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Cal
Joined: Dec 14, 2008
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Future of Science
June 20, 2009 - 08:40 PM
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What do you think the most important issues in science and technology are, and what sort of research and developments should people be focusing on? Is it acceptable to fund, say, space programs when people are starving? With many contenious issues such as GM foods, warfare etc. being debated what are the issues that are really important?
Has science become too specialised and beyond the grasp of everyday people? And if it is, is it important to educate people more about current topics?
How can we use scientific knowledge for peace and prosperity?
Does anyone have any thoughts on this topic? Please share if you do!
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Maryanne C
Joined: Jun 15, 2009
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Re: Future of Science
July 21, 2009 - 11:43 AM
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I know what you're saying. Like the Watchmen said (read the graphic novel and you'll never regret it), we'd spend $2 billion to send an astronaut into space yet we wouldn't spend that money to save a starving child... or several hundred thousand, with that money.
And I think, with companies like GM and many others, since they've crashed we should let them burn. Government keeps them so they can get back their debts... then they increase the company's debt to them. Check out this article, interestingly titled "The Zombie Apocalypse Will Eat Our Economy":
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2009/01/23/the-zombie-apocalypse-will-eat-our-economy.aspx
Basically it says that we should stop feeding companies that have failed to keep themselves alive with our taxpayer's money. One excellent quote from aforementioned article: "It simply takes capital away from healthy companies (and individuals). It's wasteful and counterproductive, and starves the healthy (much like zombies prey on the living). And of course there's that darn moral hazard thing again."
My own personal theory is that science is limitless, but we have to be careful with those limits because science can make the world seem like a wonderful place but what it's actually doing is masking all the bad in the world; it makes the bad parts easier to ignore. Huh I thought of that, when I thought of what would happen if we brought somebody from the 16th century to the 21st. I bet they'd be pretty awestruck at the technology and think the world's better, and it'd be so captivating they wouldn't notice that people are still dying and starving in poverty everywhere. Technology does that; makes the bad stuff easier to ignore. Escapism, much?
Edit: nice thread, by the way.
This post was edited on: 2009-07-21 at 12:48 PM by: MaryanneC
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Justin Lawrence
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Re: Future of Science
August 6, 2009 - 12:15 PM
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The future of science is looking beyond this planet to one where humans can live and breathe. But is this all science is for? What about gentically manufactured foods. They would be cheap and accessible to everyone, and would reduce our impact on the environment. Before we look beyond our world i believe we must first look at and solve the current problems that threaten to destroy our world before the stasrs are ever reached.
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