Ethical dilemmas and potential threats posed by rapid advances in science and technology: How to handle this Pandora’s box?

Abstract:
“The real problem of humanity is that we have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology.” - Edward O. Wilson

“If we continue to accumulate only power and not wisdom, we will surely destroy ourselves.” - Carl Sagan

The ability to explore, modify, and harness nature, empowered by enabling technologies and guided by a deep understanding of how biological, chemical, and physical processes operate, has helped many people worldwide live without constantly worrying about necessities such as food, water, energy, and shelter. This rapidly growing ability will also assist us in tackling future challenges but can pose existential threats if not used responsibly. Advances in science and technology will not inevitably usher in the dystopian future. However, hoping for the best without proactively preparing to prevent the worst is unwise. Compared to concerted efforts to recruit students to STEM fields and nurture their professional development, efforts to inform/discuss ethical/philosophical dilemmas and potential threats stemming from their work have been limited and poorly coordinated. This imbalance is concerning because future researchers, educators, practitioners, and decision-makers will be inadequately prepared to handle future challenges. Some argue that STEM is value-neutral; therefore, STEM practitioners should avoid judging/guiding how knowledge/technologies are used. This position is precarious, because the shrinking public understanding of how advances in STEM affect their lives makes them vulnerable to manipulation and demagoguery. The dihydrogen monoxide parody illustrates how public opinion can be manipulated to support their demise without relying on a single lie by cloaking the context of selected facts and associating them with fear-triggering words. The current social/political landscape and historical atrocities underscore the urgency to improve education and outreach to prevent potential misuse. I will discuss a crowdsourcing approach to address this need.

About the Speaker:
Seogchan Kang is a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology & Environmental Microbiology at Penn State and a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society. Three primary goals of research are: a) understand the molecular, cellular, and evolutionary mechanisms of fungal interactions with plants and other microbes; b) improve the efficacy and reliability of biocontrol via an enhanced understanding of soil chemical ecology; and c) facilitate community research and problem-solving by developing online resources. His talk is mainly based on one of his courses (Professional Development & Ethics).

Contact

Ying Gu
yug13@psu.edu