"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
Why should science and ceremony be mutually exclusive? Especially when
the
ceremony is directed related to the science?

It seems to unenlightened, medieval and superstitious.

Seems to you. However, rest assured there are plenty of scientists who
still hold to certain "unenlightened, medieval, and superstitious" ways. In
any case, without knowing the underlying motivation for launching a person's
ashes into space, you have no idea whether the behavior is actually
"unenlightened, medieval, and superstitious".

It could just be that the person likes the idea of having their loved one in
space, or it may be that the person is simply respecting the wishes of their
loved one (who themselves may or may not be acting in an "unenlightened,
medieval, and superstitious" way).

Sometimes ceremony is simply for the sake of ceremony. A ritual that helps
comfort an individual, through the act of the ritual itself, rather than
some greater significance.

Seems to me you're being awfully judgmental about the whole thing. Are you
against burials generally as well? How about the practice of scattering
ashes from airplanes? Or boats? Or from cliffs? Do you think that
scientists should be banned from going to church? From having any religious
beliefs whatsoever? Keep in mind that even an athiest holds a religious
conviction: that there is no supreme being, God, whatever you want to call
it.

Just where do YOU draw the line?

And finally, just what about this story invokes "science" anyway?

Although I couldn't find the reference, I heard on the News Hour
(PBS), that there will be ashes also flying on NASA's Pluto probe.

Well, when you have a reference, perhaps that would be a good time to take
up the conversation again. Until then, it seems you're putting the cart
before the horse.

Who thinks of this stuff? Who approves it?

I don't know. Don't care, either.

Pete