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The World around us today, is a product of science and technology and its impact can be felt in almost all human endeavour. However, power of science
can be used in a positive or in a negative sense. But it is only the economic and political organisations of the society determine whether the impact of science would be benevolent or malevolent.
Science is growing and expanding at a terrific pace. So rapid is the progress of science; a graduate in science & technology is obsolete on the day
of his graduation; a good research paper is almost out of date on the day of its publication. A military weapon is nearly obsolete when it is put into use, expensive research equipment is out of fashion by the time
it is ready for use.
The scientific revolution by its efficacy and its extraordinary achievements has infused a new optimism among men. No problem is considered to be too
difficult to solve. The scientist believes that by research, and hard work, he can solve many problems that were till now, relegated to the result of the fate. With such optimism and belief in science, man feels a
new sense of urgency in solving the grave problems of hunger and poverty which afflict two-thirds of humanity today.
Science and technology, moreover, stand for a rationalisation of man's activities. Progress in science and technology is based on essential unalterable
facts. Sentiment alone has no place in scientific thinking. Even intuition which plays a great role in the formation of scientific theory, is not easily accepted unless it can be proved and justified to some way or
the other. Scientific work demands a certain rigour in thinking; a respect for objectivity in the evaluation of facts. It trains the mind to make a calm, dispassionate and objective assessment of events and
situations.
Thus the scientific age has ushered in a number of values and invincible optimism in attacking human problems, a rationalisation of effort so as to
obtain maximum efficiency, relieving human want and suffering and feeling of the brotherhood of man. These are values that have become a part of the traditions of an industrialised society and a new culture which is
fast emerging today.
One of the important wings of the United Nations, the UNESCO, has realised the significant role that science plays in the field of education and
culture. Gone are the days when culture and. refinement were the monopoly of the few privileged with money and power, luxury and leisure. Culture is now the property of the masses all over the world with the aid of
science. Science has diversified and decentralised culture and made it the common media of international understanding. Science has made the people to feel the oneness.
Science is the serious pursuit of knowledge and discovery and a relentless and passionate search for truth. It develops through hard labour. It is not
a routine undertaking. It is not something which can be manipulated by administrative tricks or by issuing directions and instructions either by government or by any other agency. It demands high mental competence
and above all, it calls for courage and consistent efforts.
The present-day world is science-based and development in the world too is science-based. Especially in the west - the advanced countries progressed
fast and flourished because science was not confined to academics; politics and economics and extended to social and cultural fields. Beyond that, they adopted science to solve all their problems. Science in those
countries has revolutionised their whole outlook and become their way of life. While we ape the West and move to globalise our vision, we are narrow and parochial and prejudiced and biased. We believe in blind
acceptance of anything without critical thinking. We believe in dogma and supernatural things. Psychologically we are not near to the West, while we want to match ourselves with them in every field.
We must realise that for the first time in human history, science offers immense benefits and facilities to everyone, irrespective of any status. It
has an unprecedented power to eliminate the poverty, unemployment, ignorance and disease. This imposes an obligation on the modern state to use the great power of science for the common good and for the upliftment
of mankind as a whole. If wisely employed, science can improve not only the standard of living but can also improve the quality of life. It has revolutionised the mode of production as well as the mode of thought.
It has offered a new life-style, new values and a new culture, i. e. "Scientific Culture".
Scientific culture is not opposed to traditional culture. No nation can survive or flourish by ignoring its own tradition. There is no exclusive modern
society or traditional society as such. One can only modernise the traditional society. Similarly a scientific religion like Buddhism does not reject other religion as unscientific. Religion, whether scientific or
unscientific, grew up according to the conditions of the given society at the given period of history. Likewise science and spirituality are not opposed to each other. Spirituality also is recognised as a science.
Modern science, besides probing the physical side of man, also probes the inner side of man.
The modern scientific and technological innovations must be fully used in all the socio-economic sectors, because they use less raw materials, less
energy and produce less damage to the environment. They can best serve our developmental goal and improve the quality of our life.
Despite our shortcomings we have made great strides in utilising the modern science and technology. We have achieved self-sufficiency in food
production through the green revolution and have benefited through the white revolution. We have moved from the export of agricultural products to the export of capital goods, engineering goods, consumer goods etc.
and we undertake turnkey projects and help the co-developing countries. We have, to some extent, developed indigenous technology and achieved self reliance in high-tech areas. We have also adopted science and
technology policy resolutions to accord: recognition to the significant role of the scientific community in our nation-building efforts and to strengthen the modern science and technology base in our country. We are
now ranked as a highly industrialised nation. What is needed today is for the people of India is to cultivate the spirit of scientific temper and to participate fully in the global march of science and technology,
to make our planet a worthy place to live in, and to build a new social order based on liberty, equality and fraternity through the judicious use of science and technology.
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