‘Science has made modern life better but not necessary easier’. Do you

agree?

From decades ago until today, science has been making mind-boggling

advances, so much so that we can easily fail to understand the world we live

in. The exploration of the universe which is the function of science shall be a

continuous process. The blessings of science are there for all to see. Many

believe that modern civilization is based on science. It is almost impossible to

think of modern civilization without reference to science. At the same time,

such scientific developments may have contributed significant uncertainties.

Indeed, science has made modern life better in many aspects. On the other

hand, some have argued that science has not necessarily made modern life

easier. This issue is arguable especially in the areas of medical science,

agricultural science, environmental science, geographical science and nuclear

science. Whether or not science has made modern life better and easier is

arguable in terms of the level of convenience it may bring about, as well as

the options and consequences that may result from scientific discoveries. In

addition, this issue can be subjective as it depends on the target group as

well. I do agree to a large extent that “science has made modern life better but

not necessary easier”.

Science has helped to make modern life easier and better by bringing us

great convenience in its discoveries. In the area of environmental science,

alternatives to energy have been discovered and they are generally known as

renewable energy. The most common type of renewable energy discovered is

solar energy. Solar energy is now widely used especially in countries like

Germany and Australia. Using solar energy will mean less dependence on

fuel, which is a scarce resource. It is also environmental-friendly. Most

importantly, sources for solar energy never runs out and hence it is easier to

make things operate using such an unlimited supply of energy instead of

using scarce resources such as fuel. Furthermore, it is very convenient for us

to use solar energy. Therefore, science has indeed made modern life better

and easier.

The debate on whether science has made modern life easier in addition to

making life better also depends on the different target groups. Agricultural

science has provided us alternatives that may have brought about great

convenience to some farmers’ lives today, hence making modern life easier. In

the recent years, agricultural science has provided us an alternative to natural

food sources – Genetically Modified (GM) food. This has especially helped

countries with growing population to cope with the food demand. Moreover,

research has also shown that GM food is resistant to pests, weeds and

diseases. This will mean that life is much easier for the farmers who are using

GM methods as they do not have to consistently check for any possible

damage to the crops. However, agricultural science does not necessarily

make all farmers’ life easier as many farmers, especially poorer ones, cannot

afford such technology to produce GM crops. According to a report written in

2008 by Friends of the Earth (International), large scale commercial farmers in

the United States and Argentina, who only represent a small minority of the

world's farmers, have benefited from GM crops due mainly to the

‘convenience effect’, which has helped to make their lives easier. Hence, in

this case, science is not making modern life easier for everyone, but only

certain groups of people.

One of the reasons why science may not necessarily make life easier is

because it provides way too many options that may make life more

complicated. In the area of medical science, there have been debates over

euthanasia – mercy killing. Other than seeking to prolong life, medical science

has recently sought to ease one’s sufferings in the course of a sickness.

Making the decision on whether to have euthanasia or not is a very tedious

process. It makes lives more complicated as well when people have to think

about the consequences and many other factors that may arise from

euthanasia. Everyone, having different perspectives of their own, will view

euthanasia in their own ways, hence making it even harder to make decision

for themselves or people around them. Life has now become more

complicated when people have to make such serious and irreversible

decisions. In addition, euthanasia is not legalized in every country. (Up till

today, euthanasia is only legalized in some countries such as Albania,

Germany, Belgium and Canada. It is not yet legalized in countries such as

Singapore, Korea, China and Thailand.) This has further made the situation

complex as when there is no international agreement on this issue, it is very

hard to justify it.

Another reason why science may not necessarily make life easier is that it

leads to certain unwanted situations that could have been avoided. The very

science that has given us our comforts and means of healthy living has also

given us nuclear weapons – weapons of total annihilation. The discovery of

nuclear energy has now turned into a threat. Not only nuclear weapons, but

nuclear terrorism is also setting the modern world into jeopardy. Some may

perceive that nuclear science has taken away from us our sense of security

and peace. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA),

following the August 10, 2006 plot to bomb up to 10 passenger planes bound

for the United States (US) from the United Kingdom (UK), all passengers will

be subjected to new hand baggage restrictions and security screening. Such

new restrictions include the banning of liquids and gels that exceed a certain

volume in hand baggage. I believe that this has brought about inconvenience

to many as toiletries, being our necessities, are all in liquid and gel form. In

such cases, science has brought about inconvenience to people who are

travelling as such security checks will take up more time. As a result, science,

in such cases, is not necessarily making modern life easier.

All in all, I agree that science has made modern life better but not necessarily

easier. Apart from the great convenience that science may have brought

about to make modern live better and easier, the consequences and

excessive options have not made modern life easier. Instead, the

consequences and excessive options available have made modern life more

complicated. “I think science has enjoyed an extraordinary success because it

has such a limited and narrow realm in which to focus its efforts. Namely, the

physical universe” , Ken Jenkins.