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https://www.parlia.com/o/if-new-scientific-findings-will-harm-cause-of

3 comments

Against
ILemmen5y ago
The truth needs to be heard. It will either be heard peacefully, or burn your house down (metaphorically) if you ignore it.
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Against
**Scientific findings = possibly [the closest we can get to objective knowledge] (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-objectivity/) about the world. They should never be suppressed.** - Social equality is a very worthy cause. It should be a societal aim because it [feeds into] (https://cubegroup.com.au/why-equality-and-fairness-matters/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_uQOEvMGH4i7nfd5WYOqQNGeH2F61gS0NlEVe0Q7FFs0-1629365499-0-gqNtZGzNAjujcnBszQjl) many positive aspects of human development. However - it's not a state we have achieved; it's an ideal that we can continually work towards. Dismantling closed-minded beliefs that form because of a lack of understanding of people who are different from you (the current working towards social equality) is different from the nature of scientific findings. - People even now will use cherry-picked elements of scientific findings to support their limited beliefs. That won't change. Social equality is more of a widespread societal endeavour. It's linked to [human rights] (https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/discrimination/); the idea that a governing system should have one set of laws for everyone, not different laws for different people. - Theoretically, findings that may harm the cause of social equality (i.e. that imply the objective superiority of one social group) can still exist within a society whose laws champion equal rights for everyone. This is especially the case in modern-day Western society, where many different elements of the human skillset, which vary from individual to individual, work together to help society function.
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Against
**Given the objectivity and impartiality of natural science, scientific researches by principle should not be suppressed, even if they may prove to be contrary to certain principles in society.** The merits and value of natural science are universally acknowledged. In antiquity, science is considered to be an integral part of philosophy ("natural philosophy" in Aristotle's own words) and various philosophers, until the scientific revolution in the 16-17th century, claimed to be scientists. Science alone has guided the footsteps of mankind's history and the enterprise represents the prowess of our intellect and our thirst for knowledge. Since science is concerned with the objective principles of reality, its findings and conclusions cannot be compromised. Given the rigorous process of its reasoning, science does not admit of any error and every theory from science can objectively model reality. Social equality, or other similar moral principles, are merely social constructs. They are, indeed, well-intentioned and they do serve the purpose of regulating order and promoting happiness in society. However, are people's feelings and happiness more important than objective and fundamental principles of nature? Can social constructs that we invented for ourselves override the gift of the universe? The truth can never be suppressed for the sake of some arbitrary societal construct.
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