Do you believe that Science and Technology can solve our problems over the next 100 years?

[txlibdem]

From climate change to education to fighting intolerance, Science and Technology plays a big role in our society and in shaping our opinions about where we are and the direction we need to go in order to survive the next 100 years as a just, peaceful, and technologically advanced species.

The problems are almost innumerable. Some of the problems we face have even been CAUSED by Science or Technology, or more accurately, an inept or ham-handed application of them. Our bridges are crumbling and falling apart (you remember that from recent history). Cars, chemicals in our food, energy, water shortages, floods, diseases, all these may get worse over the next century.

The question is: Can an intelligent and thoughtful application of Science or Technology solve these problems?

[baldguy]

1. New technologies bring new problems.

[xchrom]

2. B -- but i didn't actually like the way the choices were worded. nt

[fasttense]

3. I don't agree with any of your voting options.

You need to put an "other" choice.

I don't think our problems can ever be solved by science and technology. Our problems are social. Science and technology have had very little impact on social problems. As a whole, humans seem to find any excuse to revert to war, violence and hate. We must fix the social problems before science and technology can offer a fix.

[txlibdem]

10. Wouldn't the last option be the right choice for you then?

[bananas]

4. Yes, but the problems will be solved after catastrophe strikes. Hindsight is 20-20.

I voted #2, which seemed closest.
You should always include "other" unless you're doing push-polling.

[Bitwit1234]

5. AND I am not joking about this

wouldn't it be nice if we could develop a pill that would change the attitude of people like the tea bags and the hate filled radical republicans.

There is one thing to have a different opinion but the type of hate and rage these people put out there should be stopped with technical help.

[Posteritatis]

17. That attitude always winds up in pleasant places. (nt)

[Codeine]

22. The fact that they feel the same way about you should give you pause. nt

[Deep13]

6. Yes, but the law of unintended consequences will create new problems. nt

[independent_voter]

7. faith in technology is having a disasterous affect on our society

because people think we can do things that are stupid, and 'innovation' will bail us out

sometimes it does

but what if it doesnt?

for instance, tech 'jobs of the future' quickly became a 'thing of the past', seems like it happened in about 3 years - our leaders gave the jobs away to india and said 'we can just innovate new jobs'

the problem was not that people 'didnt innovate', the p0roblem was that the jobs were given away

and the same thing can happen to anything else we 'innovate'

the most extreme example of this stupidity, has been the occasional idea that we can trash this planet beyond repair, and then colonize on another planet (ie space innovation) absurd

we tried to solve out social problems with nuclear missiles, and almost sent mankind into 1000 years of darkness

or make species extinct, and just clone preserved specimines

i think it also pushes us to move into things we dont fully understand, like the collider

while obcessing about DUI, all states completely ignored the device distracted driving that was spiralling exponentially out of control

lexus, while trying to make cars safer by using computer controlled steering, made them more dangerous becasue the steering system was too complicated to work reliably

it also is a spark for averace and greed, as people get an apetite for infinite instant wealth regardless of the effects on others, instead of learning to find happiness with more modest means - bill gates has 50 billion dollars, but still wants cheaper labor - how else can he become the first trillionair? his ego NEEDS it

i think times of slower technological pace required more wisdom - if you did something stupid, it was harder to deceive yourself about the consequences

[TreasonousBastard]

8. Silly question. Most of our problems are caused by misuses of technology because...

we haven't learned to use it safely.

[Jim__]

9. No. I didn't vote other because it wasn't an option.

The most severe problem that we are facing is the threat of nuclear war. Without science and technology, we would face the threat of war, but not of a catastropic war that could wipe out humanity. Science and technology cannot solve this problem.

[txlibdem]

11. Sorry to all who wanted an "other" option

This was my first poll so I didn't think anyone would actually want to choose "other" when the poll questions were so fantastic already. :sarcasm:

I know I messed up the poll. I'll hopefully do better in the future. Sorry. :-(

[Jim__]

12. Not a big deal to me - but that is what I wanted to vote. :) - n/t

[bananas]

15. Good point. nt

[txlibdem]

13. I didn't vote but

I'd choose the second option but I didn't think it would be right to vote on my own poll.

I think the key phrase for me is "an intelligent and thoughtful application of Science and Technology" to solve these problems. Using high speed communications networks that link together all the ATMs but then charging $3 to withdraw your own money - or worse, charging $1.50 to get a bank statement at the ATM outside your very own bank branch (thank you Wells Forgoe).

Technology can be used for Evil but it should be used for Good.

[Johonny]

14. Im not sure downgrade is a great word

People will have to change their lifestyle.

[laconicsax]

16. Other--"Our problems" is so vague it becomes meaningless. n/t

[Posteritatis]

18. They'll solve many, and create some more, and we can't really foretell how the balance will be. (nt)

[Odin2005]

19. Yes. I have no use for Luddite nonsense.

[Codeine]

23. +1

One just has to hope the technophobes and scientifically-illiterate don't hold things back until it's too late.

[pokerfan]

20. modern science

http://img3.visualizeus.com/thumbs/08/10/04/graphic,design,illustration,poster,retro,posters,science-ce88c8c8326840d9957428d36a11e44e_h.jpg

[Ready4Change]

21. Other: Fix some, fail some, obsolete some, create some.

I think we've some problems that will hit us before we are ready. But there are some problems we have solutions for, but haven't yet had enough need to put into action. And there are some things we think are problems which will turn out to be non-issues, and some new problems we've yet to think of.

