Does Communication Technology Restrict Liberty Or Enhance It?

In our modern and dynamic society, we rely on technology in many areas of our lives. Nowadays, almost everyone has a mobile phone. Technology has advanced so rapidly that pagers are now practically useless, having being replaced by phones with a large variety of functions. Communication technology liberates us in a way as it allows us to keep in touch. It also opens up the world and is not limited by geographical boundaries. However, technology is not as simple as we think it to be. It can be used to spy on us or force us to act in a certain way. Authorities can track law-breakers, no matter how far away they are. Where are our human rights and liberty? In my opinion, communication technology restricts liberty, whether we want it to or not.

Communication technology was invented for a reason, of course. It allows us to have greater liberty in a way. Cashpoint machines are so convenient that it just takes less than a minute to withdraw your money. Furthermore, this saves you the amount of time wasted on finding a bank. The telephone and internet gives us a lot of freedom. You can search for whatever you want on the internet just by the click of a mouse.

Unfortunately, there is a disadvantage to communication technology. It seems to trap us inside a pattern of thinking that limits our abilities. Modern video cameras have become more insidious. Spy cameras can be installed even in the smallest spaces and capture details of our lives, even those that we do not want to reveal. Many people have abused technology for their own selfish desires, not sparing a thought about the privacy of others. If we cannot even have privacy in our own rooms, what freedom do we have?

Communication technology restricts us and forces us to think in certain ways. The biggest criminal will be the Microsoft software that we often use. As Microsoft is founded by an American, only American English is accepted as correct in the software. Furthermore, its functions are limited. Certain things cannot be done in the way we want it to. Templates, paragraphing, images and designs are all limited. In my opinion, we are not the actual "masters" of the software, instead of using it to suit us, we must change ourselves to suit it!

Communication technology almost certainly reduces us to mere numbers. How would you feel if you are only referred to as an identification number? Each time we add the contact numbers of people into our mobile phones, we only call them by remembering their numbers. Dating programmes also reduce people to numbers for identification purposes. I will certainly prefer to be known by name.

Even when you are on holiday, communication technology affects you. Generally, your holiday experience is reduced to a series of forced poses, often with your back to the scenery. How often have you let go of all your worries and admire the breathtaking scenery of a place without your parents nagging at you to smile at the camera? Most people feel that it is important to capture pictures of their holidays in cameras, not knowing that it restricts the way they enjoy their holidays.

Mobile phones are mainly for allowing people to get in touch all the time. Our parents give us mobile phones to find out every minutiae of our lives. We have entered into an age where technology is restricting our liberty, and there is no escape.

Can Science And Religion Ever Co-Exist? Feel free to comment!

Religion and science need not be divorced even though they have many major differences. There has been a strong argument for their co-existence, which I believe is possible to achieve. However, it is not easy for science and religion to co-exist due to the key differences between the two disciplines.

In its most ideal form, science is mainly about discovering the truth about man, life and the universe through objectively observing phenomenon from the world. Science and religion have different perspectives, drawing similar conclusions but starting from different points. For example, Einstein's Theory of Relativity proves that everything is impermanent and uncertain. This hypothesis in science is diametrically opposed to the belief that God is almightly, omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. The Hindus also believe in Shiva's timeless dance where all is anicca, which means that everything does not stay the same forever.

In fact, there is no contradiction in religion and science. It is a religious duty to honour God's gift of reason, and science is about reasoning. Do you know that today's scientific terms such as alkali and algorithm were created by Islamic scientists? Early scientific research and education were mostly done by religious people. Scientists like Mendel, Robert Boyle and Galileo Galilei are examples of such people. Mendel was famous for the study of genetics and he was actually a priest. Robert Boyle, a talented scientist, was a clergyman. Furthermore, Galileo Galilei, one of the most well-known scientists of all time, was persecuted by the church for his research. There are also modern examples of scientists that are religious, such as Francis Collins, who was the Head of the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Science and religion are being artificially divided, due to significant political and cultural changes. In the Middle Ages, the increasingly political Catholic Church and the ultraorthodox Sunni Muslim rulers persecuted anyone of their religion found to be doing scientific research. This caused an increase in anti-religious feelings, leading to more extremists and unorthodox practitioners. Many scientists even gave up their religion. Today, most fundamentalist Baptist churches in America's Bible Belt are most stridently against birth control, genetic engineering and stem-cell research. They only rely on the power of God to help them.

Religion and science have conflicting methods of acquiring knowledge. Science is solely dependent on logic and reason to discover the truth. All of the hypotheses need to be proven. In religion, faith is necessary. Buddhists believe that the world is an illusion, and that there is deception everywhere. Science is interested in physical, tangible and material solutions. However, religion is far more interested in eternity, things which are spiritual, intangible and immaterial.

In the first place, science and religion are not meant to conflict. They are divorced because of human pettiness and misunderstanding. In my opinion, both disciplines have to work together for humanity's sake. What do you think? Can science and religion co-exist?