Technology and Ethics as Depicted in Becketts Waiting for Godot and Vo

engineering science and Ethics as Depicted in Becketts Waiting for Godot and Vonneguts Slaughterhouse five-spot After a cursory examination of present day human politics, it percolatems there exist no sterling examples of societys progression towards utopia, or so far a higher terra firma of tolerance or knowledge. It is not that kind-heartedness does not seek knowledge or improvement. It is not a disgrace that curiosity drives societys scientists to explain and improve the world beyond the realm of the philosophers. The chemise lies in how easily this motive can be manipulated by the vices of greed, the propaganda of the fold media, the centuries-old, unwavering human thirst for power. It is this desire for power and profit, not the voyage in creating new technologies and deducing the mechanisms of life and the universe, which becomes convoluted and thus halts the growth process, unspoilt as a biologist can halt or avoid the process of life, of dividing cells, by a s imple chemical treatment of colchicine. though the treatment of cells with a solution of colchicine is meant to preserve the cells in a state that can be studied, after this treatment they be no drawn-out viable. They cannot continue their mitotic or meiotic divisions they cannot continue to reproduce, to be continually studied. Theirs is a one-time-only offer. Even with this simple example some say that moral questions arise. Is it truly right for humans to kill other living things, no calculate how small, to further their own understanding? Or is this simply the price, or penance, munificence pays to be able to explain, in somewhat greater detail than was antecedently possible, the processes, functions, and malfunctions of life? This example, being defined only in terms of dividing ce... ...ime and might to developing viable treatments for cancer and back up, we have scientists who are at the pardon of huge biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Weve got scientists developing The New Pill That Can terminal Aging (Readers Digest, November 2003) along with Viagra and Propecia, pills for impotent and balding men. Do we see a little misdirection of effort? Yes. Aging, impotence, and hair loss are not threatening an entire population with imminent death, like the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Aging and impotence have not afflicted the child population like leukemia. We must start to care closely whats really important, we must consider all of the body and mind as we improve engine room, and we must think about its implications for future generations. At that time, technology will have been put to its fullest use and will easily go hand in hand with human values.