Scientific Idol Worship

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday break - I know that I did! I was blessed by a friend who reminded me that we are called to give thanks in all things (not for all things). That means that no matter how "good" or "bad" things are at the moment, giving thanks during the journey is critically important to how we move our way through the situations we face. Really good reminder and an interesting seque into our topic for today. Mahatma Gandhi came up with Seven Deadly Social Sins - we are on the sixth "Science Without Humanity". What does it mean to have, or to practice, science without humanity? Isn't scientific exploration all about bettering the human condition and solving the insolvable problems that confront us? Look at the tremendous beenfit that Science has brought to this planet. Human lives are saved everyday through the result of scientific experiments and discoveries. Humans are living longer and better, crops grow better and are more fruitful, buildings are safer, water is cleaner, new labor saving devices are continually developed and brought to market, diseases common just a few generations ago are all but eliminated from the Earth. It's hard to argue that the contribution of Science to the world has been anything but transformational. Gandhi died before most of the scientific discoveries of the last 60 years. He did live to see the horror of atomic weapons realized and utilized. He knew of poison gas and other human atrocities - of concentration camps and genocide. He witnessed two world wars and the associated growth to dominance of the military-industrial complex. I think that this is what he meant when he saw science without humanity - the exploration of science that lead to discoveries which were then used against other humans for political gain. I wonder how he would view the discovery of DNA, the human genome project, test tube babies, cloned sheep, artificial intelligence, designer crops....? We set ourselves up for idol worship when we take a good thing (e.g., earning money) and make it an ultimate thing (making earning money the only thing we work for). I am a highly trained scientist who worshipped at the idol of the scientific method for many years. I was convinced that science could and would answer all the unanswered questions - it was just a matter of time. Then I began to work in intesive care units where technology and "life saving" devices were employed and deployed to "save" people who were critically ill and/or injured. I saw and participated in the application of science, often without regard to the humanity of the situation. I now realize that it is inhuman (or inhumane) to apply technology where there is no reasonable hope for a return to functioning humanity. I have helped to create hundreds if not thousands of "living dead", those who are fed and watered artificially and require turning every 2 hours to prevent the development of bed sores. One man's journey through the application of science without humanity - science without dignity for human life and the reality of human death. It is a burden that I struggle to balance and to justify. Pursuing scientific answers to human questions is still a large part of my life. However, I inform my science with a broader view of how I'm called to love my neighbor as myself. In this way, I'm continually in dialogue with myself and others regarding how new chemicals and technologies will actually benefit people. The mantra in Medicine of "first do no harm" is one we would do well to apply across the spectrum of Science - "designer" tomatoes may not seem a bad idea on the surface, but when viewed with a more loving eye, the risks come further into view. This is what drove me to create "Possibilities Journey, Inc", a 501c3 public charity dedicated to re-engaging faith communities in health care and public health. Without the doctrine of selfless love and the development of healthy communities, we are quite possibly doomed to live with science without humanity. Something to consider as we come to another Holiday season. Peace for the journey, Dan