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 31
Sivu 9
... social and cultural expectations . Little published research exists on the genetic patterns of knowledge seeking behavior , but this will be a rich area for future investigation — just as traits such as risk taking are now being ...
... social and cultural expectations . Little published research exists on the genetic patterns of knowledge seeking behavior , but this will be a rich area for future investigation — just as traits such as risk taking are now being ...
Sivu 11
... social , or intrapsychic , the price paid is serious — from a multitude of various physical illnesses to the high percentage of deaths by anorexia nervosa . Obesity is common in cer- tain parts of the world with an estimated sixty ...
... social , or intrapsychic , the price paid is serious — from a multitude of various physical illnesses to the high percentage of deaths by anorexia nervosa . Obesity is common in cer- tain parts of the world with an estimated sixty ...
Sivu 12
... social development in order to have a strong , healthy Knowledge Drive ? Must a person meet his or her needs for food , shelter , sexuality , procreation , and social relationships before the Knowledge Drive can come to the fore ? In ...
... social development in order to have a strong , healthy Knowledge Drive ? Must a person meet his or her needs for food , shelter , sexuality , procreation , and social relationships before the Knowledge Drive can come to the fore ? In ...
Sivu 14
... social ills of the world is a legitimate view ; to confuse this with the progress of knowledge is absurd . To argue that knowledge is not progressing because of the African or Middle Eastern conflicts misses the point . There is nothing ...
... social ills of the world is a legitimate view ; to confuse this with the progress of knowledge is absurd . To argue that knowledge is not progressing because of the African or Middle Eastern conflicts misses the point . There is nothing ...
Sivu 18
... social causes , feeling this agenda ( if they think about it at all ) pales by comparison with the great quest for understanding . But to protect their image or to obtain research funding , they pay lip service to the shrine of altruism ...
... social causes , feeling this agenda ( if they think about it at all ) pales by comparison with the great quest for understanding . But to protect their image or to obtain research funding , they pay lip service to the shrine of altruism ...
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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Yleiset termit ja lausekkeet
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