Science: a Menace to Civilisation?

Science in this case refers to the progress in technology that brings us our society today. The high living standards we are enjoying, as well as the weapons of mass destruction are part of the benefits and harm that technology brings to us. There is basis for both sides of arguments, for people have different opinions on how our lives should be like. The idealist would hope for science to progress even further, while the rationalist who see the potential damage of what science can bring will hope for less technology in exchange for peace and happiness from contentment. Whatever the case, it all boils down to this question. Does the benefits from science overweigh the harm it brings to us?

Is science a menace to our civilisation? In many ways it is. Firstly and most obviously, science has given us, or we have made use of science, to create gifts of mass destructions. Well, the benefits of science might be significant, but the harm these weapons can inflict is just as devastating. So what if we have all the convenience and luxury. So what if we extend our lives by 10 years. We will still be gone in a split second once those gifts get out of hand. It only requires a few steps or rather, with the advance technology, just one click. Just one click is sufficient to wipe out the entire human population in a selected region. Just take a look at the recent bombings, take the Taj Mahal hotel for example. The terrorists did not use nuclear bombs, but the damage it caused was mortifying. 300 people were injured and over 50 killed. But this was not all. The trauma, the emotional torture the victims' families were put to undergo were more calamitous than anyone can imagine. Yes, with science, we progress quickly in technology and living standards. However, all these will be erased in just a split moment. To solve any probem, we must find out the root, or the main reason for such a problem. In this case, a person would 'foolishly' kill fellow human beings, for a very simple reason. Greed. Humans, just like any other living thing, is greedy. Its only a matter of how much. Then, it is made worse by science. The improvements of technology has made us more greedy in fact. The more priviledges we receive, the more unsatisfied we become. Two centuries back, we would be so content with a never-ending light source to carry us through the night, and even if we are deprived, life still goes on. Now, light and electricity have become one of our necessity. We cannot imagine a day without them. Almost everything will stop functioning. And with unsatisfaction comes greed. We have become more greedy over the years. From the exploitation of bombs in the first world war to the use of nuclear missiles, we are fighting each other for the sake of fulfilling our endless desires. It is only a matter of time before the threatened becomes the dead and the safe becomes the threatened. What has the world become?

On the other hand, science is not necessarily a menace to civilisation. Let's look at it in terms of the disadvantages if we do not use science in our society. Imagine fiddling with stones and making spears to haunt down animals. All of which would seem savagery in our terms today. Some may say we only perceive it due to our moral standards today, which would not be the case if we were living in that era. However, we cannot deny the fact that after witnessing the benefits of science, we will not want to return to the era of rock and stone. Given the privileges of what science brings to us, are we still willing to give it all up just for the sake of diminishing the dangerous nuclear missiles. We cannot imagine returning to that era, and risk losing our lives from unhygienic habits and uncooked, unclean food, not to mention the savagery acts of killing fellow humans for more territory. Furthermore, though the nuclear weapons are capable of causing great damage, eventually it is up to us whether to use it or not. We are the one who hold the key to peace or chaos. It is ourselves who unlock the path we want. The nuclear weapons are there, but it is up to us ourselves to use it on fellow humans. There is no point whining when you are the one who decided to use it. And when the others use theirs on you, you have no one else to blame. We build our own lives, and we decide how we are going to live it. If we can be content, there is no reason to be afraid of science. Rather, we will be more interested to research further on it, to make our lives even better.


Eventually, it all boils down to whether the benefits of science did counter-balance the negative effects science brings to this world. If the technology did indeed help improve our lives more than it harms, there is then ground for proceeding with science. However, we must admit that a large portion of us do not appreciate the old age of rock and stone, and the fact is that science and technology will continue to be more advanced, and there is not much we can do about it.