I couldn't help but get a nagging thought (I've oft had before).
To do what Shattuck suggests, we'd need a clean slate in terms of being enlightened communities, with certainty of intentions of others that if it's decided that certain knowledge is not pursued, no one will pursue it elsewhere, without the possibility of secret pursuits. Because history rhymes and human desire for power (and fame and riches), unless there is a global level community of sorts, it's not practical.
And this is the crux of it.
Just as we shouldn't ban books or ideas, the quality of the social fabric necessary to underpin a society mature enough to educate "correctly", and rehabilitate where necessary, is such as to make it seem (to me) unrealistic, given our current circumstances.
I wonder if our current predicament is sort off inevitable, and the science fiction part of me interprets the stories of old slightly differently, and wonders whether this is the first time we've reached this predicament as a species.
Civilizations rise and fall, the debate rages about why etc, but given the magnitude of the destructive potential at hand, I'd say it's possible to think in more macro terms at this time.
I'm not a doomsayer, just that, the ideas of good and evil knowledge, the idea that some things are best left alone and others need individuals to have corrective rehabilitation at hand if the cumulative effects lead them, for instance, towards psychopathy, all this presupposes a mature and extremely powerful enlightened hierarchical structure capable of imposing a will that's not tyrannical or biased by un-virtuous values and ends.
In our current mess, with the culture of state secrets, security agencies, technological ubiquity, a defacto social and economic credit system, a blind allegiance to capitalism and liberalism (that're never accurately defined or described), I just don't see a happy ending without passing through a time of intense suffering (and death).
A few synchronicities therein (for me): First, I'm getting through ever more of Walter Russell's brilliant (and enigmatic) writing and today I read quite a bit about the differences between true Knowledge, and what we generally consider as scientific knowledge. The first is more or less already within us because it is more or less the same as God, and the second (lower-case "k") knowledge is what scientists find or learn. Russell says that the latter really isn't even knowledge at all, but rather a series of memories. Well, it's a long story and makes more sense in the context of that long story. Plus you have to read it repeatedly, I'm sure, but it was noteworthy simply because of the timing of reading such similar words.
The main synchronicity involves Stanislaw Lem, though. I haven't thought about Lem for a long time -- although you and I might have exchanged a comment, perhaps? -- but quite literally immediately before reading your post, I had responded to someone in a Note who wondered if I had a recommendation or two for sci-fi. One of the authors I recommended was Stanislaw Lem!
The other synchronicity for me was from a previous comment to the same Note where I mentioned Carl Sagan's rather juvenile, but famous "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" claim. After wrapping up my comment, I immediately looked at another writer's new post and in the second paragraph or so, he too, mentions Sagan and the same quote (also disparagingly, which makes it even more synchronicity-y)!
You've mentioned synchronicity before as have I (I'm keeping a journal of these "events" for myself), but I've been wondering if other people have been experiencing more of these than usual? That's the case for me...unless I'm just noticing them more.
I quoted Lem a while back and I remember you mentioned it then also.
And speaking of science, did you see the review of Nikolai Kozyrev's ideas of time by Sasha Latypova. Never heard of him or his ideas before. Very interesting. She writes:
"The most profound implication of this model is that the World has absolute, objectively identifiable cause-effect relationships determined by the flow of time, all the way back to the prime Cause of everything."
Ooh, all so interesting! Yes, I think we’re in a major timeline convergence. I’ve heard of Kozyrev but have not read Latypova’s post on it. Russell speaks a great deal about time — a human concept to measure magnitude that is not a part of God. There was no beginning and there is no end. Something like that. Lots to consider in all cases.
I'm definitely going to read this book. It's a question I've often pondered, not because I'm a scientist, but because even in the most mundane life, not all truths are good to tell or discover.
Great review, makes me want to read the book 👍🏼
I couldn't help but get a nagging thought (I've oft had before).
