Science: Curse Or Blessing?

The conceptual satisfaction of a person is achieved through religion, philosophy and finer literature. However the practical satisfaction of human needs is fulfilled through technology, basic and advanced. Science is the knowledge that bridges the gap between conceptual and practical fulfillment of diverse human needs. In addition, science gives authenticity to religious, philosophical, literary and technological works. It rectifies the deficiencies of all.

The word, science originated from the Latin word 'Scientia' which means 'Knowledge'.Thus it is the knowledge attained through practices and studies about nature and universe. Also anything that can be explained in mathematical terms is called science. When there was no science we had conjectural and obscure knowledge about things and events. Scientists are people who have expert knowledge about science; they explore material things and try to figure out patterns and rules to explain what they are and how they work.

I think, science can be stated as a blessing but also a curse. It depends on two factors; first, how people use and think about it (people who think and use science negatively are affected negatively but people thinking and using it positively are affected positively). Now it is noteworthy that people who are affected negatively by science may refer it as a curse but people who are affected positively may acknowledge it a blessing. In other words, it is our mentality and approach which makes it a blessing or a curse. Second, when a bad leader stimulates engineers or pseudo scientists towards horrible inventions from science which is harmful for us and our society, people state science a curse but later when a good leader motivates engineers towards human friendly technology which saves us and our society from dreadful inventions, people refer science a blessing. Thus it is the category of the newly inventions which enthuse/despair people towards science, whether it is a curse or a blessing.

Practically, there are many advantages and disadvantages of science. Some people use science inappropriately and improperly, this wrong use of science is the sole reason which creates disadvantages of science but its benefits are immeasurable. I think, the biggest advantage of science is, it gives concrete and coordinated knowledge about things and events. After this, science provides basis to technology which solves our countless problems and provides ease to us in different situations of life. Technology is the collection of tools, including machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures used by humans. In other words, anything which gives benefits to humanity is called technology and technology is the outcome of science. Also Edward Teller said that the science of today is the technology of tomorrow.

If we look on the disadvantages of science, we see, sometimes people prepare dreadful things by using it improperly, for example, science provides bases to harmful weapons, etc. No doubt that science gives concrete knowledge about everything but sometime scientists give inappropriate comments on religious truths, i.e., about God and life after death. Biggest disadvantage of technology, which is the offshoot of science is that it pulls us away from people, self and nature. Also sometimes technology has bad effects to our environment, e.g., vehicles and factories cause pollution which is the main reason of global warming.

To abolish inappropriate use of science and technology, we should put an institutional boundary to all these negative uses of science and technologies which is harmful to our society and environment, so that it can restrain wrong doers and Earth will become a peaceful and pleasurable place for human/non-human beings.