Oral /Idea of progress
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Message de greyfriars posté le 24-03-2014 à 14:57:00 (S | E | F)
Bonjour,
j'ai préparé un texte (je l'avais déjà posté mais j'ai fait quelques modifications dessus) sur la notion de progrès pour l'oral d'anglais au bac.J'aimerais que vous m'aidiez à corriger d'éventuelles fautes.
Merci d'avance:
I'm going to talk about the idea of progress.To begin with, I'd like to state the definition of progress.Progress is the idea that the world can become increasingly better in terms of science, technology, modernization, liberty, democracy, quality of life, etc.But still the issue is debated among conscencious people whether progress is a blessing or a curse for humanity.Let us discuss how progress can serve humanity and how it can harm it.
First of all, progress can improve the human condition a lot, be it at the social, economic or political level.In an article called "The power of big ideas", published in 1999 in Newsweek Magazine, scientists and other thinkers nominate what they consider the most important invention of the last two thousand years.The printing press is one of them.I think the printing press is a good example of the good sides of progress because it has greatly favoured the development of democracy.Indeed, it has made the books public and therefore permitted mass literacy and exchange of ideas.
In more recent times, we can say the computer is another capital invention for mankind.It has revolutionazed our everyday lives.For example, we can have a instantaneous discussion with a friend thousand of miles from our home.Also, we can access any information at the touch of a button from almost any location.Finally, we could mention progress in medicine that is not the least significant one.Thus, the discovery of many useful drugs and vaccines has saved millions of lives.In fact, it is practically impossible to be exhaustive concerning all the advantages that progress has provided to mankind.
So, New technologies in general have improved our living conditions, yet science's progress also raises some issues.
Indeed, the fruits of progress may be used for bad purposes.One of the best example is the atomic bomb.Developed with the help of modern scientific methods, it can finish this world of ours in an instant.The world has seen the examples of two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Another example of the potential dangers of progress is genetic engineering.The use of cloning and some genetic manipulations could have disastrous social consequences.Parents would tend to engineer children to conform to social norms, with regard to physical ability, appearance and aptitudes, even though many of these social norms are inherently oppressive.Moreover, it would make people intolerant of disabled people or the least imperfection.It is reminiscent of nazi eugenic policies.Also techno-eugenics may make the human species, like other species, the object of the manipulative control by technocratic elites.That is exactly what is happening in the Brave New World by Aldous Huxley!I don't know about you, but I don't want to see clone or formatted individuals.I like the particularity of each humans too much for that.
In closing, I will address a last drawback of progress.The increasing use of technology make us lose contact with nature.Nowadays, unlike their parents, the young are spending more time inside than outside, playing video games, watching tv, chatting on the internet.In the same way, it is reducing the instances of contact with others: people have often more virtual relationships than real-life ones.
In conclusion, I would say progress is neither all good nor all bad.Progress has brought great advancements in standards of living but it has also came along with some drawbacks.Let us consider the area of science.The knowledge generated by science is definitely morally neutral.However, when put into the hands of human beings, that knowledge can be used for either ill or good.It is not scientific knowledge that is either good or evil, but the application of it.
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Modifié par lucile83 le 24-03-2014 21:21
Message de greyfriars posté le 24-03-2014 à 14:57:00 (S | E | F)
Bonjour,
j'ai préparé un texte (je l'avais déjà posté mais j'ai fait quelques modifications dessus) sur la notion de progrès pour l'oral d'anglais au bac.J'aimerais que vous m'aidiez à corriger d'éventuelles fautes.
Merci d'avance:
I'm going to talk about the idea of progress.To begin with, I'd like to state the definition of progress.Progress is the idea that the world can become increasingly better in terms of science, technology, modernization, liberty, democracy, quality of life, etc.But still the issue is debated among conscencious people whether progress is a blessing or a curse for humanity.Let us discuss how progress can serve humanity and how it can harm it.
First of all, progress can improve the human condition a lot, be it at the social, economic or political level.In an article called "The power of big ideas", published in 1999 in Newsweek Magazine, scientists and other thinkers nominate what they consider the most important invention of the last two thousand years.The printing press is one of them.I think the printing press is a good example of the good sides of progress because it has greatly favoured the development of democracy.Indeed, it has made the books public and therefore permitted mass literacy and exchange of ideas.
In more recent times, we can say the computer is another capital invention for mankind.It has revolutionazed our everyday lives.For example, we can have a instantaneous discussion with a friend thousand of miles from our home.Also, we can access any information at the touch of a button from almost any location.Finally, we could mention progress in medicine that is not the least significant one.Thus, the discovery of many useful drugs and vaccines has saved millions of lives.In fact, it is practically impossible to be exhaustive concerning all the advantages that progress has provided to mankind.
So, New technologies in general have improved our living conditions, yet science's progress also raises some issues.
Indeed, the fruits of progress may be used for bad purposes.One of the best example is the atomic bomb.Developed with the help of modern scientific methods, it can finish this world of ours in an instant.The world has seen the examples of two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Another example of the potential dangers of progress is genetic engineering.The use of cloning and some genetic manipulations could have disastrous social consequences.Parents would tend to engineer children to conform to social norms, with regard to physical ability, appearance and aptitudes, even though many of these social norms are inherently oppressive.Moreover, it would make people intolerant of disabled people or the least imperfection.It is reminiscent of nazi eugenic policies.Also techno-eugenics may make the human species, like other species, the object of the manipulative control by technocratic elites.That is exactly what is happening in the Brave New World by Aldous Huxley!I don't know about you, but I don't want to see clone or formatted individuals.I like the particularity of each humans too much for that.
In closing, I will address a last drawback of progress.The increasing use of technology make us lose contact with nature.Nowadays, unlike their parents, the young are spending more time inside than outside, playing video games, watching tv, chatting on the internet.In the same way, it is reducing the instances of contact with others: people have often more virtual relationships than real-life ones.
In conclusion, I would say progress is neither all good nor all bad.Progress has brought great advancements in standards of living but it has also came along with some drawbacks.Let us consider the area of science.The knowledge generated by science is definitely morally neutral.However, when put into the hands of human beings, that knowledge can be used for either ill or good.It is not scientific knowledge that is either good or evil, but the application of it.
-------------------
Modifié par lucile83 le 24-03-2014 21:21
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