Search

The article presents a discussion of how human beings cope with technological revolution. Scientists play a big role in influencing the use society makes of scientific and technological progress. Atomic scientists had initiated this movement when they developed the Federation of Atomic Scientists (FAS) and other groups devoted to public education and atomic energy in year 1945. Science and technology are the results of the latest stage in the biological evolution which had separated Homo sapiens from the animal kingdom.

The article reflects on a report by Gunnar Myrdal, which was based on the first Gordon Alport Memorial Lecture presented at Harvard University in November 1971. Gunnar Myrdal, an economist at Stockholm University's Institute for International Economic Studies, argues that social science progress is very much slower than in the natural sciences, and that natural science are producing discoveries that are thrusting radical changes on our society. The section offers several reports in connection with Myrdal's statement about social science and the greater difficulties that social scientist meet when they try to apply their knowledge.

The article focuses on the social concerns of scientists relative to the attitudes of young people towards science. The author states that judging by the words he hears and the vibrations he is getting, attitudes of young people towards science are hostile in varying degrees. Scientists who are socially concerned understand the problems that brought it about, have tried to bring them to public attention, and find solutions to them. Young people believe that science is used for destructive, rather than constructive, purposes.

The article presents a speech by Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky, head of the Department of Polymer Research at the Weizmann Institute of Science. The author reflects that Israel's major problems goes beyond its boundaries in which scientists must provide solutions. Scientific developments have been hindered by moral and ethical issues, by internationalization of belong to a global community, and by promotion of anti-intellectualism. He suggests on collaboration of scientists from different fields in finding treatment to the human personality problem and of the role of scientists in humanizing science and applying it to the society's needs .

The article presents a critique by Philip Sporn of the papers concerning "The Control of Science for Civil Needs" written by Anthony Wedgwood Benn, Myron Tribus, Daniel C. Drucker, and Alan Mencher. The papers all express faith in science and technology in solving mankind's problems. Although science and technology has contributed to economic and political upliftment, man also mistrusts it, given that science may also become an instrument in the annihilation of mankind. The tragedy is that science, technology and big business have diverted man from ethical and moral imperatives.

The article discusses the significance on the consortium of academies of science as a new way to found international institutions. It describes a relatively new and potentially useful device for international cooperation in the scientific community and cooperative efforts among academies of science and scientific societies. It is necessary for both domestic and international governmental agencies to stimulate and enhance its growth with accustomed discretion to develop the new system and be made workable. Professor Roger Revelle voiced the hope that the young and promising scientists of developing nations could find support for innovative research via a nongovernmental, nonpolitical, international science foundation.

The article reports on the scientists involved in the making of a decision to bomb Japan. By June 1945, Japan had no offensive strength left. This meant that the time scale of military and diplomatic actions could be set entirely by the U.S. and its allies. There were external and internal pressures for ending the war as soon as possible with minimum loss of life and wealth, but with some sort of humiliation of the enemy. Since to break Japan would apparently require a bloody invasion, it was necessary somehow to use the atomic bomb on Japan. However, some of the scientific community contended that the first use of the atomic bomb against a densely populated city required a serious moral decision.

The article focuses on the status of scientific revolution and science-based technology in the U.S. It has been stated that science is something above and beyond society which offers both beneficial and negative effects. Science has also expanded its scope and is viewed as extremely influential. However, the expanded scope of science is associated with various controversies including the conflict with the churches over evolution, as well as the conflict with the Communist Party in the Soviet Union over genetics. Despite the success of science, it has remained in a small subculture in the country because of the attitude and perception of the people towards its negative side.

The article reports on the harnessing of nuclear fusion in the generation of energy. At first it seemed apparent that the technology of controlled fusion would arise naturally and develop from very simple and transparent ideas of physics. Atomic energy has the greatest practical importance among mankind's attainments, although, perhaps, outwardly it is less spectacular than man's invasion of neighboring space or the frightening power of an impassive artificial mind. Without the exploitation of atomic energy sources it is impossible to conceive of the continuing existence on earth of a gigantic human society with a developing civilization, since the energy reserves contained in organic fuel are disappearing with ever increasing speed.

