Why has Stephen Hawking just predicted science will destroy the planet?

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   Oztinatoposted 9 years ago

   Why has Stephen Hawking just predicted science will destroy the planet?
   
   Hawking has just clearly blamed science for the inevitable future destruction of the world. He hasn't blamed religion. Is this because science has provided the weapons and the pollution? Why would such an eminent scientist blame science in this catastrophic way?

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   Discordzrocksposted 9 years ago

   Because he is strange and knows things we dont. Bum Bum Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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      Oztinatoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      (In jerry lewis voice) I agree Mr science poisen..with the hey and the herr and the hoi....

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3. 65

   VerityPriceposted 9 years ago

   He isn't blaming science, he didn't say "Stop teaching science because the Order of Science is amassing its minions and spreading its agenda."
   
   He used science to show that humans are going to destroy the planet.
   He used nuclear war and global warming as proof of this. Yes these are technically both results of advancing technology due to scientific progress, but they are more due to the attitude of human beings towards this planet.
   
   Hawking also explicitly blamed the "careless hubris of the ruling elites and their tendency to act in favor of profit". Here he is talking about the corporate fat-cats that will slap 'eco-friendly' on a package despite that fact that it's been flown in from China, where it was made by 8 year old orphans.
   
   If you think of Science as a tool, he didn't blame the tool: he blamed the people using them. For example, you wouldn't blame a hammer for knocking a hole in your wall, you would blame the person who swung it. A lot of scientists (like Stephen Hawking) are theoretical scientists. That means that they discover new things, they do not get to decide how their discoveries are used.
   
   I think that Stephen feels as though once upon a time science used to be purely about knowledge and advancing quality of life, but now huge corporations will pay a team of researchers more money than the opposition to not publish data. Instead of being for the benefit of the whole of mankind, scientific advancements are being used primarily by the highest bidder.
   
   You can't blame science for this. You can't blame scientists for this. You have to blame the people who sit on top of the ladder and do everything in their power tot make sure that the system never changes.

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      Michaela Osieckiposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      That's referred to as Scientism, this dogmatic belief that science can produce nothing morally wrong; and it's a disease to humanity.

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   2. 77

      Oztinatoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Michaela
      I agree. There is an arrogant presumption that science is infallible.

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   LoliHeyposted 9 years ago

   Stephen Hawking needs Jesus Christ more than ever.  I pray he come to know the Lord.

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      Discordzrocksposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      me to
      signed, zoidberg

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