Essay 1: History repeats itself. Has man learnt from his past mistakes? Essay 2: In international relations, there are no friends, only personal interests. Discuss. Essay 3:How does advertising influence consumer choice? Essay 4: How does advertising influence consumer choice? Essay 5: Religion divides more than it unites. Do you agree? Essay 6: Science and Technology are the cause many of the world's problems. To what extent is this true? Essay 7:Science and Technology are the cause many of the world's problems. To what extent is this true? Essay 8: Science and Technology are the cause many of the world's problems. To what extent is this true? Essay 9:Tourism is a kind of exploitation. Is this view of tourism justifiable? Essay 10: Men and women have different roles to play in modern society. Discuss. Essay 11: In order to accomplish anything in life, one needs to have passion. Do you agree? Essay 12: In order to accomplish anything in life, one needs to have passion. Do you agree? Essay 13: To save the environment, what is needed is not a change of policy, but a change in attitude. To what extent is this true? Essay 14:Is there anything wrong with habit forming. Essay 15:Does the mass media help or undermine the appreciation of the Arts? Essay 16:The challenges faced by the Intellectually Disabled in Singapore

 
 
 
 
 

Essay 1   "History repeats itself." Has man learnt from his past mistakes? Throughout history, man has been involved in many events and issues that mark history. Some of these were baneful, whereas some were a boon. Despite certain problems caused as a result of man's faults, man still continues to engage in his detrimental acts. A good example is that of genocide. The discriminatory action of murdering and torturing people of a certain race and religion is totally unacceptable. During World War Two, the Nazis executed, murdered, raped and tortured the Jewish in a mass genocide so as to follow Hitler's aspiration of protecting a supreme Aryan race. That was genocide in the past, but now we see the strife and discrimination of the Serbs against ethnic Albanians in war-torn Bosnia. The Serbian President Milosovic is but repeating Hitler's action by supporting the Serbs in their effort to "cleanse their soil" of ethnic Albanians.  More recently, in the less than a week old independent state of East Timor, pro -Jakarta militiamen there denounced the vote for independence for East Timor and "cleansed" East Timor causing a mass exodus of those who voted for independence. Has the holocaust taught them anything? Certainly not. Man has also taken for granted the effects of national disasters and thus has not learned from his mistakes. Turkey is situated  where there are fault lines, and is thus an earthquake prone area. For hundreds of years it has experienced both major and minor earthquakes. Experience should show that buildings are vulnerable to earthquakes and would be reduced to rubble, if not built with more resilient material. But what happens? Over ten thousand people in Turkey died, most of them trapped beneath the tumbling weight of collapsed buildings. Has the Turkish government not learnt about the dire need to provide  for the safety and structural stability of its buildings and not learnt from its hundred of years of experiencing earthquakes? Once again, the answer is no. What about man-made or man-induced disasters? Looking at the forest fires in Indonesia, the government has done little to tackle the issue of forest fires that were caused by nomadic farmers in Indonesia who still practised the "slash-and-burn" technique to clear their land. This has caused regions in South-East Asia to be covered in a blanket of haze, sometimes at hazardous levels too. This has adversely affected tourism which is desperately needed to boost the hard-hit Asian economies that are still reeling from the effects of the recession.This haze problem has resurfaced year after year but still the situation has not seemed to improve much, despite efforts promised by the Indonesian politicians to tackle the issue. They too have not learnt from history; especially the nomadic farmers who still practise their slash-and-burn techniques to clear their farmland. Man-made or man-related problems connected with the over-exploitation of natural resources and flora and fauna are still repeated after many years. The death of the last Tasmanian Tiger in 1936 which spelt the extinction of the species, the extinction of the Dodo bird and thousands, maybe millions, more species of flora and fauna were the result of man’s over-hunting and over-exploitation of  “mother nature’s gifts”. But man still exploits earth’s resources - trawling for fish in the seas, which has severely reduced fishing stocks, and deforestation that has left many lands bare, are but two examples of man’s actions that reflect on his failure to realise that resources are not infinite. Thus, in this case, man still has not learnt from his past mistakes with respect to the exploitation of the natural environment. It seems that man is incorrigible and is incapable of making amends to his ways by learning from the past. However many would disagree.Some events hold mighty lessons for us and man has made sure he would not repeat these mistakes. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Ukraine in 1986 is one instance - when one of the four power plants exploded causing part of Europe and also Ukraine to suffer the harmful effects of the radioactive substances that they produced, people died of cancer, some were paralysed, new born animals and children were deformed, and the soil became dangerously radioactive. All in all, it was a "living hell". Even today, mushrooms imported from Russia were reported to have a high level of radioactive content. As such over the last decade, or so, the global community has pressured nuclear powers like the U.S. and Russia to disarm nuclear weapons. This is also due to the post cold war disarmament agreement to prevent such nuclear catastrophes from occurring again. Thus, the global community has learned from the Chernobyl disaster and has attempted to prevent another such disaster.  Certain countries have also realised the detrimental effects of over-exploitation of natural resources, and have thus institutionalised measures to reduce such exploitative actions. Japan, for instance, has for many years practised re-forestation to recover it's depleting forests. Certain countries have institutionalised laws to patrol the seas in an effort to prevent fishing of near-extinct fish species like whales. Their protection of such species is laudable. Despite certain efforts in the past decade or so by man to learn from his past mistakes, in many situations man still has not learnt from his past mistakes and continues to do as he pleases. Man still has a long way to go before he realises the effects of his harmful actions. (Norman Ng  98/C03)        31.5/50 Although the scope is limited, the student remains focussed and links his arguments well.

