Dangerous Ideas

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Do you have any dangerous ideas? And how would you know whether they were 'dangerous' and not just nutty? That is the theme of a web site which appealed to me as I did a little bit of surfing before beginning this Friday night seance. I love the concept of 'dangerous idea' and this site appealed to me immediately. So what are the attributes of a 'dangerous idea?'

The idea in question must be culturally relevant, important, and irritating. While the new idea needs a certain plausibility (at least in 'academic circles') it need not be understandable to the masses. What matters is that the new idea generate intense interest in the appropriate sector of the culture because of its intrinsic merit.

For example, Darwin's Dangerous Idea remains 'dangerous' two hundred years after he first introduced it. Copernicus had a similarly dangerous idea. These are extreme examples of course, of 'dangerous ideas.' And in fact it seems from the definition that an idea, in order to be dangerous, must address something fundamental to the continuation of the said culture. The dangerous new idea must threaten the status quo in some way.

It seems to me that there are many dangerous ideas floating around out there. Dangerous ideas make life interesting... for some of us. But for others of us these dangerous ideas make life inherently insecure. Interestingly, many of the folks who are put off by 'dangerous ideas' are existentially warmed up by 'nutty ideas.'