A Layman Looks at Science
A Layman Looks at Science
A Layman Looks at Science
Raymond Blaine Fosdick (1883-1972), lawyer, public servant, and author, was born in Buffalo, New
York, the son of a high school principal. He was a lifetime disciple of Woodrow Wilson. Raymond B. Fosdick in
the lesson ‘A Dilemma: A Layman Looks at Science’ says that science should be used only for the constructive
purpose and not to be aimed at the degeneration of the society. August 6, 1945, a day of unfortunate, on
which the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima brought home to all of us about the significance (or)
importance of science in human life. Mankind was frightened by science and bewildered by its enormous
power. This instance has realised the mankind how unequipped we are in terms of ethics, law, and government,
to know how to use it. The author says that science is based on truth and should spring from the noblest attribute
of the human spirit.
There are certain inventions that can evoke both positive and negative responses. Invention of radio,
automobiles, penicillin, radar and jet propulsions shall be aimed towards the betterment of the society rather than
creating ugliness and desolation. The gifts of science, the author vehemently feels, should not blow our
civilization into drifting dust. The research and Technology yield right fruits when they are related to
human welfare.
Science is the search for truth. But it is the same search for truth that has brought our civilization to the
brink of destruction. The writer strongly feels that research shall be subjected to some kind of restraint if it is
not linked to human constructive purpose; it is really disheartening to read about that leading scientists
associated with atom bomb saying that one should not hold back progress because of fear of misuse of science.
Fosdick says that some inventions are purely accidental and the scientists never had any evil intentions
while discovering them. For instance Albert Einestein never thought of atom bomb while working for his
transformation equation in 1905. Yet, from this it has come out one of the principles upon which atom bomb is
based. Similarly sulphur drugs and mustard gas which are offshoots of German dye industry was not created to
deal with either medicine or weapons of war. Willard Gibbs, was a gentle spirit whose life was spent in his
laboratory at Yale University, had never dreamt that his research in the mathematical physics might have even a
remote relationship to World War I & II. These discoveries are classic examples where the gifts of science can
be used by evil men to do evil even more obviously and dramatically than it can be used by men of goodwill to do
good.
The author concludes that the towering enemy of mankind is not science but war. Science merely reflect
the social forces by which it is surrounded. When there is peace, science is constructive and when there is war,
science is perverted to destructive ends. Our problem therefore is not to curb science but to stop war- to
substitute law for force and international government for anarchy in the relations of one nation with another. He
feels that our education should be based on tolerance understanding and creative intelligence that should run
fast enough to put an end to the evil effects of the science. Formally, Science must help us but the decision lies
within ourselves ie., the sole responsibility is of human beings.