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Looking to the past
So why do people still irrationally cling on to unproven beliefs? Richard turns to the origins of superstition in our past. He looks at our pre-disposition to seek pattern in the randomness of nature, a survival mechanism from our distant evolutionary past.He also explores how our ancestors imbued 'spiritual quality' to inanimate objects – and many people still do, including the New Age guru, Satish Kumar, who argues that a rock or a tree have intrinsic 'spirit'. Richard puts the case for reality that can be observed and tested – the objective wonders that science has revealed.
Once society exalted scientists as heroes. Their insights fuelled tangible progress, from clean water to networked computing, self-evident benefits that we now take for granted.
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Yet as science has moved on, it's become more complex and difficult to grasp. It's easier to portray scientists as the people who bring us 'Frankenstein food', pollute the environment or conduct sinister experiments on defenceless little animals. |
