FutureNatural?: A Future of Science Through The Lens of Wisdom

Abstract

Traditional science looks to the future as part of its brief. It is looking inevitably forward to the new, to the discovery not yet anticipated, to the experiment that will test out a new idea. FutureNatural is a book that expresses this desire, but in a wider context of culture and society.(1) While the idea of 'nature' has shifted over the millennia, science now seems to be playing a leading role in carving out the kind of future that we can expect for the natural world. This book raises the question: does 'nature' have intrinsic value or is it simply a cultural construct? How can we tell the difference between a 'nature' that is real and one that is illusory, given the technological interventions now possible in science? (2) In particular, the modern biotechnological processes of genetic engineering of life forms

The wise society: beyond the knowledge economy

“…According to Deane‐Drummond (1999) technology will continually increase possibilities. The world is becoming too complex:…democracy seems to have been, up to now, the best way to drive a country forward, but democracy is based on a “conscious consensus” of people, and the growing complexity of the problem to be faced (such as energy, pollution, waste water, and social problems) sometimes need unpopular answers.…”