Science, Technology, and Progress

[MarcusOfLycia]

I'm a Computer Science graduate as of last month, and over the course of my life I've spent far too much time in front of computer screens. I've spent a lot of time thinking about the overwhelming amount of information in the world and the 'progress' technology makes. It seems that everyone wants to 'advance', but literally no one is interested in what we are advancing towards (and I did some googling about technology to confirm it). Now, as a Christian, I don't think human beings make very good arbiters for progress. We tend to develop more sophisticated ways of making life on earth more hellish as we try to develop ways to make it less hellish. One thing that comes to mind is the removal of work from unskilled labor and its replacement with computer-driven machines. Human beings are designed to work, and we've removed that need in many instances.

Now, obviously, if I was against technology I wouldn't be typing this and I wouldn't have obtained a degree in it. But it bothers me how few people want to stop for a second and just think about the direction things are taking. We say, in our movies and books, that to be happy, we should be happy with what we have. At the same time, every company out there wants to develop the best products and keep developing better and better ones. There seems to be a disconnect.

So, to end the rambling I guess, I just wonder if anyone else notices this, and also to ask if anyone else thinks this march of 'progress' is really not all in the right direction and that people's willingness to not pay any attention to it might help usher in a very dark period in human history.

[Danieltwotwenty]

I have had these exact same thoughts, i would rather things be simpler but the world seems to become more complex.
Somtimes i look at the Amish and think wow i wish i could live like that, they drew a line in the sand and said no to technology to some extent and i respect that.
Ultimately we are fallen by nature, nothing we do will save us from self destructing only by God's grace can we be saved.

[1over137]

Ultimately we are fallen by nature, nothing we do will save us from self destructing only by God's grace can we be saved.

"To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven; the same key opens the gates of hell."
(Told to Richard Feynman by one budhist on his trip in Honolulu. R. Feynman: "The Value of Science")

P.S. Congrats Marcus!

[MarcusOfLycia]

Ultimately we are fallen by nature, nothing we do will save us from self destructing only by God's grace can we be saved.

"To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven; the same key opens the gates of hell."
(Told to Richard Feynman by one budhist on his trip in Honolulu. R. Feynman: "The Value of Science")

P.S. Congrats Marcus!

Thanks!

Reminds me of the Rich Mullins lyrics that go something like: "We are frail; we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Forged in the fires of human passion, choking on the fumes of selfish rage. And with these, our hells and our heavens, so few inches apart, we must be awfully small and not as strong as we think we are."

Our heavens and hells are definitely really close...

[Reactionary]

I'm a Computer Science graduate as of last month,

Let me join the congratulations... Well done, Marcus!

[Canuckster1127]

Marcus, I'm sorry to be late to the party but let me add my congrats too. That's a great accomplishment and a lot of hard work. My oldest son is working on that degree and I understand the challenges.

I also appreciate your comments about technology. An interesting writer in the field of philosophy and theology is Jacques Ellul. You might find some of his materials of value if you want to look at the issue of technology and it's impact on individuals and society.

[MarcusOfLycia]

Thanks all!

And I'll definitely check out Jacques Ellul. I haven't heard that name before.

[Danieltwotwenty]

Hi Marcus
Congratz, i missed it the first time and was wondering what they were congratulating your for

[Byblos]

I'm a Computer Science graduate as of last month,

Congrats Marcus, well done. A man after my own heart, I graduated in 1986 with the same degree and been in the business ever since (dear Lord that was a long time ago).

[narnia4]

Congratulations on the degree, and I agree. Some put an almost religious emphasis on technology. There are some pretty crazy theories about machines out there.

People do make assumptions about technology- that any change WILL be for the better and sometimes I think there's an overemphasis on how much technology changes us. In many ways its remarkable how little mankind has changed since the garden.

[MarcusOfLycia]

Thanks guys! I've been in college for six years now, switching majors all over the place, so I'm glad to finally be done!

Good to know there are other crazy computer people on here!

I'm thinking of studying this topic a bit as there doesn't seem to be much emphasis on it. I've been looking through our work library and reading some of the popular technology and science magazines and the theme I get is that there is a constant push to make man into a machine and machines into man. It reminds me of the old conundrum I've heard about where people use the term 'progress' but never actually PROGRESS because they don't have a destination in mind. I mean, I can't imagine the forerunners of the modern scientific and technological communities (the late medieval Christian scientists) had the destruction of the concept of man in mind when they began, and I don't think our modern equivalents have all that much in mind at all.

[DannyM]

Congratulations, Marcus!!