The article shares a physicist's views concerning impact of technology on warfare advancement. During his years as a graduate student at the Radiation Laboratory of the University of California in Berkeley, California, the war in Europe had just broke out. Like most of the students, he believe that the war was evil, and that it would serve only to enrich the munition makers. He agreed that whatever might happen, however justified the cause against Germany's Adolf Hitler might seem, the true course would be that of pacifism. His decision to participate in a nuclear research and that he would be working on a basic source of energy that would become beneficial to everyone.

The article shares an author's experience regarding the establishment of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This article examines what the experience means to the participants as they view it retrospectively. Every scientist dreams of a well-equipped laboratory in the country, ample funds and interesting research in the company of a few stimulating colleagues. The dream came true for those who joined the Los Alamos Laboratory in the months after April 1943. In retrospect, a few people generalize the impact of Los Alamos as an experience who changed their life because it changed the world.

The article recollects the author's experiences regarding nuclear research and development in the U.S. and offers prospects of nuclear energy. On July 16, 1945, at the so-called Trinity testing site near Alamogordo, New Mexico, man first unleashed a nuclear explosion. Less than three weeks later, on August 6, Hiroshima, a coastal city of 300,000 on Japan's Inner Sea, became the first target of an atom bomb. As the first quarter of a century of the atomic age draws to its end, there is increasing consciousness of the predicament into which the scientific revolution is bringing mankind. Naive pride in the great achievements of scientific technology still wells up on occasions but is rapidly submerged in a tide of pessimism.

The article recollects the author's experiences regarding nuclear research and development and offers prospects of nuclear energy. While technological forecasting is quite popular, it is far from being an exact science. It continues to have many elements of an art. This article, although based on some facts, is based also on much conjecture and opinion of the author. In it, he have indulged in what many will consider a great deal of wishful thinking, as well as a bit of fictitious hindsight. In as early as the nineteen-twenties, man fissioned the atom initially for the purpose of destruction. Fifty years after, he begins his fusion of atoms solely for construction-to build the better life for all his fellowmen.

Information about several issues discussed at the Third Herceg Novi International Conference on Science and Society at Herceg Novi in Yugoslavia on June 30, 1969 is presented. Scientists, artists, politicians, philosophers and writers who participated the event have considered future developments and advancements in science, research and development. The future of cybernetic technology, problems of developing countries, economic analysis and forecasting and science policy were also discussed.

The article presents the author's proposal of establishing a better communication between the scientists and the governmental decision-makers to attain more democratic control of new and sophisticated technology. The author points out that widespread fear of nuclear weapons and technology will threaten a country's security and foreign relations and will also destroy a vision of a better society. To address the problem, better communication between scientists and government leaders is suggested to achieve political leverage and control of the sophisticated nuclear weapons. The promise of science and technology for the continuous improvement of mankind is still to be fulfilled. Moreover, a better communication channel will make science and technology's benefits clear to everyone.

The article focuses on the acquisition and development of scientific and technological capabilities by Arab Countries to fight back the military threat to autonomy posed by technologically advanced Europe. It is claimed that the military threat to the autonomy of the Middle East which is posed by Europe has became the driving factor behind the will to acquire advanced scientific and technological capabilities. Colleges and universities have been founded and produced graduates, few of which are scientists. These graduates could make significant contributions to Arab educational and economic development. Meanwhile, on the governmental side, the major factors forcing the acquisition of science and technology are the need for economic development and physical preservation of the state.

The discuses on the different forms of social controls on the use of applied science in the issue of production of lethal military weapons, or other devices purposely or inadvertently harmful to large numbers of human beings. The author points out that among the forms of social controls of science such as individual, inadvertent, market, university and the government controls, it is the latter that present the major mechanism for social control of science. The government agencies may exert control over applied science in several ways which includes the regulations on the use of products marked to be harmful or dangerous, by the way funds are allocated for research and development aimed at specific end-products and by the thing government agencies build or buy.

The article discusses the impact of nuclear-powered, industrial complexes (Nuplexes) on the society in the U.S. Nuplexes is designated to a difficult-to-describe phenomenon that is expected to come into a physical existence and is considered as one consequence of the introduction of a great nuclear reactors for electrical power production. The author states that it can contribute positively to the people if it will become an institution with an image of its own for which it could gain popular support.

The article presents a reprint taken from "Novyi Mir," in 1967. It discusses the definite science politics which is needed when the development of science is to favor the best interests of the country. The organizational problems are being complicated by the absence of convincing standards for measuring either the absolute or relative values of scientific results or criteria to judge between research in different fields.

