quote:
father of modern science, empirical science, which the film presents him to have been
That would just be a matter of opinion.
America was founded by intelligent, educated people who understood the history of mankind. Many of them were Masons. They were trying to establish a sustainable form of democracy with many states comprising one power.
This is why they founded a republic, and not a democracy.
AJ Toynbee, probably the most renowned historian of the last century, noted that all great civilizations begin as republics. Republics degenerate into democracies. Democracies degenerate into dictatorships. and, finally, dictatorships degenerate into anarchy, out of which, sooner or later, a new republic is formed by industrious individuals who put people to work and establish the law and order that allows people to flourish without fear.
Civilizations are just like flowers... they all have stages...
This is why the Founders did not give everyone the vote and established the electoral college. (All males weren't enfranchised by the damn pols until 1860, to get more votes. They kept trying to open the borders, so to speak, and figured the poorer, less educated people would carry them to power and privilege.)
This is why the Founders also gave us the 2nd Ammendment, so we could re-establish the republic when the mob rule came (anarchy).
Franklyn noted that when the people realized they could vote themselves the treasury, (which is the custom duties (tariffs) and industrious people's tax money used to support the infrastructure and common defense) the republic was doomed.
Only about half of the population pays income taxes to support the Federal government and national defense, while everyone pays the sales tax (in most states) that support local services up to the state level.
Back to the point, no, that would only be a matter of opinion. Empirical science goes waaaayyyy back, depending on your definition of "empirical"
Edited by Captcass, : No reason given.
Edited by Captcass, : No reason given.