Exploration of finest details due to science and technology

Outline:
1) ¬¬¬¬¬¬Introduction
2) Example of Japan, China, and Korea.
3) Our glorious past
4) Why our downfall? Abbasid destruction at the hands of Mongols
5) Problems
6) We digressed from acquiring knowledge
7) Lack of government support
8) Rotten education system
9) Teachers discourage questions
10) Lack of industry support
11) Lack of career counseling
12) Steps need to be taken
13) Education
14) Research and Development
15) University and Industry partnership
16) Government support
17) Both targeted and untargeted research
18) Young entrepreneurs
19) Conclusion.


Science and Technology are two terms that are most often used interchangeably but are somewhat different in nature. Science is the quest for exploring and learning new knowledge and universal secrets whereas technology is the ultimate practical outcome of the knowledge we acquire through science. Nowadays science is considered to be the primary factor in the economic development and prosperity of a country. This is evident from the revolutionary change in the world stature of western countries after the industrial revolution of the 1600s. Countries which lack the base in scientific knowledge and technological advancement are facing the brunt of the economic crisis, civil wars, unemployment, and food scarcity. All the modern inventions are the by-product of scientific research whether it is the computer or the internet, whether it is the flight of aeroplanes or space shuttles, whether it is the discovery of drugs for Cancer or Aids or whether it is the exploration of new energy resources, all are the fruits of science and technology.

China, Japan, and South Korea are some of the countries that were doomed by the outcome of the Second World War. China and Korea were left at the mercy of civil war and Japan was bombed with nuclear weapons by the Americans but due to their strong will to acquire knowledge and to pursue scientific advancements, they are now considered flag bearers of the developed world. China has improved drastically on its economy and is now reshaping to be the economic superpower of the world. Apart from their economic uptick, they are also developing into a global military power, thanks to the progress in science and technology. Japan and Korea are also working on the manufacturing bases of the whole world due to their investment ¬¬¬¬in scientific knowledge. These countries are scarcely-rich in natural resources but their investment in education and research and development sector have made them the hub of economic activities.

Besides the economic boom of the contemporary world due to rapid advances in science and technology, our glorious past also reminds us of the same fact. The golden period of the Abbasids and Umayyad can be attributed to the advancement of Muslims in the fields of knowledge. Bu Ali Sina, Ibn Ul Haitham, Yaqub Kindi, Al Beruni and Ali Razi are household names even in the western world. The scientists of this level show the rich background that Muslim had in the field of scientific research and due to the brilliance of such scientists Muslims were the superpower of the time. The real crisis in the Muslim world started when Mongols invaded Baghdad during the Abbasid period and burned books and other sources of knowledge.  They destroyed the caliphate of Muslims and set all the heritage of Muslim period on fire including books and centers of research and knowledge. This created a vacuum of knowledge in the Muslim world which exists till yet and we will experience that for years if we didn’t take precautionary measures.

The examples of our glorious past and contemporary world tell us that in order to keep pace with times we have to be proactive in our approach towards acquiring scientific knowledge. In order to compete with the world in this field, our coming generations will have to be equipped with the weapon of education because now the emphasis has been shifted from fighting armed battles to fighting battles on the economic and technological front.  The more advanced a country is in technology and the more stable in the economy, the more chances it has to be the leader of the nations.

America is leading the world as a superpower due to its focus on the educational standard and research work. We have to follow the same rule if we want to earn a respectable place in the comity of nations. The government needs to support education sector with a huge flow of funds to make an environment that will attract students towards research than that mere search for a degree to get jobs. A special research and development fund for this purpose has already been established by the ministry of science and technology but that too lack the funds and substance which can bring a revolutionary change. The government should also make laws that bound the industries to forge a closer partnership with educational institutes to induct a new breed of young and innovative minds into the industry to increase the production capacity of our manufacturing sectors. Centres of relevant industries and companies should be established inside the campuses to acquaint students with the future needs and practical environment. This will help them greatly in their acquisition of skills and other relevant experience to become a part of the future economic development.

The government should also make it obligatory for the educational institutes to provide career counseling to the children.  This will prove to be phenomenally helpful to them in identifying their potentials and in pursuing careers of their interest. Teachers must also be trained to encourage question-asking instead of discouraging it. Most of our teachers do not have the basic training through which they can understand the psyche of the students. They discourage questions asked by the students and thus many creative minds are doomed in the process. Science subjects already form the core of our education but more emphasis should be given to the practical experiments than to the theory. The government should also encourage and support young entrepreneurs to make their way into the research and development.

Science and Technology have created wonders in the world on one hand and havocs and disasters on the other side but we need to focus on the positive side of it to bring a revolutionary change in the lives of our citizens. If we want to keep pace with the modern developed world, there is the only way to keep pace with them and that path is the path of science and technology. Our country is full of brilliant minds of the likes of Dr. Abdul Salam, Dr. Abdul Qadeer, and Dr. Samar Mubarak Mand but financial support at the state level is of primary importance to exploit these brilliant minds. Government support, Educational institute’s encouragement, and student’s self-interest can prove to be the agents of change in future.