Jammu: Expressing concern over the lasting impact of science which have been harmful, Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Friday urged scientists to introspect and distinguish between socially beneficial and socially harmful applications of their research and innovation.
"They (scientists) must distinguish between socially beneficial and socially harmful applications of their research and innovation.
"Such introspection would be essential in order to undertake an objective cost-benefit analysis of their scientific output so that the outcome of their work is a balanced, sustainable, `win-win` proposition for society," Ansari said.
Scientists could get more involved with the public, civil society and the policy-makers to find and implement solutions to their issues, he suggested, while addressing them at the 101st Session of Indian Science Congress` at University of Jammu here.
The Vice-President said that Gandhiji had listed `science without humanity` as one of seven deadly sins, and stressed that scientists had an onerous responsibility toward society.
"Since the dawn of the modern industrial age, science has been used as a potent instrument for expansion of frontiers of economic growth and military powers of some segments of humanity, especially in the developed western world," he said.
Ansari opined that the development of sophisticated weapons of mass destruction based on scientific knowledge has threatened the very existence of mankind, at least a few times, in the last century.
Scientists, who contributed to bringing about this situation, have a responsibility to mitigate, if not eliminate, the threats posed by excessive weaponisation of our planet, he said.
Observing that the health of a nation depended on the
health of its science and technology, Ansari said they were indispensable for addressing major contemporary challenges of economic growth and social transformation of societies
He said the founding fathers of our Republic had the wisdom and foresight to realise this at the dawn of freedom. Their knowledge of history made it evident to them the connection between technological superiority and political domination.
"It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of insanitation and illiteracy, of superstition and deadening custom and tradition, of vast resources running to waste, of a rich country inhabited by starving people," he said.
Modern scientific research and development in areas, such as genetics, biotechnology, neuroscience, nuclear physics, space technology and information technology have transformed our world as never before. However, they also carry with them considerable social and ethical implications, which must be addressed, he said.
"Possibilities of man-made disasters due to nuclear or space technologies, medical bio-technology, violation of privacy, impact of social media networks, and other threats emanating from new developments in information and communication technology, are some of the other issues that require serious and careful examination," he said.
He also noted that the influence of science on people`s lives is growing everyday.
