Getting to Know Us

Since at least the dawn of history, human beings have been interested in their own origins and in the make-up of their world. Most cultures, for example, have "origins" stories in their religions and myths to explain what and who we are. But until what we call "science" gained a foothold, no explanation provided verifiable conclusions. Only with the advent of the scientific method and the ever-increasing knowledge gained through this method-came confidence that the universe and everything in it operates according to understandable laws, confidence, as well, that many questions once thought beyond human ken are answerable, perhaps even in our lifetimes. The word "science" derives from the Latin scientia: "knowledge." Specifically, it means knowledge about the natural world, of which we are all a part; yet, to a large degree, science is regarded as an isolated activity practiced by pale individuals boxed up in dull buildings. In fact, science is both a product and a determiner of culture. But although by now nearly all cultures have been affected by science, not all cultures produce science. Let's look at why science has flourished in some cultures and, in turn, has helped those cultures (including ours) Getting To Know Us