In the opening of (1982), Edgar Morin argues that science lacks the very "conscience" (reflexivity and ethics) it needs to manage its own power. He describes a fundamental gap where human sciences ignore physical realities, while natural sciences ignore their own socio-cultural roots.
: He calls for the development of a "meta-science" or a "science of science"—an effort that requires scientists to interrogate their own ideological structures and socio-cultural roots.
: Morin points out that we lack a "science of things of the mind" (noology) that could examine how ideas organize and defend themselves within systems. Page 1 EDGAR MORIN Science e aVCC COIlSC16211Ce...
The core message of his opening argument is that (paraphrasing Rabelais), or specifically, that science without reflection is "mutilated and mutilating". Key Themes on Page 1 and the Introduction
: Scientists produce immense power—such as genetic engineering or nuclear energy—yet they often have no power over how that knowledge is used by economic or political entities. In the opening of (1982), Edgar Morin argues
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: He highlights that modern science is often blind to its own role in society. A science deprived of reflection and a philosophy that is purely speculative are both insufficient to handle the complexity of reality. The Vision of "Complex Thought" : Morin points out that we lack a
Morin introduces the idea that we must move toward , which refuses to reduce reality to simple parts or polarities (like "nature vs. culture"). Instead, it seeks to reconnect dispersed knowledge and integrate the humanistic and scientific cultures.