Science is a source of power. Science speaks in its own language and it has its own existence in a given society or community. Science is based on three Ts: Transparency, Truthfulness and Trust. Without transparency of the scientific activities, the basic commitment of science is threatened. Science is public knowledge. Truthfulness may be threatened when political and other interests intervene. Trust is the precondition for producing useful knowledge. Without public trust, the legitimization of science is undermined. What are the conditions for science to be a true source of power? Two conditions are necessary: preoccupations of scientists and social constraints. One is “ethics for science” and the other is “ethics of scientists”.
Traditionally Power means military power or political power. Military factor of power has reduced its value because of the prohibition of the use of force enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Power has a more peaceable meaning now. To take Japan as an example, the secret of Japan’s economic power is principally its science and technology.
Japanese people have demonstrated their keen ability to adapt and apply the basic scientific and technological knowledge and skills brought into Japan from China and Korea since the 5th century, so that Japan’s own science and technology has been fermented. Science has thus been the power basis of a country. Not only in Japan, now
Science has become an ultimate source of power in the three following aspects:
(a) Development of our ability to communicate has been tremendous, making the Earth really one “one”; the ability to produce and transmit information is a tool for measuring power. (b) Science and technology are the basis of peoples’ industrial capability and thus determine the economic power of a nation. (c) Life science may control the whole of human life in the near future.
It is absolutely crucial for scientists to have a guaranteed independent status. Scientific activities should be conducted according to the conscience of each scientist and no outside pressure should be brought to bear on a scientist. Independence is the basic for self-regulation. Freedom of scientists will mean nothing if they lack sufficient materials ad funds. Societal acknowledgement gives scientists a valuable incentive for further development. Publication is a measuring tool for a scientist’s quality. In practical field, scientists are always anxious to get financial and material support.
Modern science is a powerful and socially well organized production of new knowledge and technology, aimed at a rapid transformation into applications. It is primarily the scientific community that has the responsibility to start early and timely reflections on the project of digital Bangladesh.
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