[MD] Food for Thought

[craigerb at comcast.net]

[Arlo]
> At any rate, the intellectual patterns of "god" and "science", in addition to
> being rated by virtue of their openness to DQ on the intellectual level, could
> also be judged by how well they maintain balance on the socical level (between
> providing order AND keeping the door open for DQ). Here, again, we seem to see
> "god" as a lower-quality intellectual pattern because it causes not only
> intellectual stagnation but also social stagnation. Science, then, in addition
> to being criticizable for not recognizing morals on the intellectual level is
> also criticizable for its undermining of social patterns (not providing a
> harmonious balance on the social level). ("God", then, as an idea, overly
> restricts Dynamism on the social level, while "science", as an idea, overly
> destroys staticism on the social level.)

I realize that this paragraph is meant to be speculative, so I'll only briefly comment. 

> Science, then, [is] criticizable for not recognizing morals on the
> intellectual level

This seems like criticizing chess for not determining which opponent is the faster runner.  That's what a footrace does.

> Science...is also criticizable for its undermining of social patterns (not providing a
> harmonious balance on the social level).

Again, it seems that you're trying to get something different out of science (or out of truth) that it is meant to provide.  For instance, suppose science tells us that burning too much fossil fuel is creating global warming.  This information might undermine social patterns, but it can be used to create a more harmonious balance on the social level.
I see science as telling us:  if you do X then Y will (tend to) result.  It is a different investigation to tell if Y is good or not.

> "god" as a lower-quality intellectual pattern because it causes not only
> intellectual stagnation but also social stagnation..."God", then, as an idea, overly
> restricts Dynamism on the social level

Is it the idea of god or rather the belief in god (or actions based on a belief in god) that has this consequence?  

Craig