Science and The Fabric of Society

Science and The Fabric of Society

The past two years have been very enlightening to all of us. Many of our beliefs have been shaken and so have our false assumptions shattered. 

We have always been a society-driven species. Our existence has been fueled by the warmth and care that our fellow beings and our loved ones extend to us. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened the walls of fear and alienation among us. The tactile sensation, the warm and friendly hug, which is a sure sign of assurance and trust, transformed itself into a serious threat. Society was perceived as a threat to itself and we have witnessed and re-lived history.

There have been tremendous losses, losses at personal and global scales, some being exponential. For many, there was a fight for time and a fight for survival. The human species, which is known to change the landscape of this mighty Earth, suddenly started starving for oxygen, one of the most abundant elements available to us.  

In such an unpredictable environment, the social fabric was strengthened by advances in science and technology. All eyes around the world were fixed on the warriors in laboratories, in hospitals, and in criticare centers. Faith moves mountains, as it is said. Surely, the faith in our scientific endeavors has brought in a better understanding of the looming mortal danger. It has also strengthened our belief in our fight for survival. It has also assured us that we need to live responsibly and that society can be saved by the selfless assistance of Society itself. 

Science all over the world has never been so busy. People of all walks have seen the efforts put in by scientists and researchers all over the world. There was an intensive effort to generate and administer vaccines to people. Also, the reinforcement of the fundamentals of healthy living and clean habits was very impressive.

Some do believe that this fanfare was an over-estimate of the threat posed by the virus. The mortality rates of many existing diseases outweigh the loss of life that has occurred during this pandemic. But don’t you think it is important to question your efforts? Society has, like always, questioned the assumptions made by science. Society has been closely watching the claims of science. The mask and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) has managed to bring to light our new ‘Avatars’, but this has not deterred the spirit of reasoning in our society.

There is a strange but useful communication between science and society. They check each other. They ensure that one does not rise egoistically above the other. Society is always skeptical of the advances of science. Science on the other hand proves its worth by generating hard and truthful facts related to the various questions raised by society.

This pandemic has proven once again that this interrelatedness, this warp, and weft of belief and reasoning make our society strong. It gives our society an opportunity to ridicule the inertia of science and force it to accelerate to new domains of excellence, service to nature, and strengthen this fabric of faith and life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Prashant S. Ratnaparkhi

HoD and Assistant Professor

Department of Life Science and Biochemistry

St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai