subject: Is Science Really Evil? [print this page] Is Science Really Evil? Is Science Really Evil?
Common sense tells us that science itself is not evil; it's what we do with science that matters. Science is used for both good and evil in other words. In fact, doesn't it simply beg the question, are humans evil?
What we are really talking about here of course is not science itself but rather technology. Science can never be good or evil in and of itself, for science is merely a tool that we use to measure the cosmos and its processes by. We have found however that the knowledge we garner from our scientific experiments allow us to apply them to the material world in such a way that it affects the way we live.
The destructive application of science is far more noticeable than the beneficial ones. That is in large part due to the media's tendency to focus on the negative behavior of human beings. It would seem our altruistic side is boring and doesn't sell products through television advertisements. However, take a good look around you and I bet you will find that most of our technology, inspired by science, is neutral. Of the remaining, by far the majority of technology benefits our quality of life and only a very small percentage of it is destructive. And that part we never see anyway, except perhaps in the food we buy and the fumes we breathe (those are not intentionally destructive however).
The problem with intentionally destructive technology such as weapons and bombs is that, when used, they do indeed have a horrific impact on human life. Furthermore, we have wasted trillions of dollars on their development. And, worst of all, our most powerful destructive technology has the potential of wiping out life on earth itself.
So, one has to ask oneself. Is science really worth the price?
