Destiny and Civilization 

questions . . . answers:

 1.    What causes civilizations (or "cultures") to rise and flourish, then "fall" and disappear? 

 2.    If we evolved through millions of years of evolution as group-living primates, our whole social instinctive makeup is geared to us living only in small groups.  What did we do that has enabled us to adapt to living in massive sized groups calledl "nations" ---even in mega-nation size groups/societies such as "The West," Islam, the Hindu world and of East Asian Marxism? 

3.    Can the meaning of key science terms such as "religion," "society," "culture," and "truth" be determined by the context in which the author uses it?

4.    What enabled the about 40,000 BC "Cro-Magnon" explosion of human cultural development to begin after we had by then`only experienced 155,000 years of  the same slow cultural change pace of the Neanderthal?

5.    What common belief do Free Thinkers have that has the potential to bond them into a common group and provide them with the unity they need (and now lack!) to forge into a  much-needed world-changing force?  

6.    Is there a way to make social science theory really objective?  Is it possible?

7.    With human over-population pressing down on the Earth's diminishing resources and human religious differences pitting us against each other too obtain them, might the "Atomic Clock" be closing in on "midnight?"

8.    Does science achieve "the Truth" or just improve the accuracy of what we believe?

9.    If "society" were to be defined as a mass of people with a distinct territory bonded together by a  mainstream  ideological system that binds them into their society, what enables these ideologies to endure for milleniums---to survive even after their "truths" have come to be seen only as mere myths?

10. Is the function of the social sciences to collect human social data?  Is it frivolous to draw generalizations from the properly interpreted data? 

ATHEISTIC SCIENCE ANSWERS:

one     ---    In the book, a "civilization" is defined as a mainstream biological-like entitiy that results when people are bound into it by having a common world-view and way-of-thinking, one that is advanced and successful enough that the civilization can enlarge its territory.  The book then shows the natural selection process which each civilization undergoes and which causes them to follow a life-like cycle.  Many centuries later the civilization's world-view system grows old and begins to divide.  This weakens its ability to bind its people together with the same sense of community.  Because we evolved as small-group primates, the people begin to feel increasing levels of stress.    

Finally, the old world-view and way-of-thinking system or "religion" is replaced with a new and more advanced (less inaccurate)  new belief system, one  that becomes "the wave of the future." Now in modern times, such a new world-view would have to be non-"spirit" based.

two     ---    It would be impossible for vast numbers of us to live together if we were not bound together by similar world-view and way-of-thinking systems---such as our secular belief system.  This is because we evolved as small-group primates over millions of years.  (pages 14-16)

three  ---    Key terms must have only one meaning. in science. The more meanings given to key terms, the more confusing, inaccurate and subjective is the "science" using them. (Appendix  item #5, page 302)

four    ---    By 40,000 years ago, we had acquired the ability to bond into groups larger than the hunting-gathering groups we had evolved in.  We managed to evolve socially (social evolution) by acquiring the ability to build elaborate world-view belief systems in common. (pages 6-7)

five     ---    Free thinkers have the belief that everything is ultimately explainable by natural cause and effect..   This is the base upon which any new world-view system must be built. (pages 208-212)

six      ---    Yes, it is possible to be objective in social science if key terms are re-defined so that each has only one meaning, usually functional and as long as one is familiar with all the rationalizing stratagems (shown in the book's Appendix).  This prevents the social science data from being subconsciously manipulated by social theorists to reconcile them with religious dogma and secular ideals.  (pages 208-212)

seven---    An atheistic social evolutionary look at the present world suggests that The Atomic Clock will run out by mid-century.  (pages 360-361)

eight  ---    We need science because it is the only way to improve the accuracy of what we believe.  Moreover, the fact that it serves that purpose is the very reason we will always need it. It is irrational to believe we are or will achieve absolute knowledge and, thus, no longer need of science! (Appendix item #12, pages 306-308).

nine   ---    All successful world-view systems have been based upon a four question template. The answers to the four questions form a self-consistent core (theology) with all subsequent observations and assumptions being then woven into it and, thus, building a whole, closed, world-view and way-of-thinking system.  Natural selection is involved in their development and in the competition that arises between them.

ten     ---    Generalizations based upon the interpreted data are the only means by which relatively accurate forcasts can be drawn and, hence, the only way the social sciences can be of practical use to society.