The article focuses on the impact of science and technology on the society and science education in the U.S. Accordingly, science is considered as a revealer of ultimate truth and technology as associated with engineering and practical application of the theories formed in scientific research. The impact of these two combined force on the society focus on the creation and transformation modern society and the improvement of education especially in the renovation of American new science curricula . However, the impact of science and technology on the society can be harmful since they poison man's environment and disrupt social intercourse. In addition, new science curricula failed to lead the students to comprehend the nature of science and technology.

The article discusses science which has made progress in the battle for a place in education and scientists who were once regarded as rude mechanicals but are now quite commonly criticized for neglecting practical ends. The relation of pure science to applied science is subtle and complex. By no means all the recruits for technology need come from pure science. Many could come from quarters which society has discouraged from developing any interest in science. The prescription for future success in applied science is a well-assorted community of human types, the analytical, the creative, all enjoying equal status so that each part of the task may be taken up by some when others have made their contribution.

The article discusses on the impact of developments in sciences that deal with the mind and the brain on human values. It is observed that science give rise to causal determinism wherein every act of a person precedes the patterns of brain excitation or obeys the universal laws of chemistry and physics. Advances in brain-behavior sciences resulted in revisions of the general concept of human nature. It was found out that an appropriate program of environmental and training conditioning in order to shape society and human nature into desired mold.

The article focuses on the importance of science and education in developing a new type of society in China. It enumerates the official objectives or policy goals that has been considered by educational institutions in the country. It also discusses the ways and means of implementing the policies related to science and education and has mentioned on the three distinct types of education that affects the educational objectives. Furthermore, it explores the organization and the development of science and technology which have changed the Chinese society.

The article focuses on the argument on scientific choice and its implications to the society. The choice itself concerns separate issues including the initiative of the society to consider science against other goals and the allocation of resources necessary for such field. The recipients of the federal support are also determined between different scientific institutions and fields. The views of the debate are based from the March 1965 Basic Research and National Goals study, sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences Committee in Science and Public Policy.

The article focuses on the influence of the concept of culture on the concept of man. In the aim to understand the culture of human beings, the study involved the rise of scientific concept which connected with the termination of views of human nature based from the Enlightenment period. On the basis of modern anthropology, it is difficult to determine of what is natural, universal and constant in man and what is conventional, local and variable. Furthermore, man are classified as incomplete animals who aspire to become better through the influence of particular forms of culture.

The article reflects on the pursuit of pure science by the scientific community in the U.S. Indications showed that this endeavor is becoming more and more expensive. The authors of this paper attempts to defend one special kind of pure science, the physics of elementary particles. This is the branch of physics that looks for the fundamental constituents of matter. They proposed that in any intelligent discussion of the impact of pure science in society, it must be based upon knowledge of the development of modern physics and of the role of the study of elementary particles in the history of science.

The article focuses on the factors which cause the fiscal dilemma of Academic Science in the U.S. The dilemma refers to the situation that if the U.S. government will not provide financial support to academic science, the growth of science and technology will be stagnant but if the U.S. government will provide financial support to the academic science the economy will be affected. Accordingly, this dilemma was due to the lack of forces that form higher education and academic science that mostly affected by economic aspect. This factor leads the colleges and universities in the U.S. to experience internal stresses since private investment is decreasing and public resistance is increasing.

The article focuses on the views of the author relating to scientific revolution. The author notes that scientific revolution places two challenges before mankind which are to eliminate war between major nations forever, and to make mankind a community of equal races. He believes that the era will end in mutual destruction of the great nations if the first challenge is not met successfully, and if the second challenge is not resolved, he thinks that it will lead to a grisly conflict between the nonwhite majority and the white minority of mankind. He also notes that scientific revolution has cramped traditional power politics relying on plausible war threats as their limiting conditions.

The article reflects on the political consequences of scientific research and technological innovations. There can be no civilization unless society affords ample credit to men of thought. Society undergoes changes along with a change in their character. In the history of European civilization, it is easy to observe, first, a long era during which the men of thought were all men of God, the clerics. Then a gradual emergence of the men of law, who finally became the most favored and dominant type of intellectual. In associating the great changes in political ideas and institutions to this displacement, therefore there is a good reason to predict great changes from the supersession of the jurist by the scientist as the most favored and dominant type of intellectual.

