Do technological progress lead automatically the world to be a better place?

Notion of Progress

Introduction :

The idea of progress can be defined as an improvement, a development or a change – a technical, scientific or social advance which contributes to making the world a better place.

Are technological progress lead automatically the world to be a better place?

I- Yes when they permit social advance

Sometimes, technological progress allow social advance provided that they are properly used.

-For example, the Space Race promote empowerment of women and so, a social advance. Indeed, the lack of scientist talent lead the Nasa to recruit women engineers to win the race. It's what's happend in the movie « Hiddens Figures » : Marie Jackson became the first women engineers thank to this context of permanent technological improvement.

-Futhermore, technological progress provide to save life. Indeed, medical breaktrough allow doctor to save life. For example, scientific can now save ill child with their sibling by stem cell transplant, They can also predict certain genetic diseases in potential embryos and discard embryo to chose the healthiest.

In theses cases, technological progress participate to make social advance and to save life, which contribute to make the world a better place

II- No when they are misused

However, technological progress can make social regression.

-Indeed, it can for exemple bring prejudice and discrimination. That is what it is all about in the movie Gattaca. In this movie, genetical improvement lead parents to choose their best embryos. As a result, only rich people could afford that and make smart, beautiful and healthy baby.

Consequently a social gap appeared between rich and poor people, moever, people were genetically discrimated. If social advance is based on equality, social advance is at a standstil.

-Futhermore, when technological progress is misused, it can lead up to deshumanisation. For example in the movie « Good Kill », former pilote become drone pilote. These pilot do strikes launched remotely and so, they loose the true vision of the war, they are like in a video game. This different perception of the reality can make them kill more inocent because they are desensitized.

III- Often yes, but what is the price

All of these progress rest on sacrifice. Whatever if they are based on environnemental sacrifice or social issue we can wonder if the impact of the technological progress is determined by the sacrifice made by it.

For example, the space race rest on environnemental sacrifice because of the pollution but because it was beneficial for people we can say that it's positive

The genetic modification contribute to make the world a better place only when everyone is entlited to benefit of it so it depend finally of who benefit and if there are more people sacrified than helped

Moever, some people thought that the sibling case is unethical because it was unbeneficial for the little boy

Conclusion : To conclude we can say that a technological progress lead automatically the world to be a better place when everyone benefit of it aftermath.

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