Science and War Essay with Outline and Quotations

Science and war have always been linked. Science has played a major role in warfare, from the development of new weapons to the use of scientific knowledge to understand the enemy.In the past, scientific discoveries led to new weapons and strategies that made war more deadly. For example, the development of gunpowder led to the creation of cannons and muskets, which made it possible to kill and injure people from a distance.In this Science and War Essay, we will explore the relationship between science and war in more detail. We will look at how science has been used to create new weapons and strategies, and how it has been used to understand the enemy. We will also discuss the ethical implications of using science in war.

The invention of the tank and the airplane also made war more destructive. In recent years, science has also been used to understand the enemy. For example, psychologists have studied the psychology of war to learn how to better understand and defeat the enemy. Scientists have also developed new technologies that can be used to track and monitor the enemy.

The relationship between science and war is complex. On the one hand, science can be used to create more deadly weapons. On the other hand, science can also be used to understand the enemy and develop new strategies to defeat them. The way that science is used in war depends on the values and priorities of the people who are fighting.

Science and War Essay Outline:

I. Introduction
A. The historical relationship between science and war
B. Debates and analysis surrounding the impact of science on war
C. Thesis statement: Exploring the complex interplay between science and war and its implications

II. Science as a Catalyst for War
A. Misconception: Blaming science for the occurrence of wars
B. The association of the twentieth century with destructive global conflicts
C. Examining the belief in a vital correlation between science and war

III. Wars Before Scientific Advancements
A. Wars in earlier periods driven by power-hungry individuals and conflicts
B. Highlighting examples of historical figures like Alexander the Great and Hitler
C. Demonstrating that wars have existed independent of scientific development

IV. Science’s Influence on the Methods of Warfare
A. Revolutionary changes brought by science in the technique of war
B. Evolution of weapons and tools, from primitive to advanced technology
C. Impact of scientific innovations on modern warfare, such as mechanization and sophisticated weaponry

V. Scientific Advancements During Wars
A. The role of war as a stimulus for scientific progress
B. Necessity and urgency driving innovations, particularly in medicine and technology
C. Examples of advancements made during conflicts, such as antibiotics and surgical techniques

VI. Science as a Deterrent to War
A. The concept of mutual vulnerability due to scientific advancements in weaponry
B. Understanding the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons
C. Science serving as a deterrent to large-scale conflicts among nations

VII. Conclusion
A. Recap of the complex relationship between science and war
B. Acknowledgment of science’s impact on warfare techniques and advancements
C. Emphasizing the need for addressing underlying causes of conflicts and fostering peace

Science and War Essay for Matric/Inter/Graduationin 1000-1500 Words 

Introduction:

The correlation between science and warfare has been a subject of ongoing deliberation and examination. While some contend that science bears sole responsibility for the destructive nature of conflicts, others underscore the wider involvement of political, economic, and societal elements. The twentieth century, characterized by two devastating global wars, has frequently been linked to advancements in scientific knowledge and technological breakthroughs. This essay delves into the intricate interplay between science and war, investigating the influence of scientific advancements on the methods of warfare, the role of science in propelling progress during conflicts, and the potential for science to serve as both a catalyst and deterrent in the realm of war.

There is a prevalent, yet mistaken, notion that science bears responsibility for the frequent and highly destructive wars of the twentieth century. This era has witnessed two catastrophic global conflicts. Even before the remnants of the first war were cleared, the second war erupted, proving even more devastating. Towards the war’s end, atomic bombs were dropped by America on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, obliterating these cities from the world map. Given that the twentieth century coincides with significant advancements in scientific development, it is natural for people to suspect a connection between science and war.

But mankind used to indulge in fighting even when science was in its embryonic stage. Acquisitional instinct was as strong in Alexander’s mind as in Hitler’s. The absence of scientific weapons did not deter Alexander from setting out on an ambitious program of world conquest. Nor was it the availability of these techniques that spurred Hitler to march his troops into Austria. The two were incorrigible power- maniacs. As long as there exist Alexander’s and Hitler’s in this world, there will be no end to war. Thus to hold science responsible for war is wholly unjustified.

