The answer to this question seems to be very difficult to answer. But yes, I can definitely say that science and technology has kept in mind the human values and made quite a few number of great discoveries in the history of mankind. But on the other hand science and technology has put the human values at risk or in jinx for quite a few times. Human values and science and technology are two independent things. Once they look like two hands in the human body, where each one is incomplete without the other. On the other hand they look like two people who are blood relatives of each other but don’t wish to even look at each others face.
A few advantages of science and technology keeping in mind the human values is the discovery of electricity which I regard as a great favour to mankind done by science and technology. Many scientific mysteries would have been unsolved if it wasn’t for the discovery of electricity. Discovery of telephone was another remarkable milestone for the human race, people can communicate with each other even though they are thousands of miles away from home. Discovery of the aeroplanes, jets, and various other modes of transportation. The discovery of the above mentioned transport through science and technology has attempted to compete with time and also made it convenience to human beings. Science and technology has made new breakthroughs in medicine today. Advancement in research of certain drugs, discovery of telemedicine, is a new technique by which a doctor sitting abroad can treat you in your house through the computer. Discovery of computer is yet another advantage to mankind as we get the latest happenings around the world.
Discovery of fertilizers for the improvement of crops and petroplants have been a remarkable discovery in the favour of human beings. To pendown the advantages they are many. But, as I mentioned earlier science and technology and human values are like two sides of a coin. As I mentioned about its advantages it also has a few disadvantages in stored. Today science and technology are advanced so much that people are utilizing in a wrong way without having any concern for human values. History has a scientific evidence, the after effects which are still visible in the tragedy struck Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It seems that children born even today have shown certain defects which are inborn. The main reason for this is that the nuclear bomb which was dropped during the World War II in these areas. Science and technology should keep in mind human values and must not put into practice of deploying the nuclear weapons which are harmful to the human race.
Jean Rostand said “Science has made us GOD’s even before we are before we are worthy of being MEN!”
Osama – Bin – Laden used the most fastest mode of transport to shake the routes of America by destroying the World Trade Centre. When the twin towers collapsed with it collapsed breaths of thousands of people. What better example of inhumanness can one see apart from this one? This man was so called terrorist used science and technology as a useful weapon lavishly in the destruction of the human race. “The one thing that strikes me is the famous quote which goes something like this which was said by B.F. Skinner “The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do”
As our technology continues to advance there are new break through in medicines. With these new developments serious ethical and moral question arises. Advancement in genetic engineering, reproductive technologies, cloning, organ transplantation and human experimentation are all causes of concern. The question here which arises is that “Do human values exist at all?. If it does exist why is it not practice in all fields of life? Are human beings guinea pigs in the hands of scientists.
“God never made his creation for men to mend”
“John Dryden”
The human genome project is an incredible scientific undertaking to produce a map of human DNA Code with the help of this we get to know how each gene or a group of genes function. With these map scientists and doctors will be able to figure out how gene can malfunction and cause deadly deseases. Offcourse they will also know what each gene controls and how to manipulate and control out genes to get specified and desired results. The point to ponder is that today our country is not a polio free country, more than 60% of our population is below poverty line. Even if the human genome project is brought into practice where from can a common man generate funds to avail an opportunity like this.
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers wisdom faster than society gathers wisdom”
“Isaac Asimov”
Article written by Nishat.Sanaulla