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Can Science Control its use?
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CAN SCIENCE CONTROL ITS USE?

Science can be defined as the effort to discover and increase human understanding of how the physical world works. It involves using controlled methods, scientists collecting data in form of observations, records of observable physical evidence of natural phenomena and analyzes this information to construct theoretical explanations of how things work. Science can also be properly explained in the context of reasoned based analysis of sensation and occurrence which have comer to human awareness. Knowledge in science is gained through research which involves generation of hypotheses about natural phenomena that tested based on experimentation under controlled conditions.
Fields of science can be mainly classified along two major lines which are natural sciences and social sciences. Natural science is the study of natural phenomena which include biological science, physical science and chemical science and other theoretical forms. Social science is the study of human behaviour and societies and how factors of human living are interdependent. Other forms of science known as applied science apart from the enumerated above types grouped as empirical science include engineering and health science. Another form is known as formal science which includes mathematics, statistics and logic. Formal science involves an objective, careful and systematic study and its verifies its knowledge through figurative manipulations and assumptions. Science is knowledge based on observable phenomena and capable of being experimented for its validity by under researchers working under the same conditions. Scientific processes involve observation, description, experimental investigation and theoretical explanation and communication of the phenomena. Scientific explanation can be summarily considered as when a manifestation of our reality previously considered supernatural is understood in the terms of causes and consequences.
Science is the reasoned investigation or study of phenomena, aimed at discovering enduring principles among elements of the phenomenal world by employing formal techniques such as the scientific method. Technologies are products of science, because they have to satisfy requirements such as utility, usability and safety.
Engineering is the goal-oriented process of designing and making tools and systems to exploit natural phenomena for practical human means, often using results and techniques from science. Technology is often a consequence of science and engineering — although technology as a human activity precedes the two fields. For example, science might study the flow of electrons in electrical conductors, by using already-existing tools and knowledge. This new-found knowledge may then be used by engineers to create new tools and machines, such as semiconductors, computers, and other forms of advanced technology. In this sense, scientists and engineers may both be considered technologists; the three fields are often considered as one for the purposes of research and reference.
The use of science that has been evidenced through technology has marked the evolution of generations and as set the tone for modernization, civilization or sophistication of human living. The human living has gradually evolved form primitive, ancient, modern and post- modern systems due to the landmarks or milestones of science. The creative and ingenuity of man has been shown in concise terms from how researchers dating to ages have taken up societal and environmental needs and inadequacies to hypotheses, experiments, theoretical analysis and finally inventing it for the use, existence and convenience of man. The use of science directly translates to technology and its application of technology has been applied to appropriate controlled situations. The use of science is evident in our daily living and insatiable appetite of man to for better living has continually led to its growth. The biological use has shown in the development of medicine, pharmacy, medical engineering, and biomedicine and so on. Science has been the bedrock of considerable sophistication and development in health care, transportation, power systems, construction, health, education, communication, banking, and computers and so on. It only clearly validates the use of science as shown through technology is diverse and multifaceted and it has taken many forms. Man through its needs and directly through scientists has developed science which has turned to be creative or destructive. Man has been taken over by its instinct and proactive thinking to create solution by applying the process of science and find its application to normal human living. Most of the use has been disabused and gradually turned to a threat to its corporate existence.
The crux of the subject matter is that can science control its own use? The control of science is based on man’s ability to use its creative needs to enhance its standards of living. The disabuse of the use of science which is now shown in malignant forms with pernicious effect on the human race has been a great concern. Technology, as the use of science has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes based on scientific knowledge has produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms.Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it.
Nuclear bombs, war artillery, artificial cloning, cancer, tumor, sun burns, HIV/AIDS have all been linked with ‘excessive’ experimentation and arbitrary need to explore the abilities of science to the last stretch. Countries around the world are developing lethal weapons to prove might and enforce global domination and it is gradually being found within insurgent state such North Korea and Iran. Crime science that should be ably used to fight robbery, terrorism and insurgency is clustering in the hands of terrorists and becoming a threat to global peace. Weapons such as knives, pistols, barrel guns have metamorphosed into nuclear bombs, war artillery and missiles and other weapons of mass destruction. Pariah states and failed regimes can easily misuse technology and create forms that have no convenient use for man. The growth of crime science has developed into global threat and its use has been disabused and gradually into reach beyond rational human comprehension.
The inability of science to control its own use has been exemplified in the issues of global warming and climatic change. The industrious dexterity of man, its ability to create inventions and technological development through building of factories, industries, fossil fuel power plants, deforestation and others has led to flaring of toxic gases to the atmosphere. This has evoked a global alarm and consequent actions are being coordinated in response. The use of science for the provision of power, human commodities, equipment, machinery and so on has indirectly led increase in toxic gases such as carbonmonooxide, sulphurdioxide, carbondioxide and other toxic gaseous variants. This has led to issues being raised on irregular climatic change, wildlife extinction, melting ice in polar regions, water supply shortage and so on. This act of increase in toxic gas levels has led to global warming, greenhouse effects and so on which has been linked skin cancer, tumour, increased sun radiation and so on. The use of science to develop industrialization aggressively through development of power plants through the use of fossil fuel or other renewable types has also made valuable science to harm mankind indirectly.
The existence of science cannot be without and it can make impact by its use and development by man. The control of the use of science will be acted upon by man but that will involve limiting its creative ability. Other issues have shown how science can develop into forms that had not been anticipated by man. It is only man by its action that can control the use of science. The inability of man to preempt the future and chronologically analyze what will be effect of its present actions makes the future consequence of scientific use unknown. The control of use of science will continually remain elusive to man due to its limited ability. He can only evolve, design and analyze systems for the present human needs but such actions could lead to uncontrollable situations beyond its ability.

January 13, 2009 | 12:51 PM Comments  0 comments

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