Statement
The main purpose of this presentation is to try to convince you that
science and technology should remain driving forces in EU.
As you know, hundred years ago, at least in the western countries,
science
was viewed as a kind of "universal panacea" capable to solve all problems
encountered by mankind.
Even if we have witnessed, in the last century, enormous progresses
in
science and technology, however with signs of interrogation did appear.
Some such signs were generated by the progress of science itself,
such as
the crisis of physics of the end of the 19th century or, more recently, the
discovery of the "deterministic chaos" that generated doubts concerning
some immutable concepts such as causality and determinism. At any rate, the
conviction if the 18th century illuminists that if we know the position and
speed of all objects in the universe then we know the entire past and
future is now completely obsolete.
Other questions and doubts are related to the fact that science led
often
to solutions that are departing from those of Nature. A significant example
is that of energy: Nature produces energy in small quantities, in the
strict amount that is needed and therefore with a maximum efficiency. Man
produces energy in a much less efficient way but in monstrous quantities
(units of thousands of MW) with catastrophic effects regarding the
environment and by depleting the natural resources.
Finally, at least two categories of applications are really worrying
the public opinion:
- (a) applications of nuclear physics that might produce
catastrophic accidents such as Chernobyl (not speaking of the nuclear
weapons) and
- (b) the spectacular development of biology, particularly of
the molecular biology and genetics, with enormous advantages but also
capable of producing unforeseen effects.
As a result, the reaction of the society with regards to science and
technology became rather negative.
To be absolutely sincere, presently the situation of Europe is not
bright.
Several important factors are worrying: demography, economy and even
science. In exchange the environment and the love of nature are sometimes
oversized. The Lisbon process settled some specific goals but their
fulfillment requires long and costly efforts.
Europe is therefore competing in a hard way with other areas of the
planet
within a rapid globalizing process.
Science and technology are often the only ones that can lead to
progress,
the only ones that can find practical solutions to the sustainable
development of the continent and to eventually winning conditions to the
mentioned global competition. Otherwise Europe risks to become an area with
beautiful cathedrals and museums but I do not think this should be the
ultimate goal of UE. This is why I express the opinion that science and technology should
be maintained and regarded as the driving forces of Europe in the coming
years.
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