Science is defined as the generalization of the principles which govern the phenomena of Nature and of mind. “It is. nothing,” says Huxley, but trained and organized common sense. It is not to be measured in terms of practical services alone, though it may or does, contribute a great deal to human comforts and material prosperity. Science is, truly to speak, an intellectual outlook. It is rightly regarded by many as a standard of truth and gospel of light.
The present is an age of science. It is “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Nowadays in all civilized parts of the world people live and move and even think in terms of science and its gifts to mankind. It has rendered possible a safe flight in the air, safety in the finer, transmission of news of various kinds from one corner of the world to another in no time, and so on and so forth. The advantages derived from these and other glorious achievements of science, such as swift locomotion, gramophone, telephone, television, cinema, medicines. X-ray, etc., are so intimately linked with our modern life that it is simply next to an impossibility to conceive of modern civilization and cultural progress something apart from science. The world of the means of communication has been simply revolutionized by the invention of wireless. It has ensured safety of ships at sea. Radio is a source of great recreation for all. It keeps many people in touch with very many different events and affairs of the world of today.[the_ad id=”17141″]
One great discovery which has defined time and space and has added greatly to the joy and comfort of life is electricity. Electric machines have largely supplanted hand-labor and are producing better necessaries of life in great abundance at a much lower cost of production.
Science has not only added to our physical comforts but is also no less responsible for our mental and intellectual development and dissemination of knowledge is mainly due to the improved ways of printing.
Yet the question may arise: Is science all for human comforts? Airplanes carry passengers and emails, but they also drop bombs and kill men in thousands. Poisonous gases, tanks, armored cars, long-range guns and other instruments of war are terribly destructive in character. So we may also say that science; in spite of all the comforts and reliefs that it has brought to humanity, is no less responsible for the misery, restlessness and worries of man. But the gain is unquestionably much greater than all the losses put together.