By Matters India Reporter
Patna, Nov 10, 2019: Science and technology offer many resources for development, but they are often misused. Hence there is need of ethical guidelines to use technology for a better universe.
This was highlighted in a one-day seminar on November 9 at Arcade Business College (ABC), Danapur-Khagaul Road, Patna. More than 150 students from two colleges attended the seminar with the theme, “Science and Technology Resources for a Better Universe.”
It was organized by Xavier Institute of Social Research (XISR) in collaboration with ABC and Indian Institute of Science and Religion (IISR), Delhi.
At the opening session, chief guest and keynote speaker Jesuit Father Job Kozhamthadam said, since 1980s Information Technology (IT) has become indispensable in life. “The question is how to use it, as there is much misuse of it. We want to guide the students how not to misuse it,” he said.
Highlighting the relation between science and religion, he said both are needed for human development. The question is how to use them for sustaining this universe from further destruction.
The teens and youth of today are passionately attached to the Internet which has both positive and negative effects, said Prabhat Kumar, head of the Department, Computer Science and Engineering and professor-in-charge of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna.
While it is a useful tool of communication, it has been used to harm society and even to frighten individuals in society.
Speaking on the power of digital revolution and use of e-governance, Shaileh Srivastava, head, Digital Government Research Centre, Patna, said the government’s e-governance system has covered some 640 district centers across the country. We focus on consolidation of soft-ware based services.
Elaborating on the various steps taken by the Government, he said there are limitations to privacy of individuals. Hence we to have to balance soft technology with individual freedom and rights, he added.
On “Cyber Crimes and Ethics,” Akshay Deepak, professor of NIT said, social media is like a virus which catches the youth today. While one can use it profitably to network with others and acquire knowledge, it is being misused by anti-social elements to commit crimes, create violence and fear in society.
Apprising the students on various types of cyber crimes he asked, “When you are in danger or injured in an accident, will your Facebook friends will come and save you, or donate blood to a dying person? “Today social media has become anti-social media,” he said.
Inputs on ‘Internet of Things for a sustainable universe’ were given by Dr. Sebastian Alphonse, SJ of Jesuit-run St. Xavier’s College of Management and Technology, Patna.
Students responded positively to the seminar. “We have profited much from the inputs, especially on the misuse of cyber technology,” said Prashansa Sharma, ABC student. Another student Vikas Kumar said, “Human beings are responsible for the substance and destruction of the whole universe. We have to use technology judiciously and with ethical conscience.”
Earlier, Ashok Gupta, principal of ABC College, welcomed the participants. Explaining the dynamics of the seminar, Chief Organizer Father Dr. Jose Kalapura, Director of XISR said that students and youth of today need ethical guidance on the use of science and technology, particularly cyber technology.
On September 27 this year, XISR had organized a similar seminar for some 215 students of Patna Women’s College, an autonomous Christian minority college under Patna University.