Science and technology has built the modern world. Within a century modes of transportation, communication, and access to knowledge have vastly increased. The rapid advancement of science and technology that occurred in the 20th century will continue into the next, but there are some unintended consequences that come with such a change. Some changes may even be potential threats or dangerous. Human civilization has reached a point that it can manipulate the environment, produce substances that do not occur in nature, and even alter its own biology. Science and technology has provided multiple benefits to society, there has been negative repercussions from its misuse. The development of weapons of war, environmental destruction, and the possibility of eugenic transhumanism are the products of the abuse of scientific knowledge. What should be the march of progress may become a dystopian science fiction nightmare. Only with proper regulation and understanding of science and technology can prevent such a negative outcomes . The public requires a greater comprehension of technology and the scientific fields to better navigate a constantly changing world. The entire globe has been transformed by discoveries related to physics, biology, astronomy, and engineering. Knowledge progresses so fast along with computing power, that artificial intelligence is in reach. What must be prevented is humanity inducing its own demise through the power it has amassed from technological advancement. The challenges of scientific and technological advancement are the ethics of use, the negative impact of rapid change in society, and the possible use of scientism for nefarious purposes.
Engineering has produced many marvels . The applied science also created more lethal weapons. Nuclear weapons and there proliferation has been a global problem. The only time nuclear weapons were used in combat was in World War II. Japan's cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki sustained the world's first nuclear attacks. Seeing the devastation these weapons caused made other countries want to acquire them. The Cold War was period in which the likelihood of nuclear war was high. Even though it was avoided and the Soviet Union collapsed nations still seek to expand arsenals. The United States, Russia, the UK, France, India , Pakistan, Israel, North Korea , and China have them. The technology is so powerful that they were only used twice so far in human history. Nuclear power was beneficial to civilization. This was an efficient way of providing power to cities and towns. Nuclear weapons created another threat to survival. Testing caused more long term damage to environments and public health. Radiation and fallout from nuclear blasts last longer than the actual detonation. People close to testing zones got cancer or some form of radiation sickness. The environment can be damaged by radioactive pollution of the atmosphere. Underground nuclear testing can cause further damage to an ecosystem. Oceans can also be effected by radioactive pollution.
There are few weapons that can match the destructive power of a massive nuclear arsenal. The arms race comes at a cost. Precious resources are redirected to war instead of useful research. Fusion reactors could meet the world's power needs , however progress is lacking. Public trust has also been eroded, because nuclear power has been give a negative connotation. The advancement of nuclear physics and the discovery of the mass energy equivalence ushered in the atomic age. The nations of the world have not used nuclear power responsibly, even with the assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Nuclear weapons will not go away unless every country agrees to their gradual abolition.
Information technology has radically changed commerce, the distribution of knowledge, and entertainment. The birth of the internet, more powerful computers, and social media have altered the way people obtain information. The development of quantum computers will allow greater transfer ad storage of human knowledge. The problems that emerged were unforeseen consequences. Cybercrime, government surveillance , and hacking would not have been possible without computers. Censorship has gotten a new medium to invade with numerous tech companies instituting rules that make them appear as if they are publishers. What could have been a potential for promotion of free speech and open exchange of ideas is now under attack. Cybercrime is a more serious problem than misinformation or mendacious claims written over the internet. Identity theft , phising, and other types of scams have become more common. The exchange of personal information without the consent of users on numerous platforms continues. Some regulation may be required to prevent abuse or exploitation.
The more terrifying development is the use of information technology for mass surveillance. Governments around the world both democratic and authoritarian spy on their citizens. Communication over e-mails or cell phone calls. The violation of privacy and basic rights can happen without a person even being aware of it. No government has the right to spy on its citizens. Mass surveillance will only get worse, because more advanced technology makes it possible. Facebook and Twitter accounts may be subject to mass surveillance in the distant future. Artificial intelligence and automation poses challenges related to economics. There could be job loss from both skilled and unskilled workers due to automation. Theoretically, a robot that can produce more than a human being on an assembly line. Robots would build other robots. If machines become too self aware, they might challenge organ life for supremacy. This scenario may seen like an idea of of science fiction, but could happen at the end of the century. Robots could be utilized for military combat or policing. Using robots or information technology for war or control will only have lugubrious effects on society.
