THE UPEI .sun, Thursday, October 30,1980, page 8
Technolo‘gy‘Shak
by Joseph Sanlei
No social scientist worthy of the name can ignore the sociological impact of technological evolution upon humankind. In fact, many social scientists, notably the Marxists, would pose the arguement that technology not only is the producer of society's goods but is society's parent.
In the pre-Marxian era of social science, many of the great thinkers of the Enlightenment recognized
regressive and universal detriment of our race,
.and even the manner by ‘which and progress may be
assured of technology, is
one of the moment's
greatest uncertainties.
What is known for sure is
that the power of science
is very real. ' When (in the New
Mexico desert) the first
atomic weapon was detonated,
Dr. Robert Oppenheimer,who
was in charge of the project
which produced the bomb,
es'Civiliza-tion
ignorance and fear.
Perhaps no one, at least no one in particular, is responsible per se for the present apocalthic nature of our state. if this be so, then it clearly means that the old methods of revolution, class,war, etc. may no longer be seen
as viable means of attaining an eventual, and ever
illusory utopia on earth. Sure, the technology and economic developments of Jefferson's time, combined
\
of stability, in France.
No where in the-contemporary world does there exist a stability comparable‘to
that of early America.
Thus the democratic countries, what few of
‘ them there are, must learn
to solve our very pressing problems by the harnessing of our technological strength for the revolutionary alternative
can provide nought but bloody disaster.
Next week I hope to
said that his only thought as the mushroom cloud rose into the sky, was one from the Hindu Scriptures (Bavi- gad Gita) :“Today I am
provide some concrete examples of ways in which ‘technological know-how can, and is, beginning the race against time to save
with Liberal economic thought, produced the almost inevitable revolutioary results; the expulsion from the
the extent to which
technology would shake the old orders of civilization and enable the creation, in
their own place, of entirely new entities. _ Thomas Jefferson wrote, in a letter to John Adams in l8l3, that I'Science has liberated the ideas of those who read and reflect and the American revolutionaryyexample has kindled feelings of right in the people. An insur- rection has consequently begun of science, talents, and courage, against rank and birth, which have fallen intoLcontempt--- Science is progressive, and talents and enterprise are on the alert -- Rank and birth, and tinsel aristocracy will finally shrink into insignificance. Thus Jefferson recog- nized the implicit link inseparably binding science and politics. Technology, science applied, has within its essence, given the quality and concerns of the men and women who employ it, the power of ostensibly altering civilization until the end of the human epoch. Be that power employed to the progressive and_col+ lective benefit or
become Death " the deStroyerAmerican colonies turned
of worlds.”
When the bomb was finally used upon a human target, twice in fact, imperial Japan's subsequent surrender clouded the new Omnipotent danger with the joy of transitory victory and peace.
It would be wrong to now attempt to place culpability for all of the world's ills since l9h5 upon some abstract notion of a conspiratorial scientific community - this is neither true nor benefical to the cause of lasting peace. For the so-called “scientific community” (despite what some sophmore science students may tell you) is but a specialists micro< cosm, fully a component- part of the general academic community, and beyond that; the entire human community. As such, no scape goat, were it to be science, scientists, or any of a number of political regimes, can be sacrificed, with L' ., resulting salvation,/upon the altars of human
ITIIE.
COME ON_UP T0 2ND FLOOR FOR ALL YOUR SPORTS AND CASUAL CLOTHING. }'
UNIVERSITY. AVE,
Republic of an archaic and despotic monarchy, but what for the betterment of the human condition could have resulted in the .
, struggles outcome were it
not for the wisdom in
governmental matters of the revolutionaries. A few years following the
.American Revolution M. de
la Fayette's prediction that it would”serve as a lesson to the oppressor rand an eXample to the' opressed“ was realized in- a revolution in France, with much different results. For the impliments of war soon turned from the aristocratic oppressor upon revolutionary by the hand of revolutionary, and led to a new tyranny. It was certainly not that the Americans en masse were in any way superior to the French that one revolution was to sUcceed and the other fail, but rather that the conditions of America in the 1780's provided it with a stable post~revolutionary leader-- ship unatainable, for lack
our race and civilization and liberty. So barring thenno-nuclear annialation between now and next Thursday . See you then .
BIKE snore
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