Man and the high-technology society

Abstract

High Technology is defined as the technical application of novel and emerging scientific concepts and knowledge for design, development, production and integration in the fields of computerization/automation, the aerospace industry and biotechnology. Computerized automation has the most pervasive effects, whereas the military aerospace sector poses the greatest danger to man’s existence. Can High Technology be controlled? Man cannot opt out of his High Technology because, once having tasted ‘the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’, he is doomed to continue his search for new knowledge and technical skills, for good or evil: that is, he has become part of his own technological system. Only by using his God-given intelligence and moral judgment can he try to abolish or to alleviate the undesirable effects of his technological activities, while benefitting from the positive effects. Control of technological development is very difficult. Yet it must be attempted. Concerted action is needed by concerned expert groups, labour unions, industrial and political leaders, and the churches. The focus of the Church’s ministry should be to complete technology by infusing the spiritual dimension, and to renew our awareness of the sacramental nature of the universe.