Question

Science, like any knowledge, can be put to good or bad use depending on the user. Given below are some of the applications of science. Formulate your views on whether the particular application is good, bad or something that cannot be so clearly categorised.
a. Mass vaccination against smallpox to Curb and finally eradicate this disease from the population. (This has already been successfully done in India)
b. Television for eradication of illiteracy and for mass communication of news and ideas.
c. Prenatal sex determination
d. Computers for increasing in work efficiency
e. Putting artificial satellites into orbits around the Earth
f. Development of nuclear weapons
g. Development of new and powerful techniques of chemical and biological warfare
h. Purification of water for drinking
i. Plastic surgery
J. Cloning

Answer 1

a. The small pox virus kills so many human beings and survivors have permanent effects. Thus, the mass vaccination against smallpox is good for society.

b. Television for the eradication of literacy and for mass communication of news and ideas is good.

c. Parental sex determination is considered to be bad because it leads to gender imbalance and it is banned legally in many countries.

d. Computers are helpful to do a work in an efficient manner and in an effective way. It results in globalization and increases connectivity between people around the world. Thus, Computers are considered to be good.

e. Launching of artificial satellites is good because the internet, television, a Global positioning system (GPS) and many other bridges between human across the great seas are based on this artificial satellite.

f. Even though Development of nuclear physics leads to effective generations of electricity it is considered to be bad. Because, it gives rise to the destruction of human colonies during wars, insert permanent changes to genes of living beings and cause environmental changes.

g. Development of new and powerful techniques of chemical and biological warfare is bad. It can be simply misused by terrorists, anti-government societies, etc.

h. Purification of Drinking water is good. It is the main problem that we are facing nowadays.

i. Plastic surgery is considered to be good. Because, it gives new life to victims of acid drop, fire accidents, and many others.

j. Cloning is cannot be categorized. Because, reproduction of new organs using cloning is good but, production of whole human being leads to so many social and security problems.