Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Science

The fifth knowledge area of the Leibowitz Society is Science.  The area of Science is the theoretical companion to Civil Engineering, covering everything from Biology to Meteorology to Physics and Genetics. 

Science has the potential to be a controversial subject area at some point.  Scientism, the idea that science can provide all answers to life's questions, or is the ultimate authority in all areas, is really no more welcome as a worldview than is dogmatic religious fundamentalism.  As Einstein said, "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."  I think, in essence, what Einstein was attempting to say is that we cannot take a wholly irrational approach to matters, but that we also cannot take a singular approach to matters that also involve consideration beyond simple, objective analysis.  Obviously, we would not choose to consult a priest, rabbi, guru, etc, when it comes to particle physics, as these people do not normally study this field to any level of expertise.  At the same time, why would we consult a scientist on matters of philosophy, ethics, etc, when they also do not study these fields on a professional basis?

This aside, no one can look at the accomplishments and contributions of science to the development of the modern world, and the progress of humanity, and in turn argue that we should not study and preserve scientific materials with the intent of letting our descendants build on the works of our ancestors.  As always, suggestions on how to modify or improve this list are welcome.

Arithmetic (up to Algebra)
Mathematics (Algebra to Calculus)
Statistics
Alternate Mathematics (linear math, binary trees, decision matrixes)
Meteorology
Astronomy
Time, Including Basic Estimation
Measures of Distance, Weight, etc.
Electrical Theory
Chemistry
Physics 
Genetics
Ecology
Biology 
Species Classification
Geology
Psychology and Personality Typing

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