We're living in a contradictory period in which spirituality and religious belief are thriving during an era of unprecedented biological enlightenment. Further, the fundamentalist religious groups that seem most concerned about recent biological discoveries are experiencing the most growth, and are gaining substantial political power in the process.

Our society is currently debating issues related to stem cells and cloning, gender and sexuality, the beginning and ending of life, and the basis of biological diversification. Further, the anticipated solution to the mystery of the neurobiology of consciousness will certainly cause cultural controversy. And as I write this, a major development in stem cell research has occurred in South Korea, and Kansas is trying to decide whether Intelligent Design and Darwinian Evolution should co-exist in that state's science curriculum.

Science and technology focus on process, and so tend to change more rapidly and easily than cultural beliefs, which focus more on established content. Science and technology use objective measurement, prediction, and validation techniques that encourage a paradigm shift when the evidence warrants it. Conversely, our cultural beliefs become subjectively imbedded within us, and thus are more resistant to change.