Scientific Innovations and Responsibility
Fiche anglais Terminale : innovations scientifiques, progrès technologique, bioéthique, intelligence artificielle et responsabilité des scientifiques dans les pays anglophones.
Programme officiel
Axe 6 — Les découvertes scientifiques et innovations technologiques : progrès, risques et responsabilité.
Cours complet
I. Biotechnology and Bioethics
CRISPR gene editing can cure genetic diseases but raises fears of "designer babies". Cloning (Dolly the sheep, 1996) opened ethical debates still unresolved. The COVID-19 vaccine (developed in record time using mRNA technology) showed science at its best, but also revealed anti-science movements. Organ transplants, stem cell research, and assisted reproduction pose ongoing ethical questions. The key debate: should we do everything science makes possible, or should ethics set limits?
II. AI and Automation
Artificial intelligence transforms every sector: healthcare (diagnosis), finance (algorithmic trading), transport (self-driving cars), education (personalised learning). But AI also threatens jobs: automation could displace 85 million workers by 2025 (World Economic Forum). Algorithmic bias perpetuates discrimination. The "black box" problem: AI decisions are often unexplainable. Stephen Hawking warned AI could be "the worst event in the history of our civilisation" if not properly managed.
III. Climate Science and Green Innovation
Climate change is the defining scientific challenge. The IPCC reports are increasingly urgent. Green innovations: renewable energy (solar, wind), electric vehicles, carbon capture, lab-grown meat. Greta Thunberg galvanised youth activism. The debate: is technology the solution to climate change, or is the real problem overconsumption? Geoengineering proposals (reflecting sunlight, ocean fertilisation) are controversial: could the cure be worse than the disease?
IV. The Responsibility of Scientists
The Manhattan Project (atomic bomb) raised the first modern questions about scientific responsibility. Oppenheimer's quote: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." Today: should social media companies be responsible for their algorithms' effects on mental health? Should pharmaceutical companies prioritise profit or access? The precautionary principle vs. innovation: finding the balance between progress and caution.
Key Vocabulary
Méthode bac
Les sujets scientifiques demandent un vocabulaire technique précis. Apprenez le vocabulaire spécialisé (CRISPR, algorithm, renewable energy) mais aussi les expressions pour nuancer (raises ethical concerns, remains controversial, requires further research). Structurez vos essais : expliquez l'innovation, puis discutez ses bénéfices et risques.
Sujets type bac
"Scientific progress always comes at a cost." Discuss.
Should scientists be held accountable for how their discoveries are used?
Exercices d'entraînement
Q1 : "Science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul." (Rabelais) Discuss with modern examples.
Answer: Rabelais's warning remains relevant. Science without ethics produced: atomic weapons, harmful experiments (Tuskegee), surveillance technology, addictive algorithms. But conscience without science also fails: anti-vaccine movements, climate denial. The solution is not to stop science but to integrate ethics at every stage. Institutional review boards, the Hippocratic oath, and public debate ensure science serves humanity. Examples of ethical science: the rapid, transparent development of COVID-19 vaccines.
Q2 : Should genetic editing of human embryos be allowed?
Answer: Arguments for: could eliminate hereditary diseases (sickle cell, cystic fibrosis), reduce suffering, advance medical knowledge. Arguments against: risk of "designer babies" (selecting intelligence, appearance), unknown long-term consequences, accessibility gap (only for the wealthy), slippery slope toward eugenics. The He Jiankui case (2018): a Chinese scientist edited twin embryos, was universally condemned and imprisoned. Current consensus: therapeutic editing may be acceptable, enhancement is not.
Q3 : Will AI create more jobs than it destroys?
Answer: Optimistic view: every technological revolution created new jobs unimaginable before (social media manager, data scientist). AI will free humans for creative and interpersonal work. Pessimistic view: this time is different — AI can do cognitive tasks, not just manual ones. The transition will be painful for workers without retraining. Reality: AI will transform jobs more than eliminate them, but significant investment in education and retraining is essential. Universal Basic Income is debated as a safety net.
Q4 : How effective is youth climate activism?
Answer: Greta Thunberg's school strikes inspired millions worldwide (Fridays for Future). Impact: raised public awareness, influenced political discourse, inspired corporate pledges. Limitations: awareness doesn't equal action; emissions continue to rise; "greenwashing" by companies; young activists face burnout and online harassment. Effectiveness depends on whether activism translates into policy change, voting behaviour, and systemic reform — not just symbolic gestures.
Q5 : Is technology the solution to climate change, or is it the problem?
Answer: Technology as solution: renewable energy, electric vehicles, carbon capture, sustainable agriculture. Technology as problem: tech industry's own carbon footprint (data centres), planned obsolescence, mining for rare earth minerals. Nuanced view: technology is necessary but not sufficient. It must be combined with reduced consumption, political will, and systemic change. Relying solely on technology risks "techno-optimism" — the belief that innovation will save us without requiring lifestyle changes.
À retenir pour le bac
- •Ethics — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Biotechnology — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Artificial intelligence — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Climate tech — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
- •Scientific responsibility — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
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