survived and conquered others,
while arguing against the idea that Eurasian hegemony is due to any form of Eurasian intellectual, moral, or inherent genetic superiority.
Diamond argues that the gaps in power and technology between human societies originate primarily in environmental differences.
In other words, that the whites did it, is simply a coincidence and not a proof of any superiority in any respect.
Thank you for your attention...
The Discussion
[13:32] herman Bergson: I can give you an example.....
[13:32] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman
[13:32] herman Bergson: the route East - West is much easier on this globe than the route South north
[13:33] herman Bergson: For instance....`from India to Greece....
[13:33] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): is it about temperature?
[13:33] herman Bergson: Aristotles logic may very well be influenced by Indian logicians
[13:33] herman Bergson: Too, I guess, Beertje
[13:34] herman Bergson: Take Africa..... to go north means that you run into a desert
[13:34] herman Bergson: Besides that,,,Africa is surrounded by oceans on three sides
[13:35] herman Bergson: the Whites just happen to live in the most favorable circumstances, I guess
[13:36] Laz Dresler is offline.
[13:36] CB Axel: It's easy to see why Africa is isolated from the rest of the world.
[13:36] herman Bergson: Yes, CB...
[13:36] CB Axel: It's says a lot about the ancient people who migrated from there.
[13:36] herman Bergson: Take the Arabic World....
[13:37] herman Bergson: There all intellectual and scientific development was killed around 1100 due to Islam
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and now thy are back to middle ages :(
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): time goes backwards there it seems
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): sad story
[13:37] herman Bergson: It created the conflict between soenites and shiites...
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): they were indeed pioneers in things like math
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and chemistry
[13:38] herman Bergson: they were Bejiita...!
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): our number, the word algebra and alkali are all arabic
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): number
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): s
[13:38] herman Bergson: Most interesting is that Iran is mainly shiitish...the party in Islam that "tolerated" science...
[13:39] herman Bergson: so now they have nuclear capacities
[13:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): tolerated?
[13:39] CB Axel: Hmm. Maybe fundamentalist religions aren't all bad. lol
[13:39] herman Bergson: yes Beertje....they had a more liberal approach toward science
[13:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): only for man I guess
[13:40] herman Bergson: I don't think that shiites are fundamentalists
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): unless the fundamentalists are only gonna make use of this science to bomb the planet to cosmic dust
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but I doubt it
[13:40] CB Axel: That's why they have a nuclear bomb.
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but one fact is that the rulers of Iran have made the place a hell for the people
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): since khomeini
[13:41] CB Axel: Those who "tolerate" science have the capacity to blow up the world.
[13:41] herman Bergson: I don't think so, CB....
[13:41] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): science is much more than making bombs
[13:41] herman Bergson: It is a nice idea to blow up the world...but it means your are blowing up your own world as well
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well the most logical thing is that they are gonna make power plants out of it
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the thing is that Iran have lot if tech but the fundamentalists are holding them back
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): of
[13:42] herman Bergson: Yes Beertje...that has the previous century shown indeed
[13:43] herman Bergson: Eventually science will prevail in this world and to reach that goal education has to prevail too
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:44] herman Bergson: That is my belief.....EDUCATION
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): YAY! (yay!)
[13:44] CB Axel: Yay!
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and away with all the hocus pocus!
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and on with FACTS!
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): how it really is
[13:44] herman Bergson: Just imagine all people on this earth, that read the blog of our class...
[13:44] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): then the government has to invest in good education
[13:45] herman Bergson: That is a marginal debate Beertje....
[13:45] herman Bergson: All over the world there has to be good education...
[13:45] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): for girls and boys
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I educate me all time, internet is a huge resource, which is why these fundamentalist maniacs tries everythig to stop it in their nations
[13:46] herman Bergson: and that is one of the legacies of the 20th century.....education by internet
[13:47] herman Bergson: Porque yo hable Español ahora...?
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I've even learned operating particle accelerators through the internet, remote operated the LHC a while when it was starting up
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): VERY interesting
[13:47] herman Bergson: hablo
[13:47] herman Bergson: Simply because I used an internet course...
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): learned a lot about both the machines and particle/nuclear physics and theory
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and I learn my game development and programming mostly through youtube and similar channels
[13:48] herman Bergson: yes..like you Bejiita...our Particle nerd...if I may say so :-)))
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): LETS SMASH EM ON!
[13:48] herman Bergson: education.....
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehe
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed
[13:48] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i learned english here in SL
[13:48] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): and some blender:)
[13:48] herman Bergson: Indeed Beertje....even without taking a course!
[13:49] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes
[13:49] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): but that's internet too
[13:49] herman Bergson: But like I can read Spanish books, you have access to a lot of English sources....
[13:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the latest Belnder 2.81 is awesome, the sculpt tools are awesome
[13:49] herman Bergson: so we can learn new things, we couldn't learn before
[13:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): got a few new tools there
[13:49] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i will try that Bejiita:)
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): however I can't find a Makehuman plugin working with it
[13:50] herman Bergson: ohh Bejiita....I need to update!
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): to quickly make rigged characters even I learn it from scratch now
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): have some cousins waiting for a game
[13:50] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): 2.81 is much different than 2.79
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes GUIis way different, more maya like
[13:51] CB Axel: You're building your own humans now?
[13:51] CB Axel: :)
[13:51] herman Bergson: As you see....these days...it doesn't need to be whites only....far from that even...
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Makehuan is a tool to make ready rigged humanoid and the ONLY free such tool
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but only worked with blender 2.79
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): up to
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I can't find an import tool for blender 2.8
[13:52] herman Bergson: We'll work on it Bejiita ^_^
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): for the MHX2 format and developments seem to have stalled
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but ill look o
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): as said, mu cousins wait for a little game of themselves
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): that I make for them
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): in their own house
[13:52] herman Bergson: Well...guess we reached the end of our discussion :-)
[13:53] herman Bergson: unless you have that final remark or question.....
[13:53] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): it's very healthy to learn new things
[13:53] herman Bergson: that might save the world....:-)
[13:53] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): we stay young doing that
[13:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): time to learn some more about animation in Unity that I have a bit of issues with now
[13:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): making a driving range demo for our Kickoff later at work
[13:54] herman Bergson: haven't seen a wrinkle on your face in 10 years here, Beertje :-)
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): it have become tradition that I make these
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:54] herman Bergson: So....thank you all..you young of heart....
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): cu around
[13:54] herman Bergson: Class dismissed...:-)
[13:54] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): smiles
[13:54] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman
[13:54] CB Axel: Thank you, Herman.
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): interesting a always
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and fun
[13:55] herman Bergson: thank you bejiita :-)
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:55] CB Axel: I'll see you all Thursday.
[13:55] herman Bergson: Ok CB...
[13:55] SAHUD 10.0.34 BETA (WEAR ME!): Exit SIM: CB Axel
[13:55] bergfrau Apfelbaum: Thank you very much! herman and class :o)
No comments:
Post a Comment