 
 
 

Essay 2  "In international relations, there are no friends, only personal interests." Discuss. International relations are probably an extension of the truism – no man is an island. This cliché, well used though it may be, does not fail to reflect the fact that people need people. Extended to a macro level, we see that not only do groups of people need the interaction of other groups, nations too cannot stay away from having relations, be it constructive or otherwise, with other nations. The issue about international relations is one that is wholly unavoidable and it can be a complicated issue too, as justified by the numerous (controversial) stands a country can take toward this nation or that. The complexity fettering international relations today or in the past testifies that on a grand, global level ties between countries are motivated largely by their interests, be it political, economic or social. And why might this not be so? If all of mankind loved one another and endeavoured to extend the warmth of friendship to other countries, wouldn’t the absence of competing interests ensure less strife in the world? The sad fact is that there are a lot of disagreements in the world, and these are not just minor blotches on an otherwise rosy relationship. The United States and China sometimes seem to be friends, despite their differences. The United States, the embodiment of freedom, equality and adaptability constantly find their Chinese counterpart's inability to fully appreciate those ideals a headache. However, on the whole, the two big powers still find that they are able to get along just fine. This belies a much greater truth, that friendship does not equate with friendly ties. The main motivation for the United States to stay friends with China is an entanglement of strategic and economic concerns. China is, after all, Asia’s superpower and any decision China makes will indirectly affect the US. The recent flare-up over Taiwan’s separatist remarks had China quickly reiterating her stand against it. President Bill Clinton, while on the one hand supporting Taiwan’s quest for freedom, has decided not to let his support rock relations with China further. The main motivation??to keep relations’ status quo, since they can’t be allowed to get any worse.  We can say, then, that permanent friends are what nations can’t be. Nations will only look out for their own interests. This stems from the extremely potent ideology of nationalism, as history can attest to. Throughout history, countries have always fought wars, colonized other countries and signed treaties to pursue their own interests. Along the way, they might have ensured friendly ties with other countries, but these were quickly abandoned as soon as their interests were threatened. The wave of Western imperialism that swept across the globe in the mid-nineteenth century saw the dogged pursuit of many kinds of interests. The British, caught up with the benefits of free trade, sought to colonise as many counties as possible to extend her markets. The rallying call and justification for such action was purely out of economic interests, as expressed by British Prime Minister Disraeli in 1875. France, on the other hand, was riding the wave of imperialism purely as a fulfilment of her political goals to raise her prestige as colonial master of the Asian peoples. By the end of the 19th century much of Asia was colonised , except Thailand. International relations, then, were purely dictated by European imperialist interests. The interesting thing, though, lies in the curious fact that Thailand, or rather Siam, was at that time a 'friend' of the British. Some commentators suggest that friendship with Great Britain was perhaps what saved Siam. Yet, on a deeper level, we see that the reason why Britain was interested in a friendship with Siam was because the former did not want to see the latter approach the French for help. Ultimately, British economic interests would then be challenged by the French. Imperialism was perhaps one of the greatest outward manifestations of the pursuits of interests. In the early twentieth century, we see that even 'weaker' Asian countries had to put their national security interests before friendly ties, let alone friendship. Japan, at the start of the twentieth century, was not the stereotypical Asian military menace yet. The Korean and Sino-Japanese wars were fought for her national security. Korea was said to be like a 'dagger pointing at Japan's throat', a strategically important area for any country wishing to annex Japan. Thus, Japan had no choice but to make the first move. Friendly ties were a distant priority.  Optimists, of course, might advocate continual cultural exchange to soothe ruffled feathers, and hopefully make politicians realize the virtues of sacrificial friendship. They maintain that with a greater appreciation of other cultures, we might learn to be more understanding towards one another. This is all well and good and we do see the exchange of culture, even without the formal cultural exchange programs. This phenomenon, perhaps, can say its thanks to globalisation. On the other hand, while true friendships can be cultivated, even with opposing politicians, it is difficult for a whole country to be friends with another. In the 1880s, the Burmese king Mindon Min was a true good friend of Sir Andrew Clarke, governor of the Straits settlements, but that in no way stopped the British from annexing the whole of Burma in 1883. The concerns of a whole nation are perhaps too great as compared to simple friendships between two politicians. It looks like permanent interests are here to stay in dictating countries' foreign policies. No one country wants to take the risk in being too friendly, because ultimately they can be bullied by other nations. The rule of the game in geopolitics might as well be this: Be a cautious friend, to those who want to be cautious friends with you. The phrase 'a true friend' might inevitably be an oxymoron when pertaining to countries. The worst thing is, because no one wants to take the first step to be a friend (think: disarming all nuclear weapons), the best we can ever get is to be cautious friends with a whole lot of defensive nuclear weapons behind our backs. (Charis Lee  98C09)         45/50 Go to top of page

