The nature of medieval science was very different from that of our contemporary science. It was based on both reason and faith, and its main goal was to understand the meaning and significance of things, rather than prediction and control.
The need for prediction and control diminishes in the absence of fear. An open-ended journey to explore the meaning and significance of things leads to a broader and deeper understanding of evolution and development over time. Without fear we can learn to co-evolve and co-develop with the rest of nature instead of working against it and each other.
Fear creates a shortened narrow time frame that severely limits awareness of the rhythms of natural life and blocks the ability to see our connection with the natural world. Prolonged Fear throws us out of physical, mental, and emotional balance and the lack of balance builds tension and generates more fear. Man has created a world view that keeps trying to run ahead of nature even as it is running out of energy. The man-made world seeks increasing control from a narrowing perspective.
It's like driving faster in freezing rain when the windshield is icing faster than the defroster can clear it. One's entire focus is consumed by potential dangers on a road that's becoming slippier as the car behind pushes us to move faster. We are trapped on a road that takes us away from a sense of our true nature. They is no time to think about where we are going and why; no time to reflect on who we are or who we want to be; no time to consider the meaning and purpose of our lives or the value and potential of the life around us.
The only reasonable thing to do is to pull off to the side of the road and take a rest until the storm passes. Then we can clear the windshield. We can even get out of the car and look around, maybe reflect on where we're going and why and think about where we really want to go and how to get there from here.
