Sapiens, the book by Yuval Noah Harari is an insightful and interesting read. As I come close to finish reading it, I have gained some new perspective on major developments in history. I recommend reading the book to gain the whole context and understanding.
A few thought provoking points from the book:
Ignoramus: Modern science is based on the Latin injunction ignoramus – ‘we do not know’. It assumes that we don’t know everything and no concept, idea or theory is sacred and beyond challenge.
Modern science flourished in and thanks to European empires. When people started admitting their ignorance that they do not have all the answers and that there is so much more to know, it made them compelled to seek new knowledge and make new discoveries.
Scientific research can flourish only in alliance with some religion or ideology. The ideology justifies the costs of the research and in exchange, the ideology influences the scientific agenda and determines what to do with the discoveries.
Above points taken from Sapiens A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.