 
 
 

Essay 3    How does advertising influence consumer choice? Advertising is a way of marketing the goods and services that you provide to the public. It can be done through advertisements on television or over radio, giant posters on a bus or on a prominent building and even before the movie starts in the cinemas. Advertisements are everywhere and they are there to influence the consumer choice. Their main aim is to induce consumers to choose their products over others or to simply try a new product. Advertisements pave the way for new products in the market. They introduce the consumer to the new product and let them in on its introductory price, functions and, also, information on where they can purchase the product. Furthermore, armed with such information, as value, special promotions, special functions and characteristics of the product through advertisements, they can go out to the stores after deciding from the comfort of their home and just grab one from the shelves without hesitation. Milk advertisements on TV often emphasises the extra high content of calcium that is good for a person's bones and teeth. After watching the advertisement the consumer can now go to the stores and get that carton of milk without having to go through each and every brand of milk. Advertisements also help to strike out the competition, thereby enabling the consumer to determine and choose the winner. In diaper advertisements, the absorbency of the diaper with another brand's diaper is often compared. As the results show, the diaper that is being advertised proves to be more absorbent. Therefore, if you were a mother deciding which brand of diaper to buy for our baby, after viewing this advertisement, which diaper would we choose? The one advertised as being better, of course. Advertisements let consumers know what's in and what's not in the world of fashion. After seeing all those advertisements with models parading in "fresh" designs of the season, the fashion-conscious are often influenced to go out to the stores and get what is considered o be in fashion after all the hype that advertisements have brought. This is not true only for clothes. Other products like yo-yos, the electronic pet Tamagotchi and even the food we eat, are susceptible to the influential advertisements. These products gained popularity because of effective advertisements and consumers chose to purchase them and follow the craze then. Advertisements are everywhere and are seen or heard by almost everyone. Therefore, the advertised products are widely known and talked about all the time. Everyone is made aware of them. Advertisements also make use of famous people or fashion icons to influence us in our choice. Fans of a popular TV star may choose to support him by buying the product that he endorses. Advertisements for “No Smoking” campaigns also use the same tactics. In the world of advertisements not only famous people influence consumers, famous brands or labels are also able to attract consumers. An advertisement for a well-known brand may not be a typically informative, innovative or catchy one. Just show the famous simple trademark tick on a black background and the whole world knows it’s a Nike advertisement. Advertisements influence consumers by letting them know how fast the product is selling, thereby pressuring them into getting one fast. The recent newspaper advertisement for the Macdonald’s “Sesame Street Mini Bean Pals” showed what was left of them and not the initial whole set. Many people would feel the urgency and hurry out to Macdonald’s to get what is left. Does the phrase ‘while stocks last’ cause an adrenaline rush? It does for some. As already mentioned, an advertisement need not be informative. It can be eye-catching, innovative and still be able to influence consumers’ choice. An interesting advertisement among all the other boring and usual ones would definitely make you sit up and pay attention to it. If it makes you laugh, that is even better! The Mentos advertisement always  portrays someone who gets into trouble. However, after he pops a Mentos mint into his mouth, he always manages to come up with a brilliant plan to turn the problem into a solution by itself. The slogan was ‘Mentos, the freshmaker’.  A catchy slogan or a theme song of an advertisement can also influence consumers’ choice. If you had the catchy tune stuck in your head the whole day after listening to an advertisement, when you come across that particular product in the supermarket, would you not pay extra attention to it and maybe even buy it? Such is the power of advertising. Advertisements play a major role in our choices as consumers. And once they are everywhere, we can never escape from them and are all prone to be influenced by them, even if they are misleading or just plain silly. That is the magic of advertising.  (Zee Meixia Michelle  98S11)       38/50      Go to top of page

