Is scientific progress always for the good

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Title of Essay: Is scientific progress always for the good?

This essay was awarded Merit (22 out of 30 marks possible) at the High School level.

From the Stone Age period to the invention of steam engine and the current world that has been described as a “Technetronic Era” by Zbigniew Brzezinski, we have witnessed the great leap in the progress of science. Man have built submarines to dive the ocean, planes that have roamed the skies and rockets to explore the outer space. Scientific progress has advocated revolutionary changes to our lives, such that sky scrapers are built with machines and air-traveling has become the new mode of transport that is faster and more efficient. Science may progress with the intention of improving our lives, but it is undeniable that these benefits come with a number of undesirable consequences.

It is true to say that scientific progress is for the good of mankind. The invention of steam engines paved the way for economic and cultural progress, since traveling time between places had been shortened. This enabled goods to be “shipped” to the destination in a short period of time and promoted cultural exchange since people could travel between places frequently. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb which has become a necessity in the current world—there is no building without electric lightings. Within the 20th century itself Man has seen the greatest scientific progress in history: the widespread use of vehicles, mobiles phones, computers and the internet which were all made available in the late 20th century. Statistics[1] have shown that in December 1995, the number of internet users was a mere 16 millions, about 0.4% of the world’s population. However, in December 2008, the figure increased to 1,574 millions, about 23.8% of the world’s population, a stunning 9,873.5% increase over 13 years. The figures are self-explanatory about the impact of the internet has on our lives. All these benefits would not have been possible without scientific progress. Thus, scientific progress is definitely for the good of mankind.

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What actually make the topic debatable are the undesirable consequences that came along with scientific progress. It is notable that the 20th century has witnessed both World War I and World War II. It is not pure coincidence that major scientific breakthroughs happen in the same period as the devastating wars. During the Stone Age period, our ancestors had already invented various weapons which aimed at protecting them from beasts. Take the Atomic Bomb for example: It was invented by a group of scientists (including Albert Einstein, sponsored by USA) to be used against Hitler in his attempt to ...

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