It is not that wars and weapons are beyond the domain of the scientists. The responsibilities of scientist are many and various in this matter. Modern warfare and weaponry is a product of science. Scientists are busy manufacturing the deadiest weapons. A mad race for armaments is going on. The scientists who manufactured the bomb did the greatest disservice to man kind. There was nothing wrong in discovering atomic energy: what was wrong and irresponsible was to use atomic power for causing large scale killing of men and destruction of valuable property.
Many thoughtful person are now worried about scientific invention, because they have become so dangerous that they may burn up the whole civilization and wipe out all humanity. They suggest, therefore, that we should call a halt to scientific research. But the spokesmen of scientific research say that it is impossible to carry out the suggestion.
They assert callously that science must investigate all material changes in man's world. The aim of scientists is to study how nature may be controlled and used for the benefit of man. Progress of one kind or another cannot be told to standstill. Nothing can stop progress, and as time goes on scientific progress is likely to proceed at an ever faster rate. The problem as to how the discoveries of scientists are to be applied to ordinary issues of daily life is not scientific problem.
It is a political problem or rather a moral problem. It is for the politicians and the people at large to decide whether or not an atom bomb or a hydrogen bomb should be dropped on a foreign country. When science produces new drugs to cure incurable diseases or when science gives us new dyes and wonderful plastic materials, we praise it; but when science produces deadly weapons of war we condemn it. This age of science is a more lively age, because it provides man with many new things that please him and make his life more comfortable and enjoyable; it is also a more dangerous age because it puts very destructive weapons into man's hands.
Moreover, atomic energy is not merely a destructive thing. I can be used ( and is being used) in medicine to detect and destroy cancers. It may be used to drive ship and engines, and to light our homes, and in many other useful ways. But the decision whether atomic energy should be used for peaceful purposes only, does not rest with the scientists alone. It depends on the mental, moral and spiritual climate of our time.
What is it that prevents the use of the great inventions of science from making our world a better and happier place to live in? It is the passions of the human heart, stupidity, perversity, vileness and wildness. We must tame the savageness of man.
Even if we destroy all nuclear weapons and halt all further scientific research, we will only stagger to a stand-still a stalemate, unless we make sufficient progress in the moral and spiritual uplift of man. We must restore our heritage of spiritual truths to the central place in the minds of all men. They must transform us, give us liberality, understanding and freedom. We must strive for the re-enthronement to the majesty of the moral law.
Hence it is essential to give a through moral training to the man of science, so that he realizes his responsibility to his fellow human beings.
Many thoughtful person are now worried about scientific invention, because they have become so dangerous that they may burn up the whole civilization and wipe out all humanity. They suggest, therefore, that we should call a halt to scientific research. But the spokesmen of scientific research say that it is impossible to carry out the suggestion.
They assert callously that science must investigate all material changes in man's world. The aim of scientists is to study how nature may be controlled and used for the benefit of man. Progress of one kind or another cannot be told to standstill. Nothing can stop progress, and as time goes on scientific progress is likely to proceed at an ever faster rate. The problem as to how the discoveries of scientists are to be applied to ordinary issues of daily life is not scientific problem.
It is a political problem or rather a moral problem. It is for the politicians and the people at large to decide whether or not an atom bomb or a hydrogen bomb should be dropped on a foreign country. When science produces new drugs to cure incurable diseases or when science gives us new dyes and wonderful plastic materials, we praise it; but when science produces deadly weapons of war we condemn it. This age of science is a more lively age, because it provides man with many new things that please him and make his life more comfortable and enjoyable; it is also a more dangerous age because it puts very destructive weapons into man's hands.
Moreover, atomic energy is not merely a destructive thing. I can be used ( and is being used) in medicine to detect and destroy cancers. It may be used to drive ship and engines, and to light our homes, and in many other useful ways. But the decision whether atomic energy should be used for peaceful purposes only, does not rest with the scientists alone. It depends on the mental, moral and spiritual climate of our time.
What is it that prevents the use of the great inventions of science from making our world a better and happier place to live in? It is the passions of the human heart, stupidity, perversity, vileness and wildness. We must tame the savageness of man.
Even if we destroy all nuclear weapons and halt all further scientific research, we will only stagger to a stand-still a stalemate, unless we make sufficient progress in the moral and spiritual uplift of man. We must restore our heritage of spiritual truths to the central place in the minds of all men. They must transform us, give us liberality, understanding and freedom. We must strive for the re-enthronement to the majesty of the moral law.
Hence it is essential to give a through moral training to the man of science, so that he realizes his responsibility to his fellow human beings.
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