"Progress in all branches of science has enabled us to discover not only the immensity but also the fecundity of the historical progress. In that way we have become more fully aware of the extent and the dept of the social bond".
What do you think about?
We hope that progress and science support the unity of the human community. But we have to think of diverse ideologies/cultures of diverse and multiple groups of people, nations as well as of their divers political goals. Yes, science and technology are great for humanity, but they also create lethal and destructive weapons that actually threaten the entire earth. The question is: how to establish PEACE. If we got the good answer, this would be a good step toward the unity of the human community.
Many thanks for your answer. El-Sayed El-Aswad, Science is not Ideology or much better is NOT supposed to be Ideology.
The definition of Science is: "The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment". https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/science
About progress & science - we're optimist; but regarding unity - we're miserably unhappy!
Thanks dear Antonio Russo. Of course the definition of science is known to scholars (needless to provide formal definitions), but the question uses the word "progress" before "science", which is fine. I said that progress and science support the unity of the human community. The problem is that nobody can separate progress and science from the cultural and social background. Look at at Germany during Nazist time. There was a great progress in science, but the ideology led to wars and great disaster. Another example, in Middle ages, Muslims were far advanced in science (and progress) compared to the West, living in DARK. Presently, the picture is completely different. Simply put, scientists must be aware of the cultural factors. By the way, 2 participants (in this conversation) expressed their doubt about human unity despite their support of progress & science. So, I tried to draw your attention to DIVERSITY. I hope it is clear. Thank yo for your question and feedback.
I agree. Recall we Unified Science in logical positivism.It reached a lot. Many countries were united by same ideas
We have already become acquainted with the ambivalence of the Age of Enlightenment in its human and inhuman consequences, which progress holds in store. By beginning to understand himself as an autonomous being and by having to take responsibility for shaping his own future (i.e. by no longer being able to leave this to religion or the world of myths), man recognizes that progress, including social progress, carries the danger of man's self-destruction within him. And the question is, of course, how should we deal with this realization when it comes to risk technologies and other dangers? All in all, the blessings of social progress have only ever been given to a certain part of humanity, the social middle and upper classes, while large parts of the world's population suffer from existential need, are on the run or are victims of wars and natural disasters.
Yes, I think the problem is that science and modern economic-technological development have not solved the poverty threatening 50% of the world population (over three billion people) who live on less than $2.50 a day. The gap between those who have and those have not is widening where 1 percent own more than half of the global/world wealth.
I often tend to be sceptical, especially with regard to global issues of the future. On the other hand, one should also defend oneself against seeing all developments of today only pessimistically. Both scientific and technological progress and the efforts of many people to contribute to social progress worldwide through their efforts deserve recognition.
One can also answer a big question by referring it to existing real efforts. Wherever a group of people work together, whether as scientists or as social helpers, a piece of such unity is realized. Thanks to the IT society, we can now create social networks that were not possible in the past. There has been progress in human civilization from the beginning. But it is only in our time that it takes place at an explosive rate. Scientists all over the world may offer more security to achieve this unity of the human community than politics.
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