COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

Western Mindanao State University

Zamboanga City

Assignment 1
Metacognitive Reading Report

Name: Al-Ernest H. Tamse

Course/section: BSIT 2-C

Instructions: Read Lewis Wolpert’s the Medawar Lecture 1998. Is science Dangerous?
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artcles/PMC1569503). Then, complete the meta cognitive
reading report below:

1. Difficult Concepts
a. Responsibilities as a Scientist
b. The Relationship between Science and Technology and how can this two combined
give rise to Danger and Ethical Issues.
c. Eugenics

2. Learning Insights

a. Before reading the article, I thought that Scientist are the once to be blame for the
raise of ethical issues because they are the once who started it I mean they all did the scientific
research.
However, after reading the article, I now think/learned that scientist are just doing their
job they rarely have power when it comes to relation in application of science, it's the
government and those who are funding the scientific research that has the power to use this
scientific knowledge, so it's not just the scientist, it's everyone who are involved in the used of
this scientific knowledge that cause risen of ethical issues. Other than doing scientific research
and solving scientific problems, scientists are obligated to make the reliability of their ideas and
make it clear to the point of over cautiousness.

b. Before reading the article, I thought that how can technology and science cause
serious threat or danger and give rise to ethical issues, this two differ from each other so how
can technology use science? I only had questions in mind.
However, after reading the article, I now think/learned that science differ from technology,
science produce ideas on how things works and is driven by academic curiosity. Technology on
the other hand is much older than science it existed long before the influence of science,
technology is the result of usable objects. We can say it like this technology is the application of
knowledge to make or create usable objects, so that is how we can relate technology to
science. So how does this two can cause danger and rise in ethical issues? Well science alone
cause ethical issues by carrying out experiments on humans and animals, even genetically
modified foods. But if science is applied to technology it gives rise to danger and ethical issues
example of technology applied science are nuclear weapons, now this one surely is threatening
and poses danger.

c. Before reading the article, I thought that Eugenics is a good thing because it's about
improving human race.
However, after reading the article, I now think/learned that it can also have a downside
or negative effect if the idea is perverted with the use of social and political aim. They link races
to undesirable characteristics like Blacks being inferior, Italians being criminal minded and
violent, Poles being clannish, almost sounds like racist if you ask me. On my own opinion I
believe races has nothing to do with person's characteristics rather it depends on the
environment in which he/she lives in, even though we say a person came from the race of
Italians who are considered violent and will likely to commit crimes still we cannot justify that,
we cannot say “So you came from Italian race so you’re a criminal minded person”, it doesn't
work that way for me we should consider the environment in which he grew up, is it a good
environment?, bad?, harsh?, poor? and etc, races has nothing to do with characteristic if the
person chooses to be good he will. Then we got Hitler's cabinet in 1933 who made a law which
made sterilization compulsory for everyone who suffered from a perceived hereditary
weakness, including conditions that ranged from schizophrenia to blindness. Here we can see
that when scientific knowledge is mixed with political or social aim it can be perverted.
Scientific knowledge should be neutral and value free. Good thing that the aim of today’s
Modern Eugenics are both to prevent and cure those with genetic disabilities and does not
perverts science.

3. Discussion Questions
a. What can we do to avoid the danger of technology and science?
b. As a citizen how can you be more cautious and responsible with new scientific
knowledge?
c. Are you in favor of abortion if it's related to genetic disabilities?