There have been predictions that at some point humankind and machine will merge. Transhumanism describes the concept in which people will use technology to enhance human physiology and biology. Humankind may be able to control and guide its own evolution. Medicine, surgery, and contraception are examples of how people are controlling or manipulating their own biology. Genetic engineering opens up possibilities related to life extension and advancement of health science. Genetically inherited diseases could be cured. Humanity would have more cures for diseases, rather than a series of treatments. The issue is not about combating disease, rather it is the problem of people enhancing themselves biologically for the sake of it.
The merger of information technology combined with genetic manipulation will create a class of biologically enhanced human beings. Such enhancements biological or physiological could be mass marketed to the public. The fear is that this will become a new type of eugenics, in which people are subject to selective breeding. However, this would be a step further than cosmetic surgery. Humans could changes themselves so much they are an entirely different species. The world may come close to resembling that of A Brave New World and Frankenstein . There remains a risk attempting to manipulate genes and biology. The rise CRISPR ( clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats ) technology indicates that humanity will at some stage be able to guide its own biological evolution. What CRISPR technology does is enables the location of a specific section of DNA inside the cell. This makes gene editing more efficient . Biology, genetics, medicine, and health science is unlocking the full potential of human bodies. The intention should not be to turn people into science experiments.
The ethics of use must be considered when creating and introducing new technology to the public. The myth is that science and technology changed human society for the worst. The negative consequences came about through abuse of knowledge and power. The misuse of scientific knowledge involves utilizing it for avarice or malicious intent. Nuclear weapons were made for the purpose of annihilating an enemy. Nuclear power provides electricity. The difference related to use is one contributes to a functioning civilization. The ethics of use of science and technology must follow certain guidelines. The knowledge and technology developed must contribute to human welfare. It should assist in well being, prosperity, and general health. The scientific and technological knowledge should benefit the majority of the world's population. Too often a wealthy elite have the majority of benefits before everyone else. A separation between science and warfare must occur. Technology and scientific information used for war endangers human existence. The goal should be to ensure civilization's survival not its destruction. Educating the public about technology and science should be a priority. Showing how to use technology and scientific knowledge in an ethical manner can be a means of preventing future abuse. The ethics of use provides a pathway to manage the unknown consequences of technological and scientific advancement.
Rapid change can have serious repercussions. Air pollution, climate change, reliance on fossil fuels, plastic and toxic waste are the consequences of humanity's fast technological advancement. The environment and Earth's ecosystems suffered as a result. Various species of animals and plants are at risk. Overtime, deforestation and desertification can threaten human populations. Carbon emissions generated from human activity exacerbate the green house effect, which causes dramatic change in climate. More floods, the gradual melting of the Polar ice caps, lethal heatwaves, and more extreme weather events are linked to climate change. Fossil fuels create hostility between nations. Oil has in particular caused much conflict and environmental damage from off shore drilling. Plastic production has made it so that unused parts of the material are discarded on various lands. Hazardous waste becomes more difficult to store. The more people consume the more waste is produced. Landfills may not be enough to ensure public health and safety. Technological advancement came so quick, that few anticipated the aftermath. The industrial revolution set human history on the path of mass production and technology based societies. The environmental conditions only worsened gradually. Solutions do exist to the challenge of rapid change induced by scientific advancement. New innovations can confront environmental degradation . Solar and wind power can contribute to the world's energy needs. Electric cars can help with the reliance on fossil fuels. A combination of recycling or waste to energy methods could be used to deal with more hazardous waste.
Technological and scientific advancement could create a situation in which scientism can be used for malevolent intent. Scientism is not an extremist ideology, however it has the potential to be molded into one. The term has occasionally been used in a pejorative connotation. If human civilization has mastered so much knowledge, then it could apply it rigidly to everyday life. What could emerge is a technocratic bureaucracy that governs in which others have little input. Experts would not be challenged or debated in this system. The promotion of science and technology should be lauded, but there should be no attempts to make it into another religion. The mistake is thinking one subject or idea has all the answers. Science just like any other academic discipline can be prone to error. This is why the scientific method is used to verify facts. Theories must be tested rigorously to be considered true. The aim should be for science to be objective. The problem is that people naturally have certain biases, which influence their thought. Being zealously devoted to a single belief or ideology can result in dogmatic thought. Science was not immune from such behavior. The concepts such as epicycles, the theory of ether, and the theory of humors had scientists devoted to them, even when they were proven wrong. There exists no academic subject that was completely error free. The best way to solve this issue is to promote critical thinking. People should be encouraged to question the information or knowledge they are presented. Science thrives on questioning natural phenomena . Only when people have a greater understanding of technology and science can the challenges that come from development be managed.
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