First of all, it seems like the mechanisms for this happening are different for science. One rarely sees scientific ideas spread by conquest, or by the kind of social pressure brought to bear by religions. Nobody gets told by their mother to believe Newton’s Laws every week at college in the way they might be told to go to Mass.
Second, everyone is (according to religion) supposed to believe in and live by religion, whether they are educated or not. I’d have greater expectations that beliefs associated with education are geographically limited.
One rarely sees scientific ideas spread by conquest
Except when a more-scientific society kicks the hell out of the less-scientific society and takes it over (or, maybe, just takes over its land and women). Science is very helpful for building weapons.
Try being openly creationist at a major university, you’ll quickly discover the kind of social pressure science can bring to bear.
There were several people in my physics phd program who were openly creationist, and they were politely left alone. I don’t know of an environment more science-filled, and honestly I’ve never known a higher density of creationists.
The spread of scientific ideas from Europe was almost entirely by conquest.
Only in a very literal sense. Nobody said “let’s conquer everyone in order to spread the atomic of theory of matter” and once they conquered they didn’t execute people who didn’t believe in atoms or decide that people who don’t believe in atoms are not permitted to testify in court.
Try being openly creationist at a major university, you’ll quickly discover the kind of social pressure science can bring to bear.
That’s not the same kind of social pressure. I’m referring to one’s personal life, not one’s professional life.
The question dealt with beliefs. Brushing one’s teeth (or going to a doctor instead of a healer) is an action. Going to Mass is technically an action, but its primary effect is to instill a belief system in the child.
First of all, it seems like the mechanisms for this happening are different for science. One rarely sees scientific ideas spread by conquest, or by the kind of social pressure brought to bear by religions. Nobody gets told by their mother to believe Newton’s Laws every week at college in the way they might be told to go to Mass.
Second, everyone is (according to religion) supposed to believe in and live by religion, whether they are educated or not. I’d have greater expectations that beliefs associated with education are geographically limited.
Except when a more-scientific society kicks the hell out of the less-scientific society and takes it over (or, maybe, just takes over its land and women). Science is very helpful for building weapons.
In those situations, though, the conquering force usually makes a point to avoid letting their core scientific insights spread, lest the tables turn.
Only if the conquered society survives. Often it doesn’t—look at what happened in the Americas.
That seems like a subset, not an exception. A conquered society which doesn’t survive is certainly not going to be adopting higher-tech weapons.
Well that didn’t stop Japan from getting western advisers to help with it’s modernization after Perry opened it.
Interestingly,
Science =/= technology. Profoundly anti scientific movements can make their point using tech. .bought on the open market.
The spread of scientific ideas from Europe was almost entirely by conquest.
Try being openly creationist at a major university, you’ll quickly discover the kind of social pressure science can bring to bear.
Although they might get told to go to the doctor and not the New Age healer.
There were several people in my physics phd program who were openly creationist, and they were politely left alone. I don’t know of an environment more science-filled, and honestly I’ve never known a higher density of creationists.
Only in a very literal sense. Nobody said “let’s conquer everyone in order to spread the atomic of theory of matter” and once they conquered they didn’t execute people who didn’t believe in atoms or decide that people who don’t believe in atoms are not permitted to testify in court.
That’s not the same kind of social pressure. I’m referring to one’s personal life, not one’s professional life.
Where do you draw the line, though ? Kids also get told to brush their teeth and to never play in traffic...
Ask Jiro, I’m not convinced a line exists.
The question dealt with beliefs. Brushing one’s teeth (or going to a doctor instead of a healer) is an action. Going to Mass is technically an action, but its primary effect is to instill a belief system in the child.