Calling Chicken Little!

For the past few years I've been holding on to a small, dirty Post-it with a pithy saying scribbled on it red pen. This particular saying just really grabbed me when I first heard it on Ken Burns The Civil War (which I have watched 5 times a day for every year that I have been teaching!) and I was determined to find some way to use it in class. This is the year and though I'm not certain that brand new 8th graders will be able to adequately respond to it, I'm publishing it here for any other, older types to respond to if they wish. Here's the assignment exactly as I have written it for my students:

Firing Line Assignment
“Some day science may have the existence of mankind in its power, and the human race commit suicide by blowing up the world.” (1862) -- Henry Brooks Adams (1838-1918)

This statement was made by Henry Adams during the American Civil War when many new advancements in military weapons were being made. He brings up a question that people around the world have been debating for the past century.

Do humans have control over science or does it control us?

While we are able to create incredible new inventions such as the microwave oven and the cell phone, no one would deny that these new inventions have changed the way we live. And what about some of the more sinister types of inventions such as the long range missiles and the nuclear bomb? It is often said that our scientific inventions are appearing faster than our ethics (system or set of moral principles) can keep up with them. We have often had to create new laws to prevent people from abusing a new invention to the point that others are hurt. For example, laws to prevent people from using cell phones when they are driving.

Your assignment:
How would you respond to Mr. Adams statement? Do you agree with him that one day our scientific, technological advancements will lead us to “blow up the world”? Or do you believe that humans will always be able to adjust and adapt to new technology to prevent it from being abused?
Once you have decided which position you will take you will need to find some examples to support your viewpoint. You may want to look at military developments and how powerful they are. You may want to look at medical advancements (such as life support methods) or even the increasing level of pollution that may lead to catastrophe with global warming (think about the movie “The Day After Tomorrow”). You will need to find three credible sources that describe either a scientific advancement that could potentially be harmful to a large number of people OR an example of how humans have controlled an invention to prevent it from being harmful to many people.

So, what do YOU think?