RACE TO DESTRUCTION

Evening Star, Issue 26042, 5 March 1947, Page 9

RACE TO DESTRUCTION

MANKIND’S CHOSEN DESTINY WARNINGS OF THE SPECIALIST'S ROAD “In a world in which war is still regarded as the final and decisive instrument of policy, people with the knowledge have no > business to continue the development of weapons of destruction by which the world is surrounded and of which its inhabitants are so fearful,” declared Mr x». J. Gamier, lecturer in geography at the University of Otago, in the inaugural address to students last night, llie present-day tendency towards overspecialisation, with its consequent danger of a narrow* and oniinaginative outlook on life and the aft living was discussed by Mr Gamier, and developed to include the world s great problems. “It is right and proper that the various objects of our environment, or the different systems of our economic organisations, or the lines of our technical development should each he subjected to examination ill their own right and. in isolation,” he said. “ But it should he realised that such studies may easily lead to a narrow and Unimaginative outlook. I suppose the extreme example just tiow of over-specialisation and a narrowness of outlook is the widely-held belief in the supreme importance of technical achievement and the necessity for technical progress. TECHNICAL ACHIEVEIENT.

“ We are surrounded by technical developments /in many forms, and millions of pounds are spent in continuing the work. The result of it all seems to be faster and faster aeroplanes, bigger and better atomic bombs, and deadlier and still deadlier gases or means of waging bacteriological warfare. All these horrors, the enthusiasts say, must be cheerfully borne for the sake of the good things making for physical, comfort in our lives which, come from technical achievement. ‘ Anyway,’ they say, I we cannot put the clock back.’ Such an argument seems to me to be that of someone so immersed in a particularly narrow outlook/that, he has lost his sense of responsibility as a person.” Technical progress had to be balanced by a corresponding development of individual character,' Mr Gamier said, if it were not to lead to the complete annihilation of the human race.

“ The knowledge which has gone into the making of the atomic bomb, for instance,” he continued, “ is undoubtedly great. It may lead to things of great benefit to humanity—supposing humanity survives it. But I thing that‘for scientists to pontinue to work specifically on such deadly creations is to prostitute their great calling. It shows them to be persons who in the pursuit of a narrow line of research have lost their sense of responsibility to their fellows. “ The responsibility of ensuring peace in the world falls not solely on political and social leaders, as some people seem to. suggest. It is everyone’s responsibility- Those who have the knowledge of how to create these weapons of annihilation have a unique opportunity of calling a halt to this mad race towards destruction by refusing to take part in investigations specifically designed to increase the abilities of people of one nation to murder the people of another nation.”' Such a refusal, Mr Gamier suggested, would' not be" “ putting the clock back.” On the contrary, it would make progress in the future all the more secure by giving mankind a chance :to catch up on itself before it was too late.