I would love to see a Science Tree. I really would. And off it could be hung decorations of all the wonderful things that science has brought, from glasses to the wheel to vaccines, and on and on.
Perhaps on the night before Science Day, there might be a ceremony where the troubles brought by science were recognised, and then on Science Day, baubles standing for, perhaps, germ warfare might be replaced by those representing medical advances, and so on.
Just a thought. I was always appalled by that Sting lyric about never having seen a miracle of science that didn't end up in something worse. With friends like these ...
And to think he was once a school teacher! (Personally, I never forgave him that lyric about hoping the Russians love their children too...)
What a lovely idea for a Science Tree ceremony. There are times I wish we had such things, but I'd hate to give any ammunition to the standard creationist argument that "science is just another religion too." If we gave ourselves the comfort of ritual, we run the risk of the ritual ossifying into rote meaninglessness, like the Scientific People in The Stars My Destination (or Tiger! Tiger! as you may know it) and before you knew it we'd be running around wishing each other a "Quant Suff!" for the holidays. Maybe it's best if each of us makes our own Science Tree. And may it have plenty of room kept open for all the decorations yet to come.
I would love to see a Science Tree. I really would. And off it could be hung decorations of all the wonderful things that science has brought, from glasses to the wheel to vaccines, and on and on.
ReplyDeletePerhaps on the night before Science Day, there might be a ceremony where the troubles brought by science were recognised, and then on Science Day, baubles standing for, perhaps, germ warfare might be replaced by those representing medical advances, and so on.
Just a thought. I was always appalled by that Sting lyric about never having seen a miracle of science that didn't end up in something worse. With friends like these ...
And to think he was once a school teacher! (Personally, I never forgave him that lyric about hoping the Russians love their children too...)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea for a Science Tree ceremony. There are times I wish we had such things, but I'd hate to give any ammunition to the standard creationist argument that "science is just another religion too." If we gave ourselves the comfort of ritual, we run the risk of the ritual ossifying into rote meaninglessness, like the Scientific People in The Stars My Destination (or Tiger! Tiger! as you may know it) and before you knew it we'd be running around wishing each other a "Quant Suff!" for the holidays. Maybe it's best if each of us makes our own Science Tree. And may it have plenty of room kept open for all the decorations yet to come.
See, what I don't forgive is him ripping off the tune to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" for it...
ReplyDeleteAha! Full circle!