Advancement in science and technology must not violate our code of ethics Advancements in science and technology have experienced tremendous growth and development in recent times. Every day, new breakthroughs are being made In many areas of science, including stem cell research and even genetic engineering. They are very promising areas of science. Stem cell research has the potential to cure many diseases that are currently incurable and might be terminal. Genetic engineering might hold the key to solving food shortage Issues that the world Is currently facing.In the field of technology, this mainly Is regarding the growth of artificial Intelligence, encompassing bots, robots, machines and even artificial devices that are able to compute.
With the rapid advancements In science and technology, many critics feel that It has progressed too fast and are on the verge of violating our code of ethics. This is definitely an area of concern and advancements in science and technology should not and must not violate our code of ethics. Ethics is a set of believes that helps us, as humans, to decide right from wrong. The interpretations of ethics upend on the beliefs of different types of people.Although science and technology might be able to flourish and produce benefits for man if it is allowed to violate our code of ethics, in the long run, violating our code of ethics might cause advancements in science and technology to lose its purpose and direction and might result in people misusing the technology.
Firstly, ethics is needed to ensure that advancement in science and technology does not lose its purpose. The purpose of science is to benefit human beings. It is supposed to be used to find means to solve problems that e face. This is the basic purpose that science and technology works towards.Stem cell research could help millions of people who are affected by diseases that can be cured using this technology and new technologies have allowed us to do things more efficiently and well. However, there are other things that science and technology can achieve which does not serve their basic purpose.
A lot of this research is done in terms of financial benefits. Scientists research on science because of the money they can earn. Experiments and research can cost a lot of money and hence scientists deed to do research on areas where they can make the most money.However, many rich people have other ideas regarding the technology. They might want to use the technology for their own benefit.
Stem cells might enhance human ablest and people who fund the research might want to use the stem cell research to enhance their abilities. This is therefore unethical and Is selfish for people to use It for their own benefits. If ethics are able to moderate the advancements In technology and science, It would guide the progress of science and technology and ensures that science and technology fulfils their purpose of benefiting mankind.Secondly, ethics Is needed to ensure that science and technology do not negatively affect the society and even the environment.
There is a lot of potential regarding stem cell research and genetic engineering. However, there are a lot of risks that come with the advancements in science and technology. As technology continues to advance and Humans are unable to compete cognitively and physically with robots and machinery. Webb Wheel Products, a company that makes parts for truck brakes, recently got a machine, Dodson VAMP which can spin a 130 pound brake drum and drill holes thou missing a beat.It has allowed Webb Wheel to make 300000 more drums annually. Humans are definitely not able to be as efficient as machineries and robots in this aspect.
Therefore, this has resulted in many Jobs being loss because of the more favorable option of using machines. Also, there are dangers of science causing problems for the society and the environment. Cloning, as it is, does not have any direct positive impacts on humans. It could have detrimental effects on humans though.
If humans can be cloned and duplicated, it would result in the devaluing of life.Also, regarding genetic engineering, there is a concern that if genetically modified animals escape into the wild, it could affect the ecosystem. Therefore, ethics is needed to guide the development of science and technology to ensure that they do not negatively affect the environment or the society. However, on the other hand, if advancements in science and technology are allowed to neglect the restrains of ethics, it would progress much faster and produce the benefits that it promises. The belief that science is based on facts while ethics is based on religious believes is true to a certain extent.Firstly, different religions have different views on ethics.
Different religions have different sets of values and beliefs. Therefore, an issue that does not infringe on scientific ethics might infringe on the ethics of other religions. For example, in Buddhism, the fundamental aspect of ethics is no killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, or intoxicants. On the other hand, in science, ethics means actions an individual takes on himself to ensure his continued survival across the dynamics. This means that according to ethics in science, it is alright to violate some human rights for the greater good.
However, this is considered unethical in Buddhism. Therefore, ethics does serve as a hindrance in the advancement of science and technology. In stem cell research, human embryos are used. Lethal experiments are performed on embryos.
Because of ethical concerns, scientists are unable to use large amounts of embryos. This limits what scientists can do and achieve. Also in the area of genetic engineering, although it infringes on ethics by playing 'God', it has helped us solve many issues such as food shortage. However, in the long run, this has negative implications and might cause worse problems for the society.
Therefore, although ethics does prove a hindrance in the progress of science and technology, it is instrumental in ensuring that science and technology do not pose threats and risks to the society. Therefore, advancements in science and technology must not violate our code of ethics. Even if it can advance much faster by doing so, this would only last for short while and is unsustainable in the long term. Ethics are necessary in ensuring that advancements in science and technology is checked and does not go overboard and cause problems for the society.
