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Aikaterini (Kaiti) Kagaraki - PhD,
Political scientist, jurist, writer,
Athens, Greece

Concept of further development of the Humanity

The events happening every day around us suggest that the world has reached the limits of a global change. From a technological perspective, we would call this a development that should create something of a new civilization and, in the end, the foundation for the vision of a new kind of humanity.

From the primitive societies and the first hesitant steps towards progress, man’s daily life qualitative upgrade, the simplification of his activities, the implementation and development of how man planned his way of life with whatever means existed from time to time, happened progressively and constituted everybody’s concern.

When humanity broke off from individual manual work, it went on to a production based on arts and crafts, and, with the passing of centuries, it reached scientific progress: the road was now open for huge potentials and for the natural environment’s transformation and the creation of abundance of material or other goods, that would extend his life.

During the last years of the 20^th century, the so-called sustainable development brought an explosion to the conception of the problems that had resulted in the meantime in the life of people. The consequences of the downgrading of the value of the environment burdened the quality of life, health and economy in general. Natural resources decreased with the 1973 oil crisis ringing the danger bell. Many relevant organizations sent reports, emphasizing on the decrease of natural resources, on the preservation of nature via ecological procedures and on population distribution in a manner as to achieve sustainable development that would help future generations to continue with their own efforts to this end. This meant that the goal was to receive goods from the environment without interrupting their natural production, in a manner that they would suffice and continue to increase in the future.

In 1992, at the United Nations Conference in Rio, 170 countries committed to “work” for the progressive course of humanity’s development, which would finally bring economic prosperity.

Education played a significant part in all this great course of evolution. Education’s spread, based on a qualitative shift of the social and technical infrastructures, gave the opportunity to soothe the thirst for knowledge, which, in its turn, became scientific, as it helped understand the conclusions of theories and transform them into actions. Rational and practical applications had to follow scientific discoveries, thus creating conceptual bridges for the achievement of the unity of knowledge. Therefore, humanity’s greatest hope for sustainable development, for the new and change for the best, is Science.

Based on historical data, neither politics nor ideologies proved to be useful on their own in regard to improving quality and safety of life, beyond expediency, prejudices or any kind of disagreement. The scientific foundation, with simplicity in application and respect towards free will, shall gaze with optimism at Humanity’s improved future. Based on the fact that life is our major blessing and having faith that man’s potential via an integrated education is everything, we shall succeed in our goals.

Nevertheless, scientific ideas must be characterized by consequence and right search of their accurate goal, for us to all live within a creative, modern political and financial system, walking all together along with the changes to come.

The 21^st Century that we are living is mainly characterized by the startling evolution of Microelectronics and Information Technology. Every two years approximately, the knowledge and data they diffuse introduce us to unlimited sources of new elements. At very rapid paces, digital technology became the pioneer of multifunction machines that were unconceivable just a while ago. Already machines are being advertised in advertisements which end up saying “Yes, it will also prepare your coffee”! Indeed, tomorrow’s multifunction machine, let’s take a traditional television set for example, will become a complete tool in regard to information, entertainment, video, computer, newspaper, telephone, radio, watch etc.

Scientists envision that this meta-television will bring important change. That we shall pass from the “mass-media” era to the “my media” time. (The issue, of course, is whether this will increase or decrease the need for working hands …)

At the same time, the internet continues to broaden the horizons of cyberspace, transmitting a huge load of information to its subscribers.

However, please allow me to express an objection in relation to this matter. Who must or shall impose the control in regard to the validity of all this information and whether is this absolute (and uncontrollable?) exhibition of personal data on Facebook for example right or even desirable …

Which shall be the luck of the tomorrow’s school when students will be able to find everything ready in their computers? Will it be nullified? The teachers, the buildings, libraries, but also magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, will they all disappear? If the pace of progress is uncontrollable, will we be led to perfecting our world or ending it?

Evolution in the sector of Biotechnology and Eugenics leads us to genetic prevention or treatment of an ever increasing number of diseases, via even the manufacture of organs – transplants almost similar to human organs.

Of course, this fact increases life expectancy or improves natural condition, let us only hope that we will not be led to Robocop times …

By endorsing the infinite needs that our much afflicted environment has, chemical technology and environmental technology have made very important progress. For instance, auto-decomposing plastic will automatically stop the threat plastic constitutes as to pollution of waters, which in turn harm cultures, drinkable water consumption etc.

