Reddit mentions of Ignorance: How It Drives Science

> 3rd: I wasn’t trying to be right or wrong. I just wanted some perspective on the way I think about the unknown. it seems that I’m more of a believer that what we don’t know could be anything while most people I’ve talked to think that what we don’t know will end up being nothing.

The unknown is precisely that: unknown. The reason I am an atheist and not a believer any longer is because of the assertion by religion that it knows answers it can't justify. Because of revelation, because of scripture, because of any number of excuses that followers give that don't actually translate to anything concrete. I don't know what people you've talked to who assume what we don't know will end up being nothing but they are most assuredly not scientists.

Here's some food for thought from actual scientists:

Imagination is more important than knowledge. -Albert Einstein

We know that what we do know about the universe comprises four percent of everything that drives it. - Neil deGrasse Tyson

Ignorance is what drives science. - Stuart Firestein

It is in the admission of ignorance and the admission of uncertainty that there is a hope for the continuous motion of human beings in some direction that doesn't get confined, permanently blocked, as it has so many times before in various periods in the history of man. - Richard Feynman

There's a good book about it:

​

https://www.amazon.com/Ignorance-Drives-Science-Stuart-Firestein/dp/0199828075

A good book that tackles the subject in an interesting manner is entitled "Ignorance: How it drives Science" , by Stuart Firestein.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0199828075?pc_redir=1404709311&robot_redir=1

He argues that pure research, without clear application to current practice, is required in future research. He is also largely against the hypothesis-driven model of setting research questions.

If you haven't heard of the book Ignorance: How It Drives Science, by Stuart Firestein, I recommend checking it out. It's a fairly short read that explores the idea that it's not really knowledge we are/should be looking for, but more questions (I mostly agree with this).

I've lost 2 replies due to the stupidness of the reddit app on my phone. Just wanted to say that as a soon to be teacher that I enjoyed your posts here.

This book is right up your alley if you haven't heard of it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0199828075?pc_redir=1406030988&robot_redir=1

I'll only ask you to re-read the artists work, and refer you to ignorance:how it drives science. Since you are so set on one being better than the other, take time to really consider the other position.

What scares me about this story (dare I say 'parable'), is the implicit understanding that it is socially and morally repugnant to seek out knowledge or to ponder the mysteries of the universe. Instead of encouraging spiritual growth and community involvement, the story celebrates shutting one's mind and one's heart to the world. The moral of the story is devoid of compassion towards others and the cheeky arrogance of this little blonde-haired brat comes across as horrifying rather than humorous.

But what is funny, and possibly ironic (or maybe just hypocritical?), is that the girl's display of religiosity is actually a modern example of idolatry in action. Here the reader is shamed (by a little girl, no less) into gathering around a shiny idol of Ignorance in order to praise the power of Not Knowing Shit. Personally, it's so sad to me that children are being raised to accept ignorance as God's Law instead of tackling it head on and making sense of the unknown.

On a related note, [Ignorance: How it Drives Science by Stuart Firestein] (http://www.amazon.com/Ignorance-Drives-Science-Stuart-Firestein/dp/0199828075) is an interesting read. The book describes how no respectable scientist revels in the darkness of ignorance. Instead, rational minds use the absence of understanding as a solid starting point for lifetimes of inquiry and research into everything and anything you could wonder about, even including poo.