Topics Truth

Question Is it conceivable that there are truths about science, nature or the universe that we are better off not knowing? What might some such truths be?

Accepted:
June 21, 2012

Comments

There have recently been psychological studies showing that people tend to have somewhat inflated views about themselves in terms of their own attractiveness. Those whose self-images most closely mathced other people's actual assessments of them tended to be depressed. So that is one example.

Another comes from Greek mythology (see Aeschylus's Agamemnon from his trilogy, the Oresteia). Cassandra seduced Apollo, and promised to have sex with him if he gave her the gift of prophesy. He agreed and gave her that gift, but then she reneged on heer part of the deal. So Apollo added the curse that no one would ever believe Cassandra's prophesies. Cassandra "sees" that she (and her captor, Agamemnon) are about to be mercilessly slaughtered in his home. But there's nothing she can do about it, and no one will listen to her when she wails out her terrors...

There's an old blues song that goes, "Nobody loves me but my mama...but she may be jivin', too." So there's another option for you!

Question Is it conceivable that there are truths about science, nature or the universe that we are better off not knowing? What might some such truths be? Accepted:June 21, 2012

Question Is it conceivable that there are truths about science, nature or the universe that we are better off not knowing? What might some such truths be?

Accepted:
June 21, 2012