Uncontrolled over-consumption of oil and other energy forms, air-conditioners, but also fuel mix-up has all created a much greater energy problem as well as harmful consequences to the environment. Fortunately, the huge environmental disaster was contained with heat hyper-production and photovoltaic elements. The suggestions for energy-clean forms of transportation are noteworthy, such as electric cars for instance, or simply the promotion of the use of bicycles.

The Carbon capture, use and storage (Cus) technologies are even more hopeful, as with the method of capturing carbon dioxide they promise to limit greenhouse effect which has impacted so much on climate conditions throughout the whole planet, bringing strong snowstorms, floods, ice melting, temperature rises, multiplication of the El Niño phenomenon etc.

A week ago, in 159 countries, climate conferences took place, massive demonstrations and protest marches were organized in regard to our planet’s overheating. Manhattan, Rio and London took the lead.

China, the United States of America and India were responsible for the greatest gas emissions in the world.

The United Nations Secretary General, the Korean Ban Ki-moon, referred exhaustively to the subject and the actor Leonardo di Caprio, standing from the step of his organization, promised to help in any way and was also appointed UN Messenger of Peace.

In Athens, the demonstration was organized on the 21^st of September at the pedestrian street of Dionysius the Areopagite.

Many Foundations help all these scientific discoveries such as UNICEF, the World Food Program, Save the Children, the Unilever Foundation and many others. Their goal may be more specialized and may concern only special groups of people, but the results of their actions help in further developing Humanity. Their ulterior goal is to improve quality of life globally by helping facing social problems by providing hygiene, cleanliness, sewage systems, access to drinkable water and basic foodstuffs. Their campaign for the nutrition of children and their mothers is a very essential initiative as also is the distribution of life-saving vaccines; they reinforce the respect and esteem towards women as well as their life in general, mainly in sub-Saharan countries.

All this positive impact on the actions that support society, if it is identified with the achievements of science, will certainly lead to the improvement and the development of our way of life, if everybody set goals in favor of Man as a rational, ethical, significant being. For Man to be the goal and not the medium. Because, from time to time, questions arise as to whether this great evolution and progress may be disastrous, with the negative effects that any kind of discovery may bring.

Will therefore the role of science in sustainable development be positive in the future?

How will 21^st century people live? Is all this related to “Social Ethics”? Why science must not stay behind general ethics, in a manner that technological discoveries shall promote the use of Science and Technology for Peaceful goals. Scientists must prove that they combine creativity to humanity and that at the precise moment when they experiment they always continue to care for their fellow human beings, that they are fully responsible for their actions when they struggle with the unknown, from the most common until the most serious and greatest discovery.

As I already mentioned above, there might be a possibility that we shall experience the existence of a Robocop beside us or even another cloned Dolly… Will we reach that point when we will become cultivators of living beings? Will we finally deal with more seriousness with this huge and incurable disease that Aids is? Or shall we remain the unrepentant supporters of benefit and fame and put all our efforts and all our knowledge in the production of, let’s say, the square tomato, the four-leaf clover, coffee with taste of banana, wasting billions from the research budget? It is a sure thing that this would not constitute a real improvement in regard to nutrition, just the production of really weird foods!

Attention is needed! Scientists, via what may be an uncontrolled labyrinth of their creations in the sector of cyberspace, virtual reality, cloning, nuclear and biological weapons may transmute us into some techno-biological hybrid, where we shall decide whether to move, only from our armchair, only via remote action.

However, will Man be able to bring this so much desired “sustainable” development, by becoming independent from administration, by proposing his serious, laboratory solutions? The problems are global and not “in our back yard”.

No self-centrism is allowed! Scientists must not be deprived of dilemmas without any limits of knowledge, exaggeration, vanity or even confusion, because they do not have unlimited freedom, and nature (which is everywhere) takes her revenge on those who ignore her. Furthermore, scientists, without obstructing their searches, should try to produce technology and development not in order to satisfy interests related to power and money. The diachronic values of respect and justice should be primary; scientists should not degrade the human species by putting its life, health and dignity in danger; on the contrary, the positive impact of technology should bring benefits to the global population.

Otherwise, the world will start putting up with and admitting technological achievements that will not be “significant” at all. The world will start being afraid of the uncontrollable consequences of genetics or nuclear energy, as they disturb traditional convictions and make life a nightmare. Technology should be used not as the extension of our brain and machines should not think instead of us; on the contrary, it should be used in everybody’s interest, since the final goal of life is to humanize science so that it serves the people. As Plato said “Any science separated from virtue shall be sneakiness and not wisdom” (I hope that this saying is not outdated!)

Our main concern must be how to stop being bothered and stressed by the thought that, in the end, the outcome of all these questions may be the destruction of the personality of “Man”!