Discoveries and ideas, theoretical, philosophical and scientific advances, from the age of the industrial revolution throughout the twentieth century have brought mankind to a new and more rational understanding of the universe: a fact-based perception of the world and the development of the human species. These advances have refuted ancient beliefs passed down in scripture and religious tradition. Is it a coincidence that war and wanton slaughter are the legacy of this era? Cruelty and hatred on an unprecedented scale, assisted by modern advances in the science of murder, took the lives of at least one hundred sixty million people in the twentieth century, creating abject, world-wide misery. What has rationality done to improve the humane-ness of humans?
This is not to say that science and technology are without great benefits. As many lives have been saved, and humanitarian progress has been improved certainly. But it is clear that now we are awakening from the delusion that science has all the answers. Now the most important question is this: what organizing principles of life, what humanitarian values will we cherish and share, preach and promote? What will be our new religion?
Nick Hilton - Reflections 