The article discusses the effect of scientific revolution to the economy. According to the author, the capacity of science and technology to improve the society is much less obvious than their capacity to raise industrial and agricultural productivity. He also notes that the scientific revolution undermines the institution of war, which not only by multiplying the risks of war until they become unacceptable but also by removing its economic rationalization. He emphasizes the importance of the school system to provide the proper training in physical and biological sciences in preparation for the future scientists.

The article presents the author's perspective regarding science. He says that science generally develops with motivations altogether different from those of technology and the confusion of the two in the public mind is a common error that leads to widespread misunderstanding. He stresses that science, in its pure form, is not concerned with where discoveries may lead, its disciples are interested only in discovering the truth. He states that development takes the discoveries of science and applies them to a wide variety of human wants and needs, ranging from intercontinental ballistic missiles to the desalination of sea water.

This article focuses on the growth of the interdependence of science and technology in the framework of society. It points out that technology is an intermediate link between the development of science and of society. The most important factor of scientific, technical, and social development is the avalanche of scientific discoveries and technical innovations. It is noted that the significance of progress for society depends not only on its extraordinary range, but also on its unparalleled depth. The vast expansion of human horizons may be compared only with the era of great geographical discoveries.

The article discusses the prospects for scientific cooperation. According to the author, since science came into existence, it has always been international. The entire history of science indicates that every national scientific community has only been adding to the great cause of scientific knowledge of the world. He stresses that one should always view science as a phenomenon international in its essence. Other significant information and analyses of the author relative to the matter are presented.

The article explores the role of science in the technologically determined transformation of the modern society. It is supposed that anything a scientist says and does not say affects public issues. His functions include critical analysis of old concepts, constant search for new and superior theories, and insistence that all these be based on evidence. Moreover, he is supposed to emphasize the applicability of scientific methods and attitudes to national and world problems. Modern social scientists have been caught by the desire to imitate experimental physics. However, the revolutionary impact of science is prompting one to conform to new circumstances of which people may have little appreciation.

The article discusses the issue of war that seems to be approaching the condition of a late stage in classical civilization. Despite the fact that the Western world can in no sense afford another major war, the U.S. is unable to create the psychological and political prerequisites of peace. The external conditions of life over much of the earth have been vastly improved and though whole new sciences of nature and society have been put at the disposal, still the average human being remains much as it was generations ago. The days and lives are still dominated as they were in New Testament records by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

The article discusses the role played by science in man's understanding and creation of a truer vision of natural reality. Through the discovery on how to control intra-atomic energy, science has launched humankind into the Atomic era. However, by giving a fuller comprehension of nature, science has set the people on the threshold of a greater and more revolutionary age. The Humanist Era is the period in which the revolutionary process becomes purposeful and conscious of itself. Science reveals a comprehensive picture of the natural universe and the place and role of man. The new vision human owes to science is one of real though tempered optimism. It gives people a measure of significance and rational hope in a world appearing to be irrational and meaningless.

The article presents a reprint of the article "The Future of Science" which was delivered at the Day of Science at the Brussels World's Fair. The author stressed that real science has a great influence to humanity. He emphasized that although the fruits of science has benefited the people particularly the advancement and development, science also has disadvantages that affects the people in return. The author believes that understanding its role requires insight into science's nature, power and limitations.

The article focuses on the relationship between science and society. According the author, there is basic underlying assumption that science is concerned with discovering truth, and the separation of the true from the false, and that truth is intrinsically good. In connection, the ideas that truth makes men free is an article of faith of most civilized people and is a fundamental tenet to those concerned with liberal education. Moreover, religion, philosophy, the arts and sciences are all concerned with attempts of man in making a unifying sense of himself and the world he lives in.

The article presents a speech by James R. Killian, Jr., Special Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, on the impact of science and technology on public policy, delivered at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on December 29, 1958 in the U.S. During his address, Killian discussed some of the ways in which the affairs of men and the affairs of science interact in the area of public policy-making.

The article focuses on the lessons learned by the international community from the International Geophysical Year. While human society becomes better and better equipped technically, its dependence on natural phenomena becomes smaller. This by no means indicates any decrease in the practical significance of natural phenomena. On the contrary, technical progress makes us take into account the peculiarities of geophysical processes which become more and more intricate. The completion of the International Geophysical Year program is characterized not only by the grand scale of investigations and an extensive use of the best equipment, it is characterized by the ever growing collaboration of various countries.

