Chapter 2

Where is Science Taking Us?


(1) Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. Why does the author of 'Where is Science Taking US say that Science is doing less than nothing?

Answer: The author says that science is doing less than nothing because, while it has made great material progress, it has neglected ethical and spiritual values.

    Instead of helping people understand life's deeper meaning, science has created confusion, making some believe that man is just a machine controlled by forces beyond his control.
Thus, science has not only failed to help with non-material values — it has actually weakened them.


2. What are machines doing for the humans?

Answer: Machines are doing a lot of work for humans.

    They help in the fields, factories, homes, cities, and even in transportation.
Machines allow humans to fly without wings, swim underwater without gills, and perform heavy tasks easily.
    In fact, in the busiest countries, each person has the help of machines equal to six hundred human slaves.
    Machines save time and provide more leisure hours, but they have also created new social problems.

3. What is the greatest triumph of Science?

Answer: The greatest triumph of science would have been the ability to provide food, clothing, and shelter for every man, woman, and child in the world.

    Science had made it possible to produce enough goods for everyone, which could have solved one of humanity’s biggest problems.


4. What are the consequences of war?

Answer: The consequences of war are very serious.

    Science has advanced war so much that ethics and morals are left far behind.
    War causes destruction, suffering, and confusion, and shows how science can be used in harmful ways without control over its effects.


5. "Today the upper age group is overcrowded." Why?

Answer: The upper age group is overcrowded because modern science and medicine have increased the average lifespan.

    New drugs and medical advances help people live longer, leading to a large number of elderly people in society.

6. What has happened to the ethics and morals in the modern world?

Answer: In the modern world, ethics and morals have fallen behind the fast progress of science.

    While science has advanced rapidly, people are struggling with right and wrong, and moral values are getting weaker.

7. What is really needed in the world today?

Answer: What is really needed in the world today is a small advance in charity, understanding, forbearance, tolerance, justice, and mercy.

    The world needs improvement in human values more than new scientific discoveries.


8. Why does the author of 'Where is Science Taking Us wish to live another hundred years?

Answer: The author wishes to live another hundred years because life is becoming more interesting, intriguing, and exciting despite the problems and challenges ahead.

    He is curious to see how science and human understanding will develop in the future.