Science and Social Science in the Corona Virus


News items often talk of the need for more young people to enter the sciences, "math and science." It is as if all progress requires more math and science. The truth is some of our greatest issues involve the social sciences and are not helped by math and science.

The myths, grievances and misunderstands that cause wars come to mind first. In retrospect, it seems like many wars would have been prevented if humans understood each other and themselves better.

Diseases are another. The current disease is said to have started because of myths that meat and bones of certain wild animals is the secret to strength and health. This was the source, according to current information, for the corona virus. There are countless myths like this all over the world. Science by itself cannot solve some problems.

I remember one of my first courses in college as a young adult majoring in agriculture. The course was about what I would call the sociology of agriculture, though is was not in the sociology department but in the college of agriculture. Later this branch became know as rural sociology. The course was about resistance of farm families to new agricultural technology. New technology was considered very desirable back then, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. The goal of the course was to study why some farmers resisted these modern ideas. Leaders back then recognized that without knowing what was going on in the culture better science would die unused.

While it has turned out not all these agricultural ideas were great, the importance of social sciences remains. It this case we need to understand what norms and behaviors result in diseases or the spread of diseases. Why is it some groups cannot tolerate social separation and others can? Why is it so difficult politically to fund emergency preparations so when outbreaks like this one occur we have a fighting chance?

Comments

  1. JosephApril 2, 2020 at 7:29 PM

    Answer to first question. I think in a global chastisement such as this, it needs to be broken down even further from groups to each individual. When groups are forced to separate and be in more of a self isolation situation, in that time of silence they may be able to hear or feel comfort from the Lord in that still, quiet, peaceful self isolation. Or at the same time some may not be able to tolerate it as much if the evil one is able to win them over with the fear of death. Answer to 2nd question. In such an unprecedented time as this, it is new territory for both political parties, so this could be a learning time for future world chastisements as far as how to politically fund an emergency of this magnitude. It seems as if so far both sides are doing the best they can, whether it will be enough to give us a fighting chance is yet to be determined in my mind, but will at least give us a gauge for if it happens again in another 100 years or 5 years, ect.

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