Science and technology will one day be able to solve all of society’s problems. Write a response to the prompt in which you discuss whether or not you agree or disagree. Be certain to fully develop your position and carefully consider ways in which your position could be challenged.
(Although the word 'problems' doesn't truly encompass the multitude of issues plaguing modern society, it is liberally used in this essay to ensure brevity)
Throughout our existence on this planet, we, as a society, have been plagued with problems. Oftentimes we have navigated these problems by using our intellect to come up with innovative solutions. Science and technology as seen today are a result of decades of such innovations. Given their success in resolving our problems in the past, it is natural to assume that they would continue to do so in the future.
It is often said that the only constant in life is change. Change, no matter how small or large, brings forth a new set of problems in addition to those already evident in society. Perhaps this is why it is often viewed with dread. However, a quick glance into our past reveals that Change has been the reason behind some of our greatest discoveries and innovations. When the survival of prehistoric men was threatened by predators, they discovered fire - mankind's first major discovery. Our ancestors' constant struggle with diseases and infections, motivated them to develop medicine, something which is commonplace in today's society. Our desire to be connected is what led to the development of ideas such as the telephone, the internet and more recently, social media. In other words, major scientific and technological advances can be viewed as man's answer to the problems facing him, which in turn are a consequence of change, something fundamental to life itself. Therefore it is safe to assume that this cycle of change, problems and innovations will continue. Moreover, given our successes so far in navigating this cycle, there is no reason to believe that this success wouldn't continue.
Additionally, it is important to consider how navigating this cycle has helped us develop our intellect and understanding of the world. Going back to the discovery of fire, while its most obvious purpose was to drive away wild beasts, it did play a more nuanced role in our development. The discovery of fire, freed us from worrying about survival which allowed us to focus our attention elsewhere. Indeed, without fire, it is difficult to say if any of the subsequent innovations such as the wheel, writing or agriculture would ever have come to be. This effect is compounded further with every subsequent innovation. Without agriculture, we wouldn't have been able to settle down into communities. Without communitites, division of labour wouldn't have been possible which would have deprived us of thinkers, artisans and poets. Without the presence of these individuals, society would have come to a standstill; stuck in an everlasting cycle of survive, scavenge, eat. This division of labour allowed individuals to wonder about more abstract concepts, something which eventually led to the development of fields such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. From here onwards, our intellectual growth became exponential as we went from barely understanding our world in the 18th century, to disecting atoms by the end of the 20th. Thus, it is necessary to acknowledge that intellect and knowledge, as observed today, are a result of compounding several millenia of innovations, which have shaped our society into its current form.
Therefore, change is what forces man to think of innovative ways to solve his problems, and every one of these innovations builds on the existing knowledge base of previous ideas. Hence it is safe to assume that one day, man would find the answers to the problems plaguing society.
However, it is important to realise that all the problems mentioned so far have been because of external factors. Indeed, these aren't the only problems evident in modern society. An exclusive set of problems exist in our society, ones that are of man's own creation. These include issues such as racism, sexism, trafficking, slavery and terrorism, to name a few. Such problems are motivated by emotions and beliefs and no amount of science and technology can resolve them. For science and technology are man's own creation, and when man himself is incapable of controlling his emotions, it would be absurd to think something that he created can.
Going back to the beginning of this essay, there are two things which are a constant in life. One is change and the other is mankind's ability to navigate this change successfully. This insight guarantees that no matter the magnitude of problems facing us, as long as they aren't a result of our own beliefs, we will find a way to eventually overcome them.
Comments
Essay evaluations by e-grader
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 28, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: doesn't
Although the word problems doesnt truly encompass the multitude of issues...
^^^^^^
Line 5, column 971, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Therefore,
..., something fundamental to life itself. Therefore it is safe to assume that this cycle of...
^^^^^^^^^
Line 5, column 1180, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: wouldn't
... no reason to believe that this success wouldnt continue. Additionally, it is import...
^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 644, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: wouldn't
...ent innovation. Without agriculture, we wouldnt have been able to settle down into comm...
^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 741, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: wouldn't
...ithout communitites, division of labour wouldnt have been possible which would have dep...
^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 830, Rule ID: ENGLISH_WORD_REPEAT_BEGINNING_RULE
Message: Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym.
...ved us of thinkers, artisans and poets. Without the presence of these individuals, soci...
^^^^^^^
Line 9, column 181, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Hence,
...sting knowledge base of previous ideas. Hence it is safe to assume that one day, man ...
^^^^^
Line 11, column 129, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: aren't
...ause of external factors. Indeed, these arent the only problems evident in modern soc...
^^^^^
Line 13, column 273, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: aren't
... of problems facing us, as long as they arent a result of our own beliefs, we will fi...