The article cogitates on the impact of scientific and technological progress on human civilization. Science and technology started their triumphant advance early in the nineteenth century. It is hard to imagine at what breathtaking speed the capacity of men to master the forces of nature may advance in future. This article enumerates the various achievements of science and technology already made or which mankind can expect in the near future. According to philosophical scientists, the fate of man in the Atomic Age can be wonderful, if mankind can succeed in turning science and technology to the benefit of all men.

The article discusses the responsibilities of scientists in the Atomic Age. Scientists see the senseless and the tragedy of the present situation of humanity, which is the reduction to the absurd modern technology of the historical tradition of humanity divided into warring factions. If scientists of one country will refuse to provide their knowledge on atomic weaponry, they may be responsible for putting their nation at mercy of another hostile nation. In the book of Robert Jungk, the whole history of the atom and hydrogen bomb development is presented as one of the failure of scientists to make the correct moral decision.

The article discusses on the teaching of science as means of inquiry. According to experts, the formal reason for a change in the methods of teaching the sciences lies in the fact that science itself has changed. An emerging view concerning the nature of scientific inquiry has taken control over research undertakings. The ground for this dynamic outlook lies in part of the vastly increased rate at which information are accumulated and processed. From inquiry conducted in this light, properties accrue to emerging knowledge which distinguish it sharply from conventional scientific knowledge.

The article discusses the role and responsibilities of scientists in the society. Scientists do not often use their power for their own selfish needs, but instead give them in the service of influential men who do not have the wisdom to use it in the service of humanity. Although American high school students regard scientist as someone who is great, brilliant and has a very high I.Q., people often blame them for creating weapons and bombs which could create massive destructions and chaos. Scientist could never form a better government because the scientific training is inappropriate for a career in which action must be carried out without enough information. Scientist in a democratic country should regard himself as a servant of society and serve the people in the best way that he can.

The author reflects on the impact of science and its development to the people's lives. He stressed that people makes constant use of scientific devices and supplies. He suggested that science's capacity to release the mind from its restraints is necessary for its understanding. He pointed out that physical science started due to the fact that world is built where physics is relatively easy. He found out that the average citizen tends to fear science since he thinks that it is mechanistic.

The article focuses on the report of the Interim Committee on the Social Aspects of Science of the Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science about a preliminary study of the present state of science in the U.S., and its relation to social forces and issues. The report shows that there is an impending crisis in the relationships between science and the American society. This crisis is being generated by a basic disparity during the time when decisive economic, political, and social processes have become profoundly dependent upon science, the discipline has failed to attain its appropriate place in the management of public affairs.

The article discusses the interplay between science and religion in the modern society. According to a professor of the philosophy of science, there is no conflict between the two because both are myths. It might be conceded that science is a myth if it were a kind of mental construct providing humans with mechanical and mathematical models. And if religion were a beautiful story spun solely to answer emotional needs, it, too, would be a fable, a myth. With the above-mentioned conditions in mind, this article submits the following thesis which will be the concern of the present discussion. The author asserts that science is not only not in conflict with religion but actually makes a positive contribution to the reasonable worship of God.

The article discusses the influence of science and technology on human civilization. The arrival of industrial revolution and its influence on human existence came from two different ways, one through the ideas themselves and the other through their material consequences. When people speak of the influence of science, they usually have in mind an atom bomb or a television set. This is not because the influence of early scientific ideas is less than it was. Indeed, scientists believe it is greater, however, because technology has become so much more important in itself, and science plays so much greater a part in it.

The article discusses the role of scientist/expert in government and of government in science. According to the author, the expert must bow to the fact that the political sovereign is indeed sovereign. A scientist ought to have ample political freedom as a citizen, exercising it with such tact as to avoid the charge of partisanship. He also stresses that political parties must learn to discipline their partisanship and not to agitate trouble. To treat its intellectual assistants to freedom and respect, a nation needs to be civilized. Other views and analyses of the author are presented.

The article discusses the role of scientist in government and of government in science. According to the author, scientists are sometimes charmed to consider the present clash between science and government as a problem. He stresses that it is essential to bring science and government back into touch with each other. Scientists must find a tongue which can be understood by both parties, if they are to make progress with the affairs. Tolerance, mutual understanding, and power of coexistence must be exercised to patch up the things out. Other views and analyses of the author are presented.