Issue 23 Gov't&Research

elfaro

In the movie iRobot, the artificial intelligence develops beyond human’s control, thus a big catastrophe dawns. Such possible consequences in real life arouse heated debate about the freedom of scientific research and government restriction.
 
For the scientist, the freedom to pursue what he wants and likes should be protected. This is a civil right and is equivalent to economic rights, voting rights and so on. As a result, from a democratic point of view, the freedom of scientific research should be guaranteed. Moreover, a structure of liberty is essential for the advancement of science. A freedom to pursue science for its own sake is a prerequisite for the production of discovery and knowledge. Therefore, the nature of science is calling for its freedom.


However, the irreversible consequences of some scientific research results, considering it severe devastating power to the society, are putting such freedom in an awkward place and are calling for the interference from governments. On one hand, the results are under the threats to be exposed to anti-socialists or terrorists, but most commonly, to be utilized in the wars. One of the most harrowing historic incidents is the nuclear bomb in two cities in Japan during World War II. On the other hand, only what happens in the laboratory can be enough to provoke huge socio-ethical controversies. Technologies like human cloning should be prohibited from the beginning for the clone will surely face problems identifying the Female DNA donor, as genetic twin or as mother? Let alone identify the clone itself as a genetically unique person. As a result, strict restrictions on such researches are a necessity to prevent intimidating tumults as well as a guarantee for the stable development of the society.


From a historic point of view, the more the modern sciences develop, the more impossible for it to concern about only itself. Unlike sciences in ancient or medieval times, modern sciences ramify into more complicated and narrow branches, develops further in social sciences and thrives in interdisciplinary subjects. The deeper exploration and more daring researches about the society and the world, the more possible it infringes on the nature law as well as ethics and morals of human society. In Middle Ages, the new discovery in astronomy threatened the churches’ authority, but it only limited in the area of power and ruling. However, today, researches on clinical psychology, transgenic food and embryonic stem cells etc. are more possible to overwhelm our cognizance about human and nature, worse still, to change the nature rule. Therefore, restrictions on such researches are natural and more necessary than ever. Governments as guardians of people’s welfare are expected to step forward to watch out researches that go far beyond the way we can control.


Finally, the advanced science today adds more difficulties for the government to take an effective and reasonable measure towards its development. Solely restrictions on researches in fear of unclear consequences are, of course, detrimental to the sciences. In consideration of this, a platform supported by an independent, third party could be open to both scientists and government officials to have open-ended dialogue and change ideas to gain mutual understanding.
 
It is common sense that any scientific explorations should not be harshly banned, however, it does little harm to take a conservative attitude at first, especially towards those with predictably negative consequences. Government restrictions, as a result, are essential and irreplaceable, at least for the time being.

觉得开头写得不好，没改过可能还有很多语法错误……天色已晚，我明天再修改修改！

普渡哥

我觉得作者写得很好，英语功底不错，第一段可以进一步加工。

elfaro

第一段修改版：


In the movie iRobot, the artificial intelligence develops beyond human’s control, thus a big catastrophe dawns. In spite of the importance of freedom in scientific development, such gloomy consequences in real life are a warning signal of the need of necessary restrictions on scientific researches.