To do what Shattuck suggests, we'd need a clean slate in terms of being enlightened communities, with certainty of intentions of others that if it's decided that certain knowledge is not pursued, no one will pursue it elsewhere, without the possibility of secret pursuits. Because history rhymes and human desire for power (and fame and riches), unless there is a global level community of sorts, it's not practical.
And this is the crux of it.
Just as we shouldn't ban books or ideas, the quality of the social fabric necessary to underpin a society mature enough to educate "correctly", and rehabilitate where necessary, is such as to make it seem (to me) unrealistic, given our current circumstances.
I wonder if our current predicament is sort off inevitable, and the science fiction part of me interprets the stories of old slightly differently, and wonders whether this is the first time we've reached this predicament as a species.
Civilizations rise and fall, the debate rages about why etc, but given the magnitude of the destructive potential at hand, I'd say it's possible to think in more macro terms at this time.
I'm not a doomsayer, just that, the ideas of good and evil knowledge, the idea that some things are best left alone and others need individuals to have corrective rehabilitation at hand if the cumulative effects lead them, for instance, towards psychopathy, all this presupposes a mature and extremely powerful enlightened hierarchical structure capable of imposing a will that's not tyrannical or biased by un-virtuous values and ends.
In our current mess, with the culture of state secrets, security agencies, technological ubiquity, a defacto social and economic credit system, a blind allegiance to capitalism and liberalism (that're never accurately defined or described), I just don't see a happy ending without passing through a time of intense suffering (and death).
Certainly there are hard times ahead, as L.A. is finding out, but I am still hopeful for a Great Awakening...that I think has begun.
So very interesting! Thanks for the book review.
A few synchronicities therein (for me): First, I'm getting through ever more of Walter Russell's brilliant (and enigmatic) writing and today I read quite a bit about the differences between true Knowledge, and what we generally consider as scientific knowledge. The first is more or less already within us because it is more or less the same as God, and the second (lower-case "k") knowledge is what scientists find or learn. Russell says that the latter really isn't even knowledge at all, but rather a series of memories. Well, it's a long story and makes more sense in the context of that long story. Plus you have to read it repeatedly, I'm sure, but it was noteworthy simply because of the timing of reading such similar words.
The main synchronicity involves Stanislaw Lem, though. I haven't thought about Lem for a long time -- although you and I might have exchanged a comment, perhaps? -- but quite literally immediately before reading your post, I had responded to someone in a Note who wondered if I had a recommendation or two for sci-fi. One of the authors I recommended was Stanislaw Lem!
The other synchronicity for me was from a previous comment to the same Note where I mentioned Carl Sagan's rather juvenile, but famous "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" claim. After wrapping up my comment, I immediately looked at another writer's new post and in the second paragraph or so, he too, mentions Sagan and the same quote (also disparagingly, which makes it even more synchronicity-y)!
You've mentioned synchronicity before as have I (I'm keeping a journal of these "events" for myself), but I've been wondering if other people have been experiencing more of these than usual? That's the case for me...unless I'm just noticing them more.
I quoted Lem a while back and I remember you mentioned it then also.
https://theinmate.substack.com/p/irreversible-evil-quotes-from-the
I will look up Russell....never heard of him.
And speaking of science, did you see the review of Nikolai Kozyrev's ideas of time by Sasha Latypova. Never heard of him or his ideas before. Very interesting. She writes:
"The most profound implication of this model is that the World has absolute, objectively identifiable cause-effect relationships determined by the flow of time, all the way back to the prime Cause of everything."
https://sashalatypova.substack.com/p/the-energy-of-time-nikolai-kozyrevs
Is a Great Awakening upon us? I hope so.
Ooh, all so interesting! Yes, I think we’re in a major timeline convergence. I’ve heard of Kozyrev but have not read Latypova’s post on it. Russell speaks a great deal about time — a human concept to measure magnitude that is not a part of God. There was no beginning and there is no end. Something like that. Lots to consider in all cases.
Sounds like an intriguing book to add to the future reading list.
I'm definitely going to read this book. It's a question I've often pondered, not because I'm a scientist, but because even in the most mundane life, not all truths are good to tell or discover.