 
 
 

Essay 4   How does advertising influence consumer choice? Due to the availability of the mass media, advertisements are able to flourish in today’s society. You see them everywhere: on the bus, in the newspapers and even on the Internet. Their main purpose is to entice the consumer, influence their taste and, inevitably, to spend their dollars on the product. We often wonder why we get brainwashed into buying products we do not necessarily need. That is the beauty of advertisements. This essay will attempt to unravel the tactics used by advertisers, and also consider to what extent advertisements are effective. Firms usually target their products at certain groups. Advertisements are usually constructed to appeal to that particular age group. For example, advertisements that target housewives usually feature singing mothers doing housework. Products like detergents, mops, brooms and electrical appliances are usually marketed this way. However, advertisements that target the adolescent will include loud, alternative music and stylish teenage models to complement the product. Examples include sport shoes, soda drinks and pagers. It is a common sight nowadays to see advertisers using the growing influence of films to their advantage. They actually advertise their products within a movie. In the movie, The Matrix, Nokia handphones were endorsed by Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss. In Men In Black and Wild Wild West, Will Smith was seen fighting villains wearing a pair of Ray-ban sunglasses. Advertisers ride on the popularity of films in order to sell their products. Celebrities are being paid large amounts of money to appear in commercials.  Advertisers usually attach the appeal of the celebrities to their product, hoping that consumers will buy their products when they see their favourite superstar using the product also. Examples include Spice Girls and Ricky Martin for Pepsi and A-mei for 7Up.  Brand names are an effective advertising tool. Advertisements have the ability to portray a product to be seen as exclusive and desirable. Advertisements for up-market brands like Gucci , Prada and Armani are usually done in a stylish manner.  A person who owns a Prada bag is seen as special.  Advertisers of such products tell us to link our self-worth to our ability to possess these “special” products. We are influenced by our desire to be seen as better compared to others. Advertisements also use advanced technology to capture our interest in a certain product. Media companies, like Pixar and Bugs At Work, use advanced three-dimensional computer graphics to capture our attention. The advertisers hope that by using innovative ways to capture our attention, we will buy their products.  Another technique is to play on our insecurities in order to sell their products.  They tell us how their products are able to make our pimples disappear and banish cellulite to another planet. They are aware of our innate desire to be perfect.  We are thus convinced to buy their slimming pills and pimple cream. their larger-than-life promises, that often go unfulfilled, plays on the weaknesses of those who desire perfection. Advertisements usually introduce new gadgets to us that supposedly will make our lives easier. Info-commercials, like sell-a-vision, showcase an array of products. Through these commercials we see how a static duster will make house cleaning so much easier. We also see how stains can be easily removed by "007."  We look at these commercials that somehow convince us that there is a better life out there. Statements like; "30-day money-back guarantee" usually put us in a false state of security as we dial the number featured on the television. In these times, advertisers know that people are getting more health-conscious. Advertisements now showcase the nutritional value and wholesomeness of their products. Milk is now described as "high in calcium, low in fat." McDonalds advertise their French fries, telling the public that they are fried in "100 per cent vegetable oil." Advertisers know that the consumers care about their bodies. They try to influence consumers by emphasizing the healthy nature of their products. However, we must admit that advertisements are limited in nature and cannot influence the total demand of the consumers. We can always choose to ignore all these advertisements.  Sometimes word-of-mouth is a more effective way of earning profits. This example is especially true for adolescents or, more accurately, generation x. They have a high purchasing power and are usually not conned by media hype. They usually decide among themselves what is trendy. Vintage clothes are now a trend among youngsters, but not through any advertising. Despite all the advertisements, people ultimately go for quality at low prices. Logical consumers will not accept the advertisements at face value. If a certain product undergoes inflated media hype, but is inferior in quality, chances are the goods will not sell. Budget stores, like factory outlets and flea markets, are popular for selling quality items at bargain prices. This goes to show that advertising will not totally influence consumer choice. However, we have to admit that advertising is a very important factor in our economic decisions. Advertisers will usually do research on our desires in order to know what we want out of a product. The success of advertisements will ultimately depend on the product itself. Consumers will still look for quality in spite of all the media hype. Although advertisers sometimes see consumers as flocks of sheep, ultimately they do realise that consumers are not idiots. (Koh Shin Lin Lorraine  98A05)      38/50   Go to top of page

