Since the arguments
for and against dropping the bomb have raged for many years I will not attempt
to add any new insight on this debate. Rather,
all I will add is that the Atomic bomb displayed a force of destruction previously
unimaginable to humans. The successful
manipulation of atomic particles by scientists ushered in an arms race for
bigger and stronger weapons which culminated in the creation of weapons so
powerful that they could destroy all life on our earth.
Conversely,
humans have not evolved evolutionarily during this processes, and I fear that a
proclivity towards revenge, lust for power, and a desire to dominate all other
life forms may in the end have too great of an appeal for an upstart demagogue
to repress through rational thinking alone.
We can call this the "human" factor and apply to represent the
ubiquitous imperfections of humanity.
Luckily, this is
only my rational brain speaking.
Fortunately, I also think that there is a lot to be hopeful for in the
future. Only we can decide. In a way this is comforting news because at
least humans are in the driving seat, and our fate to no small degree rests in
the decisions we make today moving forward.
While writing
this section of my blog I could not help but noticing an often times
under-sourced phenomenon we take for granted when thinking about science and
technology. In summary, as is the case
with all technological breakthroughs the unintended consequences of such
innovations do tend to lead to un-thought of or previously unsought ends. This idea stems from the autocatalytic school
of thought which basically argues that once something gets started things will
start happening in ways which we previously thought unimaginable. Likewise, the speed of changes in the
beginning will start off slowly and pick up momentum with the passage of time.
In truth,
science and technologies' positive and negative impacts on humanity are too
great to recount, and my point is not to try and turn back the clock on the
world's development. My opinion is that
humans would be wise though to start debating the possible impacts of
development before it takes place as opposed to after it has already occurred.
In my opinion,
attempting to move the world back to a time before such inventions already
occurred seems like wishful thinking. I
have a final note of caution regarding developing dangerous and powerful
technology. In the end, when what you
have created is so dangerous that you would do anything to keep it away from
the eyes of the rest of the world it may be wise to rethink the ramifications
of such a creation.
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