I have not spent as much time talking about the future has I have done in the past two weeks. Of course with all the talk of the future we have placed little emphasis on the political and religious reality that impact our lives and the course and speed chartered for the future.
The debate on stem cell research is an indication of the power of political and religious forces in suppressing scientific study. The debate centered on the definition of when life begins. For the most part the debate was intellectually dishonest, and the reality of the benefits were cast aside of a more religious politically motivated stance. As long as there is political hay to be made from scientific obstruction to play to a particular religious base then there will be suppression of science.
America is one of the few countries where religion is married to politics. Europe has long shed this cloak and is for the most part areligious. China, who will become a leader in world economics and scientific discovery, has a large atheist population. In essence America's major competitors will be free to explore the scientific discoveries that will shape our future. While private institutions will still be free to make significant breakthrough in scientific discoveries American’s will be the last to see the benefits.
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