The idea of progress : How can a scientific evolution be considered both as a progress and a counter-progress, depending on its application?

The idea of progress

I’m going to talk about the notion « The idea of progress ». For me, progress refers to an evolution that improves the life of a living being and more generally speaking, of our planet. Today, I would talk specifically about scientific progress.

How can a scientific evolution be considered both as a progress and a counter-progress, depending on its application?

To answer this question, I will begin by presenting a document that may reflect a counter progress. Then, I will present a second document which, on the contrary, shows a real progress in the scientific field.

The first document I chose is an article from the ChannelNewsAsia.com website, published on December 17th 2018. It talks about a cloning factory in China that has cloned Juice, a star dog who has starred in many movies. Juice had been sterilized and he was going to be ten. His master who only thought of his succession, decided to clone him. He is not the only one to have thought about it and the cloning industry is booming. The price being exorbitant, it is mostly only used by celebrities, princes or billionaires. But we are entitled to ask, is it a good thing? For me, cloning is not progress. Indeed, apart from responding to the whims of a few people, it does not change a man’s life. It could be said that it is a counter progress because cloning can lead to DNA problems. Moreover, it is unnatural to clone an animal, especially as it’s pure fantasy on a human’s part!!

However, for me this method of cloning is still a scientific breakthrough that, when used properly, can become progress. Indeed, this could for example be used to save an endangered species. Other methods, involving a DNA modification, can be true scientific progress, as we will see with the second document.

This second document is an article published last December, and extracted from the same website.

It talks about gene edited babies. This method makes it possible to "suppress" HIV in a baby by removing the genes of the disease from the embryo. So it's a big step forward in the treatment of diseases. But many scientists remain skeptical about this method and its possible side effects. This method is not perfect. We must therefore continue researching so that it becomes truly applicable without any risks. This method represents a real progress in the future.

To conclude, we can say: yes, progress is defined above all by its use and its application. An evolution is not necessarily synonymous to progress. Progress or counter-progress will depend on the positive or negative aim and achievement.

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