^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
first, hence, however, if, moreover, so, still, therefore, thus, while, as to, in addition, such as, in other words
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 39.0 19.5258426966 200% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 11.0 12.4196629213 89% => OK
Conjunction : 20.0 14.8657303371 135% => OK
Relative clauses : 20.0 11.3162921348 177% => OK
Pronoun: 81.0 33.0505617978 245% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 112.0 58.6224719101 191% => OK
Nominalization: 14.0 12.9106741573 108% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3850.0 2235.4752809 172% => OK
No of words: 754.0 442.535393258 170% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.10610079576 5.05705443957 101% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.24013935268 4.55969084622 115% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.82832292219 2.79657885939 101% => OK
Unique words: 358.0 215.323595506 166% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.474801061008 0.4932671777 96% => OK
syllable_count: 1212.3 704.065955056 172% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59117977528 101% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 20.0 6.24550561798 320% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 4.0 4.99550561798 80% => OK
Subordination: 6.0 3.10617977528 193% => OK
Conjunction: 2.0 1.77640449438 113% => OK
Preposition: 9.0 4.38483146067 205% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 36.0 20.2370786517 178% => OK
Sentence length: 20.0 23.0359550562 87% => OK
Sentence length SD: 44.4115850752 60.3974514979 74% => OK
Chars per sentence: 106.944444444 118.986275619 90% => OK
Words per sentence: 20.9444444444 23.4991977007 89% => OK
Discourse Markers: 3.19444444444 5.21951772744 61% => OK
Paragraphs: 7.0 4.97078651685 141% => Less paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 9.0 7.80617977528 115% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 17.0 10.2758426966 165% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 13.0 5.13820224719 253% => Less negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 6.0 4.83258426966 124% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.138660268863 0.243740707755 57% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0360184317157 0.0831039109588 43% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0281602071609 0.0758088955206 37% => Sentences are similar to each other.
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0697480873877 0.150359130593 46% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0268176544316 0.0667264976115 40% => Paragraphs are similar to each other. Some content may get duplicated or it is not exactly right on the topic.
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 13.1 14.1392134831 93% => Automated_readability_index is low.
flesch_reading_ease: 51.18 48.8420337079 105% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 11.1 12.1743820225 91% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.36 12.1639044944 102% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.48 8.38706741573 101% => OK
difficult_words: 184.0 100.480337079 183% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 11.0 11.8971910112 92% => OK
gunning_fog: 10.0 11.2143820225 89% => OK
text_standard: 11.0 11.7820224719 93% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Maximum six paragraphs wanted.
Rates: 58.33 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 3.5 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 28, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: doesn't
Although the word problems doesnt truly encompass the multitude of issues...
^^^^^^
Line 5, column 971, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Therefore,
..., something fundamental to life itself. Therefore it is safe to assume that this cycle of...
^^^^^^^^^
Line 5, column 1180, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: wouldn't
... no reason to believe that this success wouldnt continue. Additionally, it is import...
^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 644, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: wouldn't
...ent innovation. Without agriculture, we wouldnt have been able to settle down into comm...
^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 741, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: wouldn't
...ithout communitites, division of labour wouldnt have been possible which would have dep...
^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 830, Rule ID: ENGLISH_WORD_REPEAT_BEGINNING_RULE
Message: Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym.
...ved us of thinkers, artisans and poets. Without the presence of these individuals, soci...
^^^^^^^
Line 9, column 181, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Hence,
...sting knowledge base of previous ideas. Hence it is safe to assume that one day, man ...
^^^^^
Line 11, column 129, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: aren't
...ause of external factors. Indeed, these arent the only problems evident in modern soc...
^^^^^
Line 13, column 273, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: aren't
... of problems facing us, as long as they arent a result of our own beliefs, we will fi...
^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
first, hence, however, if, moreover, so, still, therefore, thus, while, as to, in addition, such as, in other words
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 39.0 19.5258426966 200% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 11.0 12.4196629213 89% => OK
Conjunction : 20.0 14.8657303371 135% => OK
Relative clauses : 20.0 11.3162921348 177% => OK
Pronoun: 81.0 33.0505617978 245% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 112.0 58.6224719101 191% => OK
Nominalization: 14.0 12.9106741573 108% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3850.0 2235.4752809 172% => OK
No of words: 754.0 442.535393258 170% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.10610079576 5.05705443957 101% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.24013935268 4.55969084622 115% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.82832292219 2.79657885939 101% => OK
Unique words: 358.0 215.323595506 166% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.474801061008 0.4932671777 96% => OK
syllable_count: 1212.3 704.065955056 172% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59117977528 101% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 20.0 6.24550561798 320% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 4.0 4.99550561798 80% => OK
Subordination: 6.0 3.10617977528 193% => OK
Conjunction: 2.0 1.77640449438 113% => OK
Preposition: 9.0 4.38483146067 205% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 36.0 20.2370786517 178% => OK
Sentence length: 20.0 23.0359550562 87% => OK
Sentence length SD: 44.4115850752 60.3974514979 74% => OK
Chars per sentence: 106.944444444 118.986275619 90% => OK
Words per sentence: 20.9444444444 23.4991977007 89% => OK
Discourse Markers: 3.19444444444 5.21951772744 61% => OK
Paragraphs: 7.0 4.97078651685 141% => Less paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 9.0 7.80617977528 115% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 17.0 10.2758426966 165% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 13.0 5.13820224719 253% => Less negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 6.0 4.83258426966 124% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.138660268863 0.243740707755 57% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0360184317157 0.0831039109588 43% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0281602071609 0.0758088955206 37% => Sentences are similar to each other.
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0697480873877 0.150359130593 46% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0268176544316 0.0667264976115 40% => Paragraphs are similar to each other. Some content may get duplicated or it is not exactly right on the topic.
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 13.1 14.1392134831 93% => Automated_readability_index is low.
flesch_reading_ease: 51.18 48.8420337079 105% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 11.1 12.1743820225 91% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.36 12.1639044944 102% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.48 8.38706741573 101% => OK
difficult_words: 184.0 100.480337079 183% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 11.0 11.8971910112 92% => OK
gunning_fog: 10.0 11.2143820225 89% => OK
text_standard: 11.0 11.7820224719 93% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Maximum six paragraphs wanted.
Rates: 58.33 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 3.5 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.