People confusing science with religion.

Western Culture Built Modern Science

by Lewis Loflin


A Facebook friend Gavin Kanowitz compiled a list of "25 Greatest Ideas/Developments in the History of Civilization". Here I'm interested in the inter-relationship of the steps leading to our modern society. More critical is what leads to success. Talent and innovation depend on a particular cultural and political climate.

For the past 300 years, nearly every technological and scientific invention advancement was a product of Western culture. Even today, non-western nations and cultures can only innovate on a small scale. They are dysfunctional and often impoverished.

Muslim nations create nothing technical or scientific. Due to tribalism, lack of freedom, and religious fundamentalism, Muslim culture is a failure. Innovation and advancement are impossible. Most want technology, in particular, weapons and medicine. They reject the culture that makes it possible to create their own.

Israel invents advanced technology-innovation in many fields. They are a free western nation with a culture that makes this possible.

Communist nations such as China resort to technology transfers and theft, while Japan, a free western country, innovates. When people think of China, they think of its eastern coast, not the vast 3rd world interior. Compare China to Taiwan. Or North Korea to South Korea.

Latin America invents little to nothing. Their nations are poor and unstable. The problem is Latin American culture and socialism. The same problem with Africa, be it Islam, violence, tribalism, or socialism.

Spare me any of this racial nonsense. Argentina is more "white" than many U.S. states but suffers constant economic chaos and political instability. Like much of Latin America, they have resources and talent, yet they are still dysfunctional.

This shows up in their low living standards, oppressive governments, and widespread crime and violence.

There is no reason most Latin American nations couldn't have a standard of living similar to Portugal or Spain.

The Left went bat crazy when President Trump allegedly referred to other nations as "####holes." He was exactly correct. That is why many of their citizens want to come here.

But back in the 19th Century and early 20th Century, many areas of Europe and parts of the U.S. were also "####holes."

Here, I will take Gavin's 25 Ideas and, regroup them, add a few. The process leading to success hinges on a culmination of its cultural parts. If any are missing, the whole system can come crashing down.

Related:



1. The Development of Language.

2. The Agricultural Revolution

3. Development of Writing

4a. Birth of Mathematics

5. The Invention of the Wheel - Transportation Revolution

The first 5 are universal. Their origins are shrouded in the past. They laid the foundation for all further technical advancements.

The agricultural revolution led to cities, cities to more complex needs. Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece pioneered mathematics in the West. India and China did as well in the East.



6. Greek Logic Based Philosophy

7. Judeo-Christian Ethics Revolution

8. Human Rights

6-8 are closely interrelated. Greek Philosophy gave us the concepts of reason, etc. A fusion of Greek Philosophy and Judaism gave us Judeo-Christian Ethics. From there came the idea of universal human rights.

Yet there were problems. Greece gave us the concept of democracy. But it was local and excluded non-citizens of the polis, women, and enslaved people. "Rights" were group rights within the selected group.

The rights of Christians didn't extend to Jews or pagans. Muslim rights didn't extend to Christians or Jews. Certainly not to enslaved people or women with any of them.

This was identity politics based on religion. Religious violence against non-believers and heretics within their ranks was swift.

Human rights are group rights. They extend to humanity as a whole or groups. Collective rights often stand in opposition to genuine individual rights.

9. Age of Reason

The Age of Reason (the 1600s), Renaissance, and the Protestant Reformation in the West broke the power of authoritarian religion.

Learning and literacy spread. The Bible, translated into local languages, broke the power of centralized clergy. Church power declined as the Greek language, and classical learning revived. Calvinism, in particular (Judaism already did), pushed universal education to educate the masses on Scripture.

Christianity and Judaism performed an excellent service in demystifying Nature. This aspect set up the rise of reason over pantheistic, earth-centered mysticism.

10. Development of the Printing Press

None of this could have happened without the printing press. The widespread printing of books broke the power of religious tyranny and kings. Knowledge is always the enemy of tyranny.

The next 7 evolved together and in parallel. The next 11-14 were a revolution in political thought. None of these can stand alone. All four must work together.

Most Latin American, Muslim, African, and communist-socialist governments lack one or all of these.

Latin America fails because none of these four functions exists. Free enterprise is often crony capitalism or hobbled by the government. Corruption undermines the Rule of Law. Individual rights can't exist in chaos.

They say rich people can buy power. Others use power to get rich. There is a massive difference in outcome for society.

America, Britain, and Holland led the way on 11-14. All were predominately Protestant. The Protestant Ethic grew form the Judeo-Christian Ethic.

11. Representative Government

12. Rule of Law

13. Individual Rights, liberty

14. Free Enterprise

With a more rational government and the rise of liberty, 15-17 blossomed. Judaism-Christianity demystified Nature.

Greek philosophy, in particular, Aristotle laid the foundation of science. Nature became a great machine understood through observation and mathematics.

Empiricism is the basis of modern science. It separated science from philosophy and speculation. Claims must be testable in the real world. Computer models do not replace actual world data.

This is under assault with the rise of Nature centered superstition.

15. Birth of Modern Applied Mathematics

15. The Discovery of the Scientific Method - Empiricism

17. Newtonian Mechanics

The technology today would have been impossible without the above. Individual liberty, free exchange of ideas, and building on past achievements laid the foundation for discovery.

The 18th Century Enlightenment placed the highest priority on human reason.

Postmodernism is a direct attack on reason. The rise of Nature-centered spiritualism combined with socialism directly rejects science, liberty, and free enterprise.

18. Mechanization

19. Harnessing of Electrical Energy

20. Atomic Theory

21. Science of Germ Theory/Modern Medicine

22. Evolutionary Theory

23. Heavier-than-air flight

24. Harnessing of Nuclear Energy

25. Development of the Transistor

26. Invention of Fiber Optics

27. Internet

Modern technological advances are held in fear and mistrust. Some see bioengineering, G.M.Os, nuclear power, vaccines, etc., as assaults on Nature or tools of greedy capitalists.

Billions of dollars are squandered on organic food for no proven value over non-organic. Home remedies replace modern medicine.

Millions attack the very things they benefit from every day. They see it as somehow evil. They need to grow up.


Lewis Frog www.lloflin.com

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