knowledge has no horizons

We live in a world of scientific advancements and innovations. Of course, science has played a vital role in changing our lives. We are no longer in the stone age, and everything in the world is almost made to be controlled by codings and programs. But, before taking pride in what science has achieved so far, we have to ask ourselves and answer the question, Whether scientific advancements led, leads and will lead mankind to development or destruction? (I use the word "science" to mean "scientific advancements" in the paragraphs to come.)

The answer, in my standpoint, will not be affirmative, and I am certain to corroborate my points with a number of events evident from the past. Though I agree to the fact that I have already mentioned that science has played a paramount part in changing our lives of every sort, we can find that science takes us on the destructive path, if we look into the so-called "developments" a little bit deeper.

We cannot ignore the fact that the middle of the twentieth century has seen the two World Wars which resulted in the deaths of millions of people and in which science in the form of the atom, the worst enemy of all times until human kind survives on the earth, helped increase the death toll. Hiroshima and Nagasaki recorded themselves in the history as the first victims for atom bombs. Science strengthens the atom bombs in various and sundry forms now. But the world is still to see several wars!

An oft-quoted and almost all the times lauded notion about science that it has increased the longevity of people's lives through innovations in medicines. It should not be forgotten that the advancements in medicines cure us through decorated tablets and pills, but finally result in the so-called side effects. Science heals us to kill!

One of the most important things that troubles the mankind is man’s attempt to making the man himself through cloning. Imagine a man with a face similar to that of your own, sharing your same characteristics, walking around, speaking with you. Even thinking of such thing is disturbing the whole mankind. It is not such a thing that can just be tolerated as this is absolutely against Nature. What is more!

Machine replace men in every filed, and the impact of it is severe in agriculture, especially in countries like India, resulting in the unemployment of several in the villages. The “backbones” (coolies) are now broken with the advent of machines, ever making them remain the same with the innovations in the existing ones. Natural fertilizers are no longer in use, and those who use it, at least in some places, are seen just “illiterates”. We reap the benefit within months, eventually making us eat just junk(s).

The world witness every second an accident, a wreck or a crash, on the land, in the water or over the sky. Science has made not only the things cheaper, but also the human lives. Advancements in transportation decrease the distance to hell. Rapid growth in scientific advancements result the people to lose their lives rapidly. And it will be no exaggeration to say that journeys are undertaken now not with the feeling of enjoyment, but with the fear of saving lives. One cannot be sure to go back home!

I may sound in this essay as against the scientific advancements, which is not true. While agreeing with the fact that science enables our lives and works easier, we cannot just ignore the negatives, which I aimed writing in this essay. Though there is lot more to be discussed over this issue, I have confined myself within limits, trying in this essay to define some of the devastating effects of the so-called scientific advancements.

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Not all born on the Earth earn fame for his name, either in the political world or in the business world. Not all who earned fame in either of these be the source of inspiration for the younger generation. But the essay is about a man whose name hits Google in an unimaginable way 14,000 times, and for whom fame is not a sought-after, instead awards--whether it is India’s Padma Bhushan, or a honorary doctorate in business administration by the Ohio State University, or honorary doctorate in Technology by the Asian Institute of Technology, or honorary doctorate in Science by the University of Warwick--wait in queue and take pride when conferred on him. This is about the name that reigned ever with success the Indian entrepreneurial samraj and that owns the group of companies whose products and services, standing the test of time, serve as the synonym for quality. Yes, the name that requires not even a moment of conjecture and that casts a spell on the young minds is none other than Ratan Tata.

The 69-year-old young man entered the TATA Group in 1962 on returning from the USA. Having graduated in Architecture, he knows the art of building India and makes the Indians proud for being Indians. Though born with silver spoon in his mouth, he didn’t hesitate to work on the floors of Tata Steels along with ordinary workers. No one knew, including Ratan Tata himself at that time, that he is going to make it the fifth largest producer of steel in the world after buying Corus Steel for $12 billion, the largest Indian takeover of a foreign company. Of course, he had the grit to do that.

The sea of change is taking place across the group of companies right from the day he took the charge as the Group Chairman in 1991. Nothing comes for him by magic, nor does he attain the top of the power ladder just with jump. After years of hard work in Tata Steel, he was appointed the Chairman of Tata Industries in 1981 and Deputy Chairman of Tata Motors in 1988. Right from his accession to the Tata samraj, the samrat never sees any major setbacks in his attempts, whether it is the case of acquiring Corus Steel or buying the South Korean truck maker, Daewoo commercial vehicles. He transformed his groups’ national identity to transnational one. For him, ‘promise is a promise’ and this promise make millions of Indian dream of the new 1-lakh car, Nano.

No wonder, Ratan Tata tops the list of India Today’s “High & Mighty Power List” for the past three consecutive years (I am not sure whether he is ranked first before that, too). It took anyone by surprise that this group chairman of 98 operating companies with revenues over crores in lakhs once ‘washed planes at a flying club at Cornell to pay for his flying lessons’. I don’t find it exaggerated to say that this simplicity along with sagacity takes him to the top of entrepreneurship.