Date and Time
Since the dawn of human civilization, technological breakthroughs have catalyzed many social/political revolutions. Some even impacted other species. Although Homo sapiens is not the strongest species, tools and fire allowed it to become the alpha species that has systematically exploited or wiped out other species, including many that are much stronger than them. I will present several historical and contemporary examples that illustrate the dark side of science and technology. Many current and anticipated ethical/social dilemmas presented by scientific and technological advances force us to confront existential questions, such as what human is and whether we can play god by creating life. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to predict how a new advance would impact us. Assessing the impact of a breakthrough that occurred even millennia ago is not a trivial task. Most believe that the Agricultural Revolution, the domestication of animals and plants by our ancestors, set humans on the course to progress and prosperity. In Sapiens-A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Harari asserts that this revolution is history’s biggest fraud. His opinion literally makes us supporters of ongoing fraud. Sounds ridiculous and outrageous, you may say, but it is not.
I will also discuss why scientists should actively engage in societal decision making, especially those that are compelled by advances in science and technology or should be guided by science. The current pandemic and botched responses in some countries underscore the grave danger of decision making driven by misinformation. However, I will not tell you what specific positions you should take but just urge you to participate in societal decision making. Abundant historical examples show how misguided scientific knowledge applications and the scientists who enabled such applications harmed people. Science/technology cannot be value-neutral, and the ivory tower is a mirage. Whether you intended or not, your research may affect society directly or indirectly. “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity”-Martin Luther King Jr. Accordingly, indifference to potential impact is dangerous and cannot be an excuse when your work is misused or misguides people. Besides, since “not to speak is to speak and not to act is to act” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a theologian and political activist during the Nazi era in Germany), you are bound to make a choice. The only remaining question is whether it is cognizant or not.