Overview

The second half of the twentieth century saw the most rapid increase in scientific knowledge of any time in history. Particularly amazing progress was made in genetics and biotechnology, computer technology, astronomy, and medical science. By the turn of the century, a greater fraction of the population used, developed, and relied on science and technology than ever before, and people increasingly looked to science and technology for answers to their most pressing questions. There were problems, however. Larger and more powerful nuclear weapons, devastating industrial accidents, and environmental degradation showed that no blessing is unmixed.

Despite its many advantages, technology's dark side and its ominous achievements made many people fear that it threatened the future of both humanity and the Earth. This is one of the fundamental dichotomies of the period. The other is that although increasingly driven by scientific and technological advances...