Abstract

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I
Chapter  1
Chapter  2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Part II
Chapter 5
Chapter 6

Part III
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Part IV
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

DOES SCIENCE TRANSCEND CULTURE?

ABSTRACT

      This is a study of whether Science DOES transcend Culture naturally -- not whether it CAN do so.

      That Science can be adopted into any Culture is clear from modern history (as in China today). That Science did not automatically develop even when a Culture had reached a high level of technical achievement (as in ancient China) or intellectual sophistication (as in ancient Greece) is also clear from history. Evidently Science and Technology are not the same thing, for none of these high Cultures ever succeeded in crossing the threshold into an Industrial Revolution. Yet it did appear (much later in history) in Europe where Technology is not particularly remarkable, but Philosophy is.

      Research has shown that non-Indo-Europeans are highly inventive and responsible for all basic Technology, but are quite un-philosophical. While they do indeed have a philosophy of life, such World Views are not the same as Philosophy. On the other hand, Indo-Europeans are quite un-inventive but philosophically inclined. Thus neither Technology nor Philosophy alone is capable of producing Science. Only when Philosophy is applied to Technology does Science arise.

     To the question, Can Science transcend Culture, the answer would be unquestionably, Yes. To the question, Does Science transcend Culture, the answer apparently is, No. Science can transcend Culture but apparently it does not by nature do so. It thus appears to be an activity that is culturally conditioned -- since how we look at things and how we speak about things is shaped by our world view and by our language.

       This thesis examines the differences in World Views (which is not the same as Philosophy) and in Languages (and grammar which seem to predetermine thought patterns), and in Technology vs Science. By formulating precisely the relationships between Philosophy, Technology and Science, and the part which World View and Language play in these relationships, it is hoped to give some direction to the content of Education needed to train and equip Scientists and Technologists.

See also Vol. I of the Doorway Papers Series,   Noah's Three Sons

Publishing History:

Special thanks to Vincent Piotet who found this thesis very helpful and urged making it available, and thus scanned the thesis.