Science -- Our Lifeline

John C. Darvill

1996

Published in:

Technocracy Digest, 1st quarter 1996, No. 319

Because of the lack of understanding regarding the importance of science and technology in keeping us alive, many people fear and mistrust it.

The apologists for the status quo blame our ills on the use of too much technology, and people tend to believe what they are told, rather than evaluate it for themselves. Serious academics, and self-styled intellectuals, foster this romantic ideal -- a society with less technology.

Some see disaster in every new technology. It has even been stated that the laws of physics were constructed to maintain white male dominance. More relate only to its more horrifying manifestations -- environmental horrors, weapons of mass destruction, and other examples of mis-applied technology.

Education down-plays the role of science and technology in our history, like: electricity, radio, television, jet travel, antibiotics, moon landings, eradication of disease, computers, communication, and many of the technological innovations, which are enriching our lives, and even keeping us alive. Many only see the mis-use to which some of these discoveries have been put, again ignoring the fact that this mis-use of technology has been for individual or corporate gain, even though the discoverers have no control over their eventual use, good or bad.

Science is, in a dynamic sense, essentially a method of prediction. It has been defined as being the method of the determination of the most probable. It is the most accurate method available to us. It is based upon facts; when more facts are known, more accurate predictions can be made. A fact is a close agreement of a series of observations of the same phenomenon. They must be verifiable, in other words, able to be repeated.

As can be seen from the foregoing, science, and its handmaiden, technology, is just a method -- the best known -- for acquiring knowledge for the benefit of humankind. How this knowledge is applied is up to us. At present, it is used largely for profit of individual or corporate gain. The end result is much of what we see today, and of which so many people decry. It is used for short-term, monetary expediency, with little thought to the long-term survival of the human and other species on this planet.

If this knowledge was to be used on a functional basis, applying these discoveries and innovations for the benefit of humankind, and life in general, much different results would be obtained. We could conserve our resources, recycle and re-use them, where practical. We could use the discoveries of science to improve our educational facilities, health facilities, and knowledge. We could repair the damage to our environment, cut back on soil erosion, build up the water table. Transportation could be improved; we could cut back on the hideous waste and pollution caused by automobiles. This would require a radical change in housing people, and providing services.

So much could be accomplished by the proper application of the scientific method, using science and technology for the benefit of humankind, not for its detriment.

Why do scientists not voice more concern? Why do scientists, who are forever complaining about scientific illiteracy, not do more to condemn this foolish short-sightedness? Is it fear of being labelled intolerant, or is it fear of placing their financial security in jeopardy? Are they afraid that someone, or some group, with a vested interest in the status quo, will discontinue paying them a salary?

The public needs to understand that we live in a finite world, governed by natural laws. These cannot be circumvented, and we try to do so at our peril. We can understand that we can use these natural laws, and that we can apply them for the benefit of humanity.

Nobody claims it will be easy. Each new scientific discovery, or application, brings new problems. Scientists understand the problems, and it is to scientists, and those trained in the scientific method, to whom we must turn, to solve these problems.

As stated previously, science is a method -- the method of determining the most probable. It is the method that has advanced humankind down through the ages. This is not because scientists have any monopoly on intellect or virtue. It is because science is the only method we have to sort out the truth from ideology, or fraud, or foolishness, or ignorance, or bigotry.