The Knowledge Drive: Confronting Mythological BeliefsDog Ear Publishing, 2008 - 252 sivua The Knowledge Drive is an optimistic book that demonstrates how new, more accurate information conveys survival value and inevitably supplants our dysfunctional mythological beliefs. Before there was time for the accumulation of knowledge, early man created legends and religious myths to "understand" the world and ease the paralyzing awareness of his own mortality and the fear of natural forces beyond his control. We are increasingly aware of how these magical beliefs can lead to divisive religious practices, violence, and mans' continuing inhumanity to fellow man. Change is clearly needed. Now, rapid advances in many fields are giving us the techniques to modify our evolution and curtail our virulence. We can establish a more universal, equitable morality based on more accurate intelligence about our origins and place in the universe. Nevertheless, it is up to us as a species to choose our own future directions. We are thus in charge of our own destiny, a threatening thought to many. No prayers or appeals to magical forces will help. Dr. Bardon analyzes how our quest for knowledge is a basic human drive similar to the sex and nourishment drives. It arises from our survival instinct and is not based on moral or altruistic factors. Along with establishing knowledge as a source of power, the author discusses the Knowledge Drive from many other perspectives: its various motivations; the fact that it can be used for many purposes, even destructive ones; how it learns from adversity; how it often exacerbates inequality; and how it does not solve social problems unless given the necessary direction. Dr. Bardon looks at the multiple forces aligned against our efforts to obtain more reliable information. He shows how the Knowledge Drive not only triumphs over but also learns from these negative elements. Warnings about the fragility of our search for knowledge are misguided-it is rather the people mired in mythology who are vulnerable and need our compassion. |
Kirjan sisältä
Tulokset 1 - 5 kokonaismäärästä 33
Sivu 16
... drug - resistant tuberculosis is a looming threat . The HIV / AIDS epidemic is increasingly concentrated in poorer countries . UN figures show that in 2006 , more than two million 16 THE KNOWLEDGE DRIVE : CONFRONTING MYTHOLOGICAL BELIEFS.
... drug - resistant tuberculosis is a looming threat . The HIV / AIDS epidemic is increasingly concentrated in poorer countries . UN figures show that in 2006 , more than two million 16 THE KNOWLEDGE DRIVE : CONFRONTING MYTHOLOGICAL BELIEFS.
Sivu 17
... increasingly dramatic and adventurous areas , improvement in simpler international public health measures , that would benefit far greater num- bers , languish . ( The Gates Foundation , with the recent addition of Warren Buffet's ...
... increasingly dramatic and adventurous areas , improvement in simpler international public health measures , that would benefit far greater num- bers , languish . ( The Gates Foundation , with the recent addition of Warren Buffet's ...
Sivu 23
... increasingly becoming an international group affair . The era of monumental individual discoveries is giving way to larger scale projects , involving a substantial number of researchers and huge resources . A few may have the nuclear ...
... increasingly becoming an international group affair . The era of monumental individual discoveries is giving way to larger scale projects , involving a substantial number of researchers and huge resources . A few may have the nuclear ...
Sivu 47
... increasingly realize the importance of these complex chemicals . They control neuron signal transmission and are thus involved in all dimensions of thinking , mood , and behavior . The more we investigate , the more details emerge ...
... increasingly realize the importance of these complex chemicals . They control neuron signal transmission and are thus involved in all dimensions of thinking , mood , and behavior . The more we investigate , the more details emerge ...
Sivu 59
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Sisältö
1 | |
35 | |
Chapter 4 | 55 |
Chapter 5 | 92 |
Chapter 8 | 106 |
Chapter 9 | 120 |
Chapter 10 | 133 |
Chapter 11 | 150 |
Chapter 12 | 161 |
Chapter 13 | 169 |
Chapter 16 | 221 |
Index | 237 |
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ability areas basic become behavior body Boorstin Carl Sagan cells ceremonies clone humans concept continue created creative culture death Demon-Haunted World desire discover discovery disease divine drugs Earth edge embryos End of Faith environment evil evolution evolutionary fear forces functioning future genes genetic God Delusion gods groups growth of knowledge Human Cloning Ibid illness immortality increasing increasingly India individuals investigation knowl Knowledge Drive knowledge growth Listening to Prozac live magical magical thinking medicine modern modify moral motivated mysteries mythological beliefs mythology myths nations Natural Selection nature neurotransmitters Newsweek paranormal patients planet population potential prayer problems progress psychiatric religion religious Richard Dawkins ritual sacrifice Sagan Sam Harris schizophrenia scientific scientists search for knowledge Section seek sexual social society space spirits Sun Chief survival techniques Thalidomide tion understanding University Press York