 
 
 

Essay 5  Religion divides more than it unifies. Do you agree? There are four main religions in this world namely; Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. The above statement sounds simple and seems to show a general view of the main religions in our world. However, it has the underlying meaning of the world being divided into four main religions. By stating the four religions, we are categorizing and dividing the people of the world into these four main groups. Is this not a form of division? I believe that religion divides more than it unifies. Religions dictate our way of life based on our belief in the God or gods of a particular religion. Religions do not teach us to be divided from our fellow humankind; in contrast, many religions encourage their followers to convert non-followers to the religion as a way of unifying humankind with a common way of life. However, this virtue of religions is one of the main causes for division among mankind. Attempts to convert a person from one religion to another would be similar to pulling a person from one group to another. Note my use of the word 'group'. That, in itself, is a form of division and, in a way, the religion is acknowledging the fact that non-followers are a different group from its followers. It is interesting to note that many religions have had a bloody and violent past. Jihads, meaning religious wars, have been fought in the past, and these wars were waged in the name of each religion's God. An example would be the famous war between the Christian Crusaders and the Muslim Turks. Each religion tried to convert the other to their religion and, having failed to do so, accused the other of infidelity and blasphemy, and hence tried to wipe out the other religious group. Therefore, religious wars were fought, dividing the two religions (and countries) further. Pakistan and India are two rival states whose rivalry goes back to time immemorial. They disagree on almost everything and compete to show the world which is the better of the two. The recent show of nuclear bombs on either side is one example. It is interesting to note that Pakistan is a Muslim state, and India is a Hindu state. The difference in religion adds to the countries' differences. In other words, religion helps divide the two countries more, rather than to unify them. We do not have to refer to Biblical times to look for signs of divisions in the world due to religion. The recent violence between Christians and Muslims in Indonesia is a good example. In Singapore we pride ourselves for the peaceful existence of different religious groups, due to our practice of religious tolerance. But the division still exists because, despite being able to identify with one another, the dividing line that differentiates the people is religion?the Christian community, the Muslim community, the Hindu community and so on. The division still exists in spite of the peace we have. We have peace because each tolerates the other's religious practices.  However, this division due to religion may not necessarily be applied only to different religious groups. In one main religion there are many other sub-groups, and these groups fight among themselves as well. An example would be the Catholics and Protestants. Both groups are of the Christian faith but have had a history of violent clashes due to their different ideas of Christianity.  Many would say that a religion is a form of unification because, basically, religions teach man to be good and civilised. This may be true, but only to a certain extent, and that is if the same religion is practiced by everyone. The Muslim Turks fought in the name of God and their religion is the unifying factor for them to unify and fight against the Christians.  However, the latter part of the above sentence still remains: “…fight against the Christians”. Religion acts as a cause of division among the people. Even people in the same religion do not always preach the same thing (as seen in the example of the Catholics and Protestants). Differences among Man will always exist and, in this case, religion is another factor that adds on to the long list of differences. Religion may attempt to unify Man but, in the end, it divides more than it unifies.  (Lira Nadia  98A06)        39/50     Go to top of page

