Dangerous Ideas

Updated February 23, 2013

A Dangerous Idea is one that we're told not to think or ask because the answers may be too disturbing or unpopular.

The most famous example of the Dangerous Idea exercise was done by Edge.org in 2006 when several hundred of the world's leading scientists and philosophers were asked about their most dangerous idea. Although much has changed since then, many of the thoughts expressed are still pretty challenging.

Some examples of dangerous ideas throughout history include the Copernican Theory which took the earth out of being the center of the solar system (and the universe), or Plate Tectonics which took earthquakes and volcanoes out of the realm of the magical and introduced the earth as a giant, moving jigsaw puzzle. It took Alfred Wegener over 40 years to see his theory go from a laughing stock to acceptance.

Don't be afraid to imagine and let's see what happens.

Let's hear your dangerous ideas!

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Permalink Reply by Dewald Bester on March 5, 2013 at 5:22am

they say "the map is not the territory". and maps is all we know. from what i gather of postmodern philosophy, maps is all we can ever know. we can never 'touch' reality out there. if its all maps, and i do basically feel that this is correct, is one map better than another? I'd like to think we can break out of a set worldview and experience 'reality' unmediated, but i am not certain. In the end, i think we must pick the 'world' we want to live in, and will oneself to live in it. One can then transcend that particular world, into what we cannot be sure - i would guess we would enter a new world, a new map, and need to begin the process again. Against what do we judge the value of our worldview, our map? How is it to be evaluated. That seems to be the real question. Contemporary philosophy may say all maps are equal; Blavatsky may say her system is the true reflection of nature as it is, hence is best; some may say you must do away will all maps and worldviews - which is attractive, but is it possible.