Indigenous Values Part 1: Impartiality: Good Mind and Good Science

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It is very hard to conquer indecision, but even harder to conquer predisposition. 

Beginning this semester my choice to partake in Women's Rights: A Native American Tradition seemed questionable to me. To my surprise, this class would open my mind and heighten my awareness of the world around me. 

In media and in myth, the indigenous people of North America have consistently been displayed as "primitive" or "uneducated". Living near a nation my whole life, these views have been obvious slander, but where I had often parted ways with the nation was their science.

John Mohawk of the Seneca Tribe in New York wrote in the book Original Instructions that "nature is so complex and its interactions so dynamic that the idea that science could ever understand it all is utterly laughable". These words really strike a nerve for me. How is it possible to just sit back and allow the unknown to consume your life? It is impossible for me to think of a world where we do not strive for a more comprehensive understanding. But I digress with this existential rant, is my scientific bias obstructing something much more profound.

The downfall of science, which natives understand all too well, is that no matter how hard we calculate and discuss the pro and cons it is near impossible (in part because we do not fully understand nature) to know all of the possible consequences for of our actions. At what point do we stop and drop a proposal because the unknowns are too great?

Does that happen when we understand our contribution to global warming and its incredible list of cons. If we had foreseen the adverse effects would we have limited our pollution?

Would companies have stopped polluting the environment if they know about the monumental destruction they were causing in local environments? Probably not because they continue to do so...

And, if the environment doesn't hit home for you, how about the unforeseen consequences of drugs development. By the time this mistake was caught, "around 10,000 babies had been born worldwide who either had shortened arms or legs, or no limbs at all". One of many historical medical disasters. 

Science is great, I put my faith in it to better our future, and to fix it's wrong doings, but we shouldn't survive on faith alone. This must be met with skepticism and general worry for the earth we live on. 

Is it fair to abuse the Mother that has nurtured our ancestors and will nurture our children? Science should strive to reduce Mother Earths work load for she is an old work horse and we are overtaxing her. 

Of the many things we can learn from our native friends, worldly concern and responsible science is number one.