 
 
 

Essay 6  Science and Technology are the cause of many of the world's problems.  To  what extent is this true?  The next millennium brings with it an aura of mystery. It will, no doubt, be characterized by unforeseen circumstances that will mean daunting challenges to the people of contemporary society. Nonetheless the world is and will be preparing itself for these challenges via the constant upgrading of its people in the educational, scientific and technological aspects. In fact, science and technology have progressed so rapidly that they have become the main factors, which have made mankind sanguine about navigating the future. However, we should not be too optimistic about the use of science and technology. Indeed, science and technology can be a solution to many of the world’s problems. On the other hand, they can, too, be a cause of many of society’s ills.  In retrospect one can virtually see the numerous problems that have been caused by science and technology. One such problem is stress. The unparalleled progress of science and technology has made the pace of life even faster than before. People are constantly upgrading themselves in order to be prepared for the next century. In the schools students indulge in countless research projects and undergo numerous tests and examinations whilst their parents and older siblings undergo extensive training and development to increase their productivity in the workplace. All these preparations are accomplished at the expense of stress. Thanks to science and technology we have grown into cultured, knowledgeable, as well as stressed out, individuals of modern day society.  Another problem caused by science and technology is the breakdown of the family network. The invention of the computer, the telephone and the television has caused us, especially teenagers, to communicate less with our family members. With such convenient and sophisticated devices all within the room, we often tend to withdraw ourselves from traditional ‘family gatherings’. Sadly enough, it is common to see a child go straight up to his room and not come down for the entire day as he can now eat, sleep and study in the luxurious comfort of his ‘technologically-equipped’ bedroom. As such,  communication with family members is minimal and family bnds are severely limited. Science and technology have also caused harm to our environment. With the rapid pace of urbanization and industrialization comes the rapid pace of destruction to the environment. The invention of automobiles has caused pollution and road congestion ever since, and the use of sophisticated machinery for construction and industrialisation has also caused environmental problems like air pollution and soil erosion. Our kind of progress lies in flaying off nature’s life-sustaining skin of fertile soils and gouging out its riches in order to build more skyscrapers and better infrastructure. We have used science and technology to destroy our very own natural habitat. As such, science and technology is a cause of such problems. We can also see for ourselves the various problems which medical science has inflicted upon mankind. One classic example is that of cloning, an issue which has brought the world into a heated debate. Cloning has turned from a distant prospect to a reality. This is accompanied by a series of social and ethical problems. Many people have argued that cloning seriously disrupts our moral values and ethics. With clones, the human race will become uniform; our unique facades and diverse personalities diminish and the world will probably be filled with elites as parents become able to design the type of babies they want. In addition, cloning will bring disaster if it falls into the wrong hands. One cannot help but imagine wars using clones instead of human beings. This would, no doubt, motivate the manifestation of even more organized insanity in the entire spectacle of war.  As can be seen from the above, science and technology do indeed cause many of the world’s problems. However science and technology can also be a solution, an avenue which man can take to escape from some of the harsh realities of life. A good example would be the invention of viagra. The invention of this pill has brought a new ray of hope to previously impotent men. As such, men are able to ‘escape’ from impotency, a harsh reality, and leap onto a new magnitude of determination and hope. Cloning, another issue, can be a solution too. With cloning, infertile couples may be able to experience the joy of having children. Also, cancer-stricken patients can now have a new lease of life with the transplantation of cloned organs into their bodies. Therefore, science and technology have, to a certain extent, cured some of the world’s problems.  The computer, another product of science and technology, has also benefited mankind to a large extent. With the computer we can now increase our pace of work. It is