The Impact of Science on SocietyMany of the revolutionary effects of science, in terms of technology and in our outlook, are obvious enough. Russell saw in the 1950s, as is all too clear today, taht there are many negative aspects of scientific innovation. In The Impact of Science on Society, he argues that science offers the world greater well-being than it has ever known before on the condition that prosperity is dispersed, power is diffused, birth rates do not become too high and war is abolished. Russell sees that this is a tall order, but remains essentially optimistic. He imagines mankind in a 'race between human skill as to means and human folly as to ends', but believes human society will ultimately choose the path of Reason rather than the alternative of Death. -- from back cover. |
Contents
I Science and Tradition | 11 |
2 General Effects of Scientific Technique | 29 |
3 Scientific Technique in an Oligarchy | 55 |
4 Democracy and Scientific Technique | 68 |
5 Science and War | 83 |
6 Science and Values | 90 |
7 Can a Scientific Society be Stable? | 109 |
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affairs agriculture America Anaxagoras Archimedes Aristotle armed forces atomic become believe BERTRAND RUSSELL birth control Black Death body bomb cause century civilised consider cotton countries creed danger death defeat democracy destructive diminish doctrine economic effect of science England equal evils exist fact fanatical fear feel happiness harmful hope human race human sacrifice hydrogen bomb important improvement individual industrial industrial revolution inspired internal combustion engine international authority kind labour less liberty live machine mankind matter means mental methods million modern nations obvious oligarchy organisations peace peasants philosophy physical Piltdown police political possible power of officials present problem produced propaganda prosperity psychological question raw materials reason result revolution Russia scientific society scientific technique secure slaves social stable suffering superstition survive telegraph theory things thought trade union true universe unless victory wars Western whole witchcraft world government