Re: [microsound] popular computer music : oxymoron?

["Timothy W. Duncan" <insite@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for your reply.

I agree with most of your argument. It is important to distinguish between
science as a discipline, its funders and those who apply it. However, even
as a discipline it is not above reproach. For example, there is a body of
scientific research that involves intrusive experimentation on living
animals. There are also branches of scientific research that practice the
collecting of animal 'samples' through hunting & killing live animals. I
personally believe that both of these practices are wrong, but they are
supported by the scientific establishment, not just corporations.

What corporations add to the mix are extreme inducements to go way beyond
just these practices. In a sense, even though as a discipline science is
relatively pure (I am thinking of the Scientific Method here) its inherent
limitations (for example science cannot predicate the existance of
consciousness) leave it open to abusive applications. Another way of saying
this is that the scientific community views ethical issues to be separate
from scientific issues. In the world we live in, I believe that this is a
serious flaw.

I apologize if I am seriously OT.

-- Tim


At 11:06 PM 5/18/00 -0400, you wrote:
>> << I think the jury is still out on liberation through science. It has
opened
>>  whole new cans of worms (genetically-engineered foods being one example
>>  that comes to mind) that sometimes are truly frightening. >>
>> Maybe I wasn't clear enough about the church of science being our
>> contemporary mental slave driver. Anyway, that's what I meant.
>
>there's a problem with your argument.  science loses because of who it's
>supported by.  multinationals are producing the genetically-engineered
>stuff; scientists only discovered its existence.
>
>if what you mean is that science should somehow be 'more connected' to
>the rest of the world, then you may be right.  but i don't see the point
>in blaming science for the idiocy of man.  currently, studies on
>genetically engineered food, tobacco poisoning, cell phone tumors &
>other nightmares are being investigated by... scientists (of the
>underfunded type, predictably) which still manage to come up with
>something to counter the assault; the problem lies in this very issue of
>funding.
>
>scientists are precious to society but sponsored research in critical
>fields must absolutely be done in the open.  if what you mean is that we
>currently trust the sponsors too much, then i'll agree with you.  i just
>wanted to make this distinction, being the picky type & stuff.
>
>~ david
>
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