100 years ago, who would have thought of the changes cars would bring about, both good and bad? What new issues will come up in the next 100 years? Who knows.

[gtar100]

24. Knowing isn't the problem. It's doing.

Can we overcome the intellectual laziness, incuriousness, and selfishness of the greater majority to actually implement the solutions that we already have on hand? It seems that there have been several moments in history in which intellect began to shine and science its rising star only to be snuffed out by brute forces that cared only for stealing the wealth they envied.

[tinrobot]

25. Our problems must be solved by a change in consciousness

We have to step back from materialism, consumerism, and looking to every next new thing as our salvation.

We have to step back from egos that value our worth by how much more we have than others.

We have to stop measuring economic success in growth -- while living on a planet with finite resources.

Not sure how technology helps us with that.

[txlibdem]

28. Materialism, consumerism, keeping up with the Joneses

Those are all very insightful comments that probably each need a dozen paragraphs to fully explore!

We are facing the end of the "easily extracted" minerals, metals, etc., including oil. Yet the corporations all want us to shop till we drop, buy, buy, buy, and throw away the stuff we bought just last week so we can buy a new one today! Marketing firms hire top psychologists, sociologists, etc., so they can successfully push our buttons with advertisements - make us think we need the crap they want us to buy. How much waste and duplication of effort is involved in all of that? Who knows, but I'd guess it's a lot.

Speaking of duplication of effort, I posted in another thread that I have a choice of 5 cell phone companies - and they all suck. That means there are 5 sets of towers, 5 receiver/transmitter networks (one or more per tower), 5 CEOs, 5 marketing departments with a huge ad budget, 5 of just about every department a modern business needs (IT, accounting, customer service, etc). What a waste.

I don't have a problem with competition, I just don't think the market it the place for that competition to take place. We should have annual (or regularly scheduled anyway) X Prize competitions for every thing we need (TVs, cell phones, communications networks, stoves, washer/dryers, etc) with each prize awarded based on achieving advances in certain key areas like lowering energy use without losing convenience or functions, human interface improvements, faster, cheaper, etc. The winner of each competition will be granted a license to sell their product until the next competition. That way consumers will get the best product that meets all performance criteria, advances will be encouraged and rewarded, and there will be no duplication of effort.

[hunter]

26. There's only one major technical problem, and we have the solution.

Too many people: Birth Control.

A secondary problem is our use of fossil fuels.

So, stop using fossil fuels. Duh.

Unfortunately the human species is insane.

[Terry in Austin]

27. It's a belief. That's part of the problem.

As much as I love science and technology, it's a belief I don't share.

Geez, there's a whole book in this. Good on ya for tackling the question, though.

[GliderGuider]

29. To me the problem appears cultural, and is rooted in human self-awareness.

By this I mean that the development of the peception of "Self" automatically results in the development of the perception of "Other". As soon as the world is divided into "me" and "not-me" it becomes possible to look on the whole universe as consisting of resources that can be used for one's personal benefit. When this innate tendency is combined with broad cultural support for this attitude, it becomes very easy to rape the land, to rape women, to screw each other in business deals.

If this sense of separation could be healed through a broad cultural view that everything is interconnected, and that anything you do to someone else or the planet you are also doing to yourself, much of the "problem" would probably go away naturally. This explains some of the popularity of aboriginal cultures and philosopies like Zen.

Science and Technology are not the problem, they are symptoms of human nature.

[txlibdem]

30. Or is the mis-application of them the symptoms of human nature

There is nothing inherently Good nor inherently Evil about science or technology. It is all in how WE use it that determines the outcome for others or for the world.

I like your comment because it reminds me of something a friend said decades ago: Republicans are still stuck at the stage in their development where they see themselves as the entire universe: no other entity or person actually exists. Like a two year old. Therefore their actions are perfectly understandable. In their minds, they aren't abusing the rights of other persons by their atrocities because they do not think any other persons actually exist: it is only the primary ME, ME, ME.

When an adult is diagnosed as having pathological or severely stunted growth such that their freedom to roam about the population poses a danger to society, these individuals are kept separate from society in special very supportive environments where they can receive proper care and treatment. So the answer is clear. We need to take all the CEOs and corporate heads, boards of directors, etc., and put them in a padded cell and help them "get better" with a careful doctor prescribed regimen of medication and therapy.

Lock the rich up, in other words. I like that idea.

[Avalux]

31. Science and technology are tools for use in problem solving.

They must be used effectively and that will take a change in they way human beings think. The biggest problem facing the human race is overpopulation of the planet and exhaustion of limited resources. Until there is significant change in the habits and ways of living of human beings, no amount of scientific discovery and technological advances will help.

[Phoonzang]

32. Can? Yes...easily. Will? Probably not. nt

[krispos42]

33. Well, religion sure as hell isn't.

Maybe changing society will help... change in attitudes, etc.

[Fire Walk With Me]

34. Not in and of itself.

We require a new emotional and mental maturity to directly, honestly deal with the problems at hand. Tech will definitely help, but a tool unapplied is useless.

[intaglio]

35. None of the above

Science and technology has the potential to give solutions to many of these problems but political, social and economic forces will resist these solutions. Personally I think that the biosphere and humanity will survive the next 100 years due to science and tech fixes but many of the problems will remain or be replaced by other problems.

For better or worse humanity is not rational.