The Ethics of Copenhagen
Progress. Advancement. Science is always pushing towards the future, towards learning more, towards making mankind more powerful over nature. However, is there a limit to going too far?
A little knowledge is a powerful thing. Some of the same advances that brought us computers and the internet also led to nuclear weapons and the cold war. While we have the ability to span the globe in supersonic vehicles and long-distance communication lines, we are actively destroying our planet.
At what point should we step back and ask what direction we are headed? Is there value in gaining all the knowledge we can, and only place limits on what we do with it? Or do we call off our research the minute we see it can lead to terrible things? If progress is inevitable, will it even make a difference? Can we understand the magnitude of our actions, the moment we choose to make them?
February 25, 2008 at 3:59 pm
This reminds me of the progress made in the Medical field from the Nazi’s questionable treatment of corpses. We benefit from the progress they made, but at what cost?
February 25, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Thinking about the ethics described in the play leads me back to the current debate about stem cell research. that’s why COPENHAGEN is such an interesting and multi layered play. It’s themes really tie into so many different areas of history and existence. It is truly hard to tell what the future ramifications of discovery will be and in a society as instant gratifcation oriented as we are, do we have the far sightedness to really comprehend what our actions will bring? I worry that our governemnt truly doesn’t…
February 26, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I don’t think that that’s even comparable, Lauren. Trying to understand the inner workings of nature, and experimemting on the bodies of murdered people is hardly the same thing at all.
Progress is just that, progress. You can’t blame people who conduct peaceful research with the acts of those who use said research to do terrible things.