Can Humanity Survive?
So I was just browsing NY Times online and found this interesting article titled, "Can Humanity Survive?" It speaks about how various people have predicted the end of the world due to different circumstances. For example, some physicists think that nuclear weapons will be the cause for our end, while others believe that global warming and climate change will mark our end.
I find it interesting that in all cases, science, which is generally meant to increase the longevity of our lives, efficiency in our tasks, and knowledge of the world, may also be the thing that ultimately precipitates the downfall of mankind.
In fact, one cosmologist, Dr. Rees, gives humanity no greater than a 50% chance of surviving past the year 2100, which is quite disturbing, especially given that some of us may actually be able to live close to or even past that year.
My point in bringing this article up for discussion is that it parallels the theme of dangerous knowledge that is pervasive throughout Frankenstein. For example, when the monster constructs fire he obtains knowledge about light and warmth, but as he touches the fire it hurts him--symbolizing the theme of dangerous knowledge.
Thus, will humanity ultimately fall because of something we created? Nuclear energy has been great in terms of energy efficiency, yet it also possesses the power to kill tens of thousands in a single blast. Our CO2 emissions are a result and symbol of our booming industries and production, but at the same time these emissions are trapping heat in our atmosphere causing an overall warming of the climate, which could have disastrous, unpredictable results.
Personally, I am much more optimistic in seeing no end to humanity (or at worst much past the year 2100). Although I do agree that science may have devastating effects that may wipe out large numbers of people in the coming 100s of years, I feel that it is our continuous push to further science, seeking this "dangerous knowledge" as Victor does, that will bail us out. I believe that knowledge is unlimited, and although we may be stuck in this cycle of discovering new technology to rectify the harms caused by the old technology, I see humanity enduring.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
posted by Amit at 7:36 PM
2 Comments:
I agree that this is an interesting phenomenon. My theory is that this is not a new trend, and not even related to science at all. From the dawn of civilization, cultures have had myths about the beggining and the end of time and humanity. Religion also played (and still plays) a huge role in encouraging thoughts and discussions of Armegedon or the Rapture. The only difference today, are the kinds of theories, and the media used to circulate them. Nuclear war and global warming have replaced the second coming of Christ and a terrible plague as the leading theories for mankind's downfall. I think what is remarkable is that this idea that extiction of mankind is possible is an trait common among all civilizations, cultures, and epochs of human history.
good point...but there's also a way in which Second coming narratives have recently been intertwined with global warming, bioterrorism and the like. In August, even Pat Robertson said he has become a "believer" (his words) of global warming.
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