Is scientific progress always for the good Essay Example

over 13 years. The figures are self-explanatory about the impact of the internet has on our lives. All these benefits would not have been possible without scientific progress. Thus, scientific progress is definitely for the good of mankind. What actually make the topic debatable are the undesirable consequences that came along with scientific progress.

It is notable that the 20th century has witnessed both World War I and World War II. It is not pure coincidence that major scientific breakthroughs happen in the same period as the devastating wars. During the Stone Age period, our ancestors had already invented various weapons which aimed at protecting them from beasts. Take the Atomic Bomb for example: It was invented by a group of scientists (including Albert Einstein, sponsored by USA) to be used against Hitler in his attempt to conquer the world.

Ultimately it's about self-defense, yet the magnitude of the damage and number of lives that were lost, when atomic bombs Little Boy and Fat Man were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, made us wonder whether the invention was for good or worse. On the other hand, the harnessing of nuclear energy benefits mankind as a whole as a clean source of energy that does not pollute the environment is just what we need at the moment. Both nuclear energy and nuclear bombs use the same principles in Physics, but they serve different purposes.

The point is that all of these boil down to us, humans. Scientific progress is essentially for the greater good of mankind, but it is a double-edged sword. The decision of whether it should benefit or destroy humanity lies in our hand. Another problem

that surfaces whenever scientific progress is concerned is the issue on over reliance, a theme which is often employed in Sci-Fi movies such as Wall E and I-Robot. People tend to rely on technology too much that they cannot do without it.

Consider the present day scenarios where e-banking, e-learning and the stock markets revolve around the internet. If one day the network was to be disabled for whatever reason, our stock markets would crash and an economy recession would follow. Gadgets such as mobile phones and i-Pods have become necessities in the modern world. Over-reliance on technology will cause mankind to lose their way of thinking and problem solving skills since everything can be resolved with just a click of the mouse.

Thus, scientific progress may provide us with better lives, but cost us our survival instincts. Regardless of how humans have handicapped themselves due to over reliance on technology or how technology is used in war and cost lives, there is no doubt that scientific progress has brought about positive changes in our lives, such as the invention of air-conditioners and the discovery of Penicillin. While scientific progress may not always serve the "good" purpose, it is definitely for the common good of all mankind.