Science and Technology

The world as we know it today is evolving and changing in unimaginable ways and at unprecedented speed. Driving this is to a very large extent is the contribution of Science and Technology. My thoughts today are to try and analyse Science and scientists as entities distinct from Technology and technocrats. While they are two words thrown together as though they are synonymous there exists fundamental differences between the two and their approach. 

A scientist is trained to solve or pursue projects and find explanations for observations or experiences in the past or present and based on that give answers which are certain and replicable. The quest for this knowledge may be long standing and may or may not yield predictable results. In some circumstances years of effort may get completely wasted in terms of no tangible result benefitting anyone. The reward of scientific pursuit is the actual journey the scientist undertakes. In any society the ratio of scientists to population is depressingly low and often this may evolve purely from nature and nurture. A distracted materialistic society and milieu will spawn a generation of lazy masses unwilling to think. However, scientists are few rare and therefore treasured but only in some circles who care. The problems they dare to solve are such that if solved can create unimaginable transformations and therefore a Newton, Galileo, Einstein, Louis Pasteur and Pierre and Marie Curie, Jagdish Bose and Euclid are considered as names to remember.

On the other hand we have an equally fascinating group which deals with the creation of applications based on the principles of science. Edison, Marconi and Wright brothers may be examples but in today's world creation of devices using principles of science is so widespread that one is unable to make a distinction. I feel that the incentives to become a technocrat and create products of utility and gain instant fame and recognition far outweigh the slow, patient and unglamorous pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. So application of science creates technology which in turn benefits mankind and inspires people to get the comfort, time, privilege and freedom to pursue knowledge. 

What is the state of the human intellect in world of 2025? Here I will distinguish between intelligence and intellect. We have a world which is almost totally transactional and from the day we are born we are encouraged to live a life of acquisition and enjoyment, little realizing that both are ephemeral and lead finally to loss and misery. The pursuit of scientific knowledge is an investigation of the natural world to enable humans to discover unknown facts and create verifiable and repeatable proof of these facts. The quest is usually pure and is to seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge and this may result in years of work without tangible results. On the other hand creating designs and models of practical significance, while using scientific knowledge is the job of technocrats or engineers. While these may seem less altruistic than the pursuit of science, it is not really true. Today, the scientific world has been a world of academia where publishing papers is an end in itself rather than means to an end. Scientists like society are also falling from grace and chasing funds and publications for survival and creating meaningless economic papers. Technocrats too are putting profits before principles to create products which sell and create shareholder value than user value.

In this whole mess is the education system where every attempt to encourage curiosity is stifled at the altar of utilitarian education preparing one for work suited to mechanical drudgery. Creativity and innovation is lacking in work spaces and the quality of scientists and technocrats are not as great as expected. 

Now with AI and machine learning I expect the distinction between scientist and technocrat will blur further and become virtually indistinguishable. The need is to create institutes which nurture the intellect rather than intelligence only then we will see true progress, or else we will be doomed to a fall from which there is little chance for recovery. 

Vispi Jokhi