Does uncertainty fuel all of man's issues?

[dotcoma]

Do we impede our own advancement by creating explanations for uncertainties?

It seems everything we do in life is inspired by our uncertainty. You make yourself presentable for functions because you do not know what/who to expect. Some value religion perhaps because it fills the void of this uncertainty (why we are here, what happens when we die, etc).

With this concept in mind, do you think society would be stable without such explanations for the unexplainable? Could man live with major levels of uncertainty? How would we live? Would we be more adventurous? Would we invest more in exploration? Would we give up since our destinations and purposes would be unclear?

[MerlinsByte]

Do we impede our own advancement by creating explanations for uncertainties?

merlin writes...Our senses must give our brain the information to create an acceptable description of what we experience as life. This is called a paradigm or model of what we call reality. Our paradigms or our perception of reality changes with time, and the huge shifts of these world veiws or "acceptable realities" are obvious when examining history. So we must create explanations (describe our world and universe(s). "Explanations" are an asset and not usually an impediment, but can be a liability if a known untruth persists.

It seems everything we do in life is inspired by our uncertainty. You make yourself presentable for functions because you do not know what/who to expect.

Merlin writes...I don't usually change my self-presentation in dress or style unless I received an invitation like black T-shirt optional. I go to a non-denominational "Biker church," changed careers, from chemical engineer to Graphic designer and advertising so I wouldn't need to wear a uniform (suit tie, etc.). Well that was one reason another among others was that chem. eng. (research would be another story), was boring ,extremely so!

Some value religion perhaps because it fills the void of this uncertainty (why we are here, what happens when we die, etc.).

Merlin writes...I value religion because for me it is a much more logical choice than Evolution of the Species , or the universe coming from a Quantum zero point virtual energy fluctuation, or the other theories that are exposed today. My strength comes from the CERTAINTY of God vs. any uncertainty and statistically unlikely hypotheses that there is no intelligent design in the universe.

do you think society would be stable without such explanations for the unexplainable? Could man live with major levels of uncertainty? How would we live?

Merlin writes...I think without religious ideals (love) society would not exist, as we know it today. Religion and their priest's astrologers were the first scientists and their quest for God created science as we know and love it today. Man does live with massive uncertainty today, science has made sure of that fact. Examples are we going to destroy ourselves with bio toxins or nuclear weapons? What to do with our own nuclear biohazard and other toxic wastes? Etc. Science could give utopia and us but instead ,driven by money, greed and secular desires, has given us most of the uncertainty we have today.

Would we be more adventurous? Would we invest more in exploration? Would we give up since our destinations and purposes would be unclear?

Merlin writes...I hope we retrieve the testis that we have lost in the last 35 or so years. Replace the uncertainty with courage and get manned space exploration going again! We are already are a boring race of creatures, going round and round the earth in the space station using an obsolete launcher (the space shuttle) and sending a robot to do a mans job. It (our unwiliness and lack of a national or money motive to explore) literately sucks!
The question of "are we alone" or the search for god and truth (knowledge) may be the only pure reason to explore. Do we have the desire? I think not! Thats the reason we still are sitting on our collective earthbound baboon asses!

Would we give up since our destinations and purposes would be unclear?

Merlin writes...I feel if we could rid ourselves of fear of the unknown our race could realize its true potential and may if we do not kill ourselves by ignorance first. Our destiney is as clear as the stars in a winter midnite sky.I pray that we may accomplish our destiny, which is in the "other worlds suns" and beyond.

mb

[Gorgo]

The problem isn't uncertainty, but that we think that if we make the wrong choice, there is something fundamentally wrong with us or we think that having THE ANSWER give us worth.