No one claims to be omniscient, not even the scientists themselves. Our knowledge of the world is limited by the lack of scientific evidence. Though we claim to be highly advanced, humans still have a long way to reach the stage whereby our level of science and technology is able to save the world of its problems. Problems are all around us, they come in many forms, to name a few: political, social and medical. No one would say science and technology is useless, everyone should feel that science and technology has helped them, in one way or another, minor or major problems.
Science and technology has brought about a longer life expectancy generally. Vaccine for the previously deadly Chicken Pox is available in every pharmacy in the more developed countries. Comparing Black Death in the medieval times and the case of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in year 2003, the advancements in medical science has helped saved lots of lives. To add on, the general population growth rate has increased, with a lower infant mortality rate, again applying only for developed countries. As one can conclude from here, science and technology can save the world if there was a widespread disease.
Yet, given the above may be true, not all diseases can be treated or completely cured. In the current field of medical science, technology has not yet produce a cure of HIV (human immunodefiency syndrome). Science and technology does not promise us immortality.
With more and more medication and machines, humans are able to prolong their lives. Though people may be living longer but who can ensure the quality of life that the elderly live is good? If the sick and elderly are completely reliant on the machine for survival, then it what way did technology solve the problem?
What technology did was just postponing the inevitable death. Technically, science and technology still lack the potential to completely solve the problem. This so called advancement in technology has caused in the growth of an aging population worldwide. How can a country progress if more and more resources need to be allocated to the elderly for their comfort? Science and technology cannot do much in this area.
Technology has given humans the means to dissipate information easily throughout the country. During times of unrest, one can almost always rely on technology to save oneself. Basically it helps in running the country well. Government bodies rely on technology to get data, process the data and send the data from one department into another. Surveillance cameras placed is evidence of technology providing surveillance and keeping the country save. Science and technology bring about political stability, and can save the problem of political unrest.
However, many people also question the need of installing surveillance cameras, especially in public places. The general public feels a lack of privacy with such cameras around, even though it is actually to protect them and not harm them in any way.
When two nations are in conflict, often they take up arms instead of practicing diplomacy. Though it is common for the general public to say peace is always the preferred option, ever since science played a bigger part in humans’ lives, we have been trying to create new weapons. We then take these new weapons to either protect ourselves, or to attack other nations. So does science solve the problem of war? The answer is no, science and technology is again limited is settling peace issues.
To sum it all up, science and technology, though playing a big part in man’s life, it still cannot solve all of the world’s problems. Often we find science and technology creating more problems instead of solving it. Perhaps in the future new technology can be developed, and the points many people have brought up will no longer hold truth.
