Rounder---Longevity has more to do with indoor water closets and people taking our trash away than science. I concede that physicians (not scientists) discovered germs and the importance of sanitary practices. The same thing was said by Hippocrates circa 400 bc about the importance of cleanliness. ...the Bible also talks about the importance of good hygiene. I noticed your chart was only for western countries. Psalm 90 in the Bible said that men lived 70 to 80 yrs which is what actuaries say people live to these days. I don't doubt that bad diet, squalor, quackery and lax hygiene caused the early demise of many. But, there were still happy and healthy people who lived to old age; and they lived it in a cleaner more healthy environment. Proving that science is not necessary for people to be happy and healthy.
Technology and science are not the same thing. As to what science may be: to me science seems to mean different things to different people. It is not really a subject with a hard definition.
"Advent of science." about the time of Rene Descartes. Science and calculus was invented by Christian scholars (it used to be the only people who could read, write and do math were officers of the church or members of religious orders. The printing press was invented by a Christian scholar.) Sometime during the 1800's science became a military asset and the culture around it changed. The military believes in secrecy, deception, strict chain of command and winning at all cost. Science and scientists have lost their integrity; it went cheap and easy.
The most famous physician who ever lived was Hippocrates and he existed well before science and he was an effective physician by all accounts.
"Bully for you......" A disingenuous comment and you should be ashamed of yourself for resorting to such cheap shots. You just want to be hurtful. Do you have any aptitude for remorse?
I base my statement that science has reached a point of diminishing returns due to the fact that a lot of things that science seemed to promise when I was growing up in the 60's: space travel, people traveling by rocket pack, cure for cancer, artificial intelligence, lunar bases and many more things just haven't happened. But we have more clever gadgets. Bully for science!
Science hasn't helped the human condition: People are just as messed up as they ever were. We still have to deal with death, terror, despair and grief. Wars are certainly more dangerous and with the plethora of arms that our leaders have these days we are truly living under the sword of Damacles. Modern man is a neurotic, self destructive pervert. Science hasn't helped and may have caused harm.
I am not 'scornful' as you say! I am disgusted! I am not better than any man. I don't make fun of people or throw cheap shots at them. I treat people with respect. I do attack ideas and philosophies and groups of people and so do you!
I never asked for a computer or any of this modern stuff. I had nothing to say about any of it. I was born into this culture. Do you know what a technology trap is? You are in one so you might want to learn what it is.
"Triumph of technology" built by the military so they could have an easier time killing people and destroying things. I do not need the internet to be happy and healthy and neither does anyone else. But, I will use it. If I was in prison I would still eat the food and sleep in the bunk they gave me even if I didn't like the place...which I probably wouldn't. No my parents didn't have the internet. And somehow they got by just fine and had long fulfilling lives.
Got any more cheap shots for me. When the history of the world is written the biggest disappointment of the human race will be the promise of science.
Scientists are cheap. Einstein, Newton, whoever were/are not anything special. If they wouldn't have come up with their discoveries someone else would have.
Why shouldn't I argue with strangers on the internet? You are. You and I...just a couple of nobodies on the internet killing a little time. Have a good day!