Basic HTML Version
Why the Growing
Disenchantment
with Science?
The glamour that once surrounded science and
technology has been replaced b y growing criticism
and antagonism. Many
-
including scientists
are concerned over the dramatic shift.
T
ODAY, SCtENCE
and rcchnology
are being blamcd for many of
rhe problems rhar rhrearen rhe
conrinued exisrcnce of modern
socicry.
Yce ten years ago. scicnce and cech–
nology were riding on a wavc of pop–
ulariry and prosperiry.
What Went Wrong?
Something has obviously
CAUSED
chis rcvolurion in public opinion. Bur
whar? And jusr how significanr is ir?
Scores of recently published articles
in imporranr scientific journals have
arrempred ro analyze chis dramaric
change in arricude. Yer vircually every
discussion of whar could be rermed
one of rhe mosr rcmarkable reverses
of chis cenrury has overlooked one
vi rally significanr aspecr of rhe prob–
lem.
ln rhe popular press che signifi–
cance of che rrend has ofren been
PlAIN TRUTH November 1972
by
D. S.
Winnail,
Ph.D.
obscured or lose in che near-daily
rcporcing of faces abour anri-scicnce
demonsrrarions.
One of rhe mosr penerraring
descriptions of what has happened has
bccn formulared by Samuel Silver,
Professor of Enginccring Science and
Director of rhe Spacc Scicnce Labora–
rory ac rhe Universiry of California ar
Berkeley. In an arricle published in a
leading Brirish science journal, Dr.
Silvcr summarizes his dismay: "There
is a feeling, which is growing in rhe
United Srares and in orher wesrern
councries, rhat rhe advances made
rhrough sciencc and rcchnology have
somchow failed rhcir promise; rhar
che hope placed in rhem by mankind
for rhe anainmenr of a more satis–
fying life and of a happier and more
rranquil world has suddenly been
bcrrayed. There is in consequence a
growing sense of dismay and frusrra–
rion regarding science and rech-
nology ..."
(Science jouma/.
Ocrober
1969.
p.
39).
The guesrion in many minds -
scicnrisrs included - is
' 'WHY"?
Why, in socicrics cnjoying such a
rechnologically advanced standard of
living are so many experiencing an
impelling feeling of dissarisfacrion?
Why. in che face of all che
momenrous scicnrific discoveric:s of
che rwenricrh cenrury, are we wir–
nesscs ro a burgeoning interese in
rhings nonscientific - ascrology, rnys–
ricism. che "primirivc" ares?
Whar has happcned? Whar has
precipirared chis esrrangcmenr frorn
science - in facr - from knowledge
irself?
The Rise of Science
In che swifr rush of evenrs our
acrenrion becomes focused on onc
crisis after anorher. We observe siru–
arions bur seldom havc rime ro
17