Statement to the United Nations Conference on Science and
Technology for Development.
The
Bahá'í Faith has, since its inception over 100 years ago,
considered science and technology essential to the full
development of the individual and of society. It has always
regarded development as an all-encompassing process --
including the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of
all peoples -- and has considered that science and technology,
channelled properly, can help to achieve this goal for all
nations.
The
Bahá'í world community has also stressed the importance of
education -- of training in the arts and sciences on a
universal scale. The growth of the mind, the breadth of human
learning, and the person's ability to solve complex problems
are a cause of individual happiness, greatness, and peace. A
man or a woman well-trained and accomplished in the scientific
method is, in the Bahá'í view, a "true index of
humanity," and possessors of scientific knowledge have a
great right among peoples. Science and technology that are
directed toward the good of humanity are indeed praiseworthy
achievements.
A Balanced
Civilization
In
the Bahá'í view, human beings exist to carry forward an
ever-advancing civilization. Science and technology have in
this century made possible the physical unification of the
planet and made evident the interdependence of all nations and
peoples. While social, economic, and political structures have
not yet caught up with this oneness of humanity, rapid
scientific development continues to perfect the instruments
that make this unity possible. Since the poor, particularly in
developing countries, are still deprived of most of the
benefits of scientific progress, national and international
means for a better distribution and application of existing
knowledge are essential. It has become clear, however, that
even in the most advanced countries, present material
development cannot be sustained into the future; and even more
important, that it does not lead to the happiness and
tranquillity of mankind. For if material civilization outruns
the social and spiritual progress of man, as it does today, it
will cause great harm and threaten the survival of the human
race.
Curing Disunity
It
is not surprising to the Bahá'í International Community,
therefore, that a permanent solution to global problems may
still seem elusive and distant, since all efforts at
development, including those using science and technology,
will have only temporary effect unless the basic problem of
our age, the disunity of the peoples of our planet, is first
recognized, its fundamental cause understood, and its
expression in individual and social behavior eliminated.
Regarding this span of earth as "but one homeland and one
habitation," Bahá'ís see the establishment of unity
among peoples of all backgrounds as a paramount condition for
the peace and happiness of individuals and nations. The
development process should accordingly employ science and
technology first of all to reflect fully the fundamental
organic oneness of the human race, by helping to abolish all
prejudice and divisiveness, whether of class, creed, sex,
race, or nationality.
Agents for Human
Enrichment
We
know that, if correctly employed, science can lead to the
betterment of the human race, to the development of the
qualities of humanity, and to an understanding of the
mysteries of the universe. we know that it has the potential
to eradicate poverty, enrich humanity, and free it from the
struggle for existence. If the material exists, as Bahá'ís
believe, for the benefit of human beings, it is through
science that we can understand the potential of existing
resources and learn to develop this natural heritage for
ourselves and future generations. Science should, therefore,
be pursued to improve human life, and have as its conscious
and ultimate goal the establishment of world peace and the
unification of the human race.
Unfortunately,
science can similarly perfect instruments of war, support the
concentration and abuse of power, undermine social and
cultural values, and endanger the existence of mankind. It is
not sufficient, therefore, by itself, to guarantee progress.
It must be directed by the civilizing aims and values of the
society it is intended to serve.
Such
a foundation of values instilled in individual scientists can
be a most effective way to eliminate obstacles to the
application of science and technology to development. These
scientists will immediately see the priority need for
development and will want to apply their knowledge in service
of their fellow beings. So motivated, they will encourage the
appropriate transfer of technology, stimulate new scientific
and technical advances in development problem areas, and bring
about quite naturally the integration of science into economic
and social development.
The Most Potent
Forces
Much
of the difficulty in applying science to development today has
come from the failure to link science with the basic spiritual
and moral values upon which each society is built. Such
values, the basis for real progress in science and technology
for development, are, in the Bahá'í view, derived from
religion. Religion has traditionally provided standards and
goals for the individual and society, but misunderstanding and
distortion of its fundamental teachings have brought prejudice
-- dogmatism, superstition, fanaticism -- all major hindrances
to human development. On the other hand, scientific progress,
without the religious values brought by the founders of the
world's revealed religions, has spawned materialism -- greed,
selfishness, distrust, injustice.
If
lasting development is to occur, religion and science,
"the most potent forces in human life," must be
brought into unity. These aspects of one truth must be
reconciled, cooperate, and develop harmoniously. We know that
science and technology cannot by themselves solve all human
problems; they are tools to be used or abused depending on
social, economic, and political factors. It is the Bahá'í
conviction that only when scientific progress is balanced with
spiritual advancement will development be of lasting value and
lead to a peaceful world civilization capable of releasing the
enormous potential of the physical world for the well-being of
humanity.
Today,
in more than 340 countries and territories, Bahá'í
communities composing the Bahá'í International Community
accept a pattern of life that sees scientific and religious
values as aspects of one reality. Such an approach enables
them to be receptive to scientific and technological advances,
and to encourage the channelling of this new knowledge in ways
that will raise the spiritual, intellectual, and material life
of the human race.
