From: scerir (scerir@libero.it)
Date: Sun Mar 24 2002 - 16:18:12 MST
[Amara Graps]
> The gist of my previous message was that I disagree on the
> view of technology being imposed on us 'from without'. Instead,
> technology imposed 'from within' gives us a human/transhuman-centric
> worldview to guide the directions of our growth with a system of
> checks and balances (our values, ethics) along with our own
> creativity and ingenuity, leaving room for wonderful surprises
> using our technological tools.
May we take as paradigmatic Aeschylus' 'pathei mathos'(learned by having
undergone, or by suffering comes our learning, or wisdom comes alone
through suffering) in the 'Agamemnon'???
In Aeschylus 'pathei mathos' gathers together the experiences of
all the protagonists in the 'Oresteia' with the possible exception
of Apollo and Athena (they too are subject to the plan of Zeus).
(But 'pathos', suffering, can also mean 'feeling'.)
Thus Greek culture dramatize the relationship between human suffering
and human achievement. Bentham, Adam Smith, Hans-Georg Gadamer make a
similar point, and Dostoevskj writes 'Suffering is the sole origin
of consciousness'. And John Keats interprets Aeschylus' phrase into
'Sorrow is wisdom'.
> Of course we need to discuss and plan for runaway disasters,
> but I think it hurts us to think and act as if technology controls
> us (i.e. that people must adapt to technology). That path only plays
> on fears.
Prometheus Unbound, greek myths, risks at:
www.who.int/disasters/repo/5869.doc
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