“Science has improved the circumstances of man, not the man himself.”- Wingfield

Science has of course brought about a revolutionary change in the technique of war. Our ancestors marched to the battlefield on foot, on horseback or elephants, and they fought with fists and cudgels; they hurled stones at their enemies. A little later, swords and bows, and arrows appeared on the scene. Even these weapons involved the knowledge of scientific principles but this knowledge was direct and empirical. It did not need any insight. But modern war is a highly mechanized affair. We use Migs and Gnats, tanks and submarines, missiles, and anti-aircraft guns. There exist such ingenious methods of killing the enemy as the use of fatal bacilli and poisonous gases. It was the discovery of gun powder and its effectiveness as a killer along with the use of motorized vehicles that changed the whole complexion of the war. With gun-powder came the rifles and the cannon. Jeeps led to amphibian tanks. Since the latter was too strong to be pierced by ordinary bullets, powerful explosives were discovered to destroy them. And since it is impossible to exist when they are raining fire and dea-th, fighting from behind the trenches and pill-boxes were devised.

Bom-bers and submarines were the next innovations. They are generally unmanned and are operated from the laboratory. Bom-ber fly at a fantastic speed, rain mighty explosives, and come back. Submarines, almost impossible to detect, prove even more dangerous. Sometimes they can explode an entire fleet. These instruments of war have rendered manpower useless. H.G. Wells once wrote about a war that would be fought with robots. His dream seems to have been realized. Yesterday’s fantasy is today’s reality. The latest pests introduced by science are the atom bo-mb and other nuclear weapons.

They threaten the complete annihilation of this planet. But even the atom bo-mb is not the end. We now hear of the hydrogen, the cobalt bo-mb, and the G. gas, which would be a million times more deadly than the existing weapons. In the Second World War, some American scientists were approached to discover some gaseous products that wouldn’t kill but make the whole population blind. It was H.G. Wells again who once wrote about an anarchist who wanted to pour the live germs of cholera into the reservoir supplying water to a city and cause the dea-th of thousands of innocent citizens. Even this has been used in modern war. Battlefields just don’t exist now. We kill from laboratories and die in dormitories. It is all a simple push-button-die affair.

It is often argued that war has given a great incentive to scientific advancement, particularly in the sphere of medicine. Necessity is said to be the mother of invention. And war creates not only a necessity but urgency. If there exist bom-bers, there must be invented anti-aircraft guns. The production of an invulnerable tank must lead to the discovery of a mightier explosive to smash it. Large-scale wars rapidly consume and exhaust natural resources. This has led to the manufacture of synthetic products. Synthetic yarns are today more popular than natural cotton and silks. For want of external food supplies during the war, some countries are faced with the threat of starvation. This has led them to make efforts to attain self-sufficiency in food. They try to raise the productivity of soil by controlling land temperature, using scientifically prepared fertilizers, by speeding up the maturing process. Scientists have even gone to the extent of producing synthetic food. A large number of soldiers used to be fatally wounded in the war. Their wounds would soon turn septic and they would painfully creep to a wretched dea-th. Their pathetic plight made Sir Alexander Fleming work day and night to give to the world the wonder drug-penicillin. This and the subsequently discovered more powerful antibiotics have saved thousands of lives. Replacement of limbs and transplantation of various organs of the body have also been successfully tried.

Though war stimulates scientific progress, it would be wrong to think that but for war, there would have been no progress at all. War creates urgency but it also creates insecurity. And nothing very creative can be achieved when a scientist’s mind is not at peace with himself. If the scientists had been given peace and the requisite facilities for work, their achievements would have been even more miraculous, more laudable.

There is another aspect worthy of consideration too. If science makes war more dangerouş, it also acts as a deterrent to war. All the nations are quite aware of the monstrous strength wielded by nuclear weapons. They know that in the event of another nuclear att-ack, their very existence would be threatened. This dissuades even the most headstrong among the statement from declaring hostilities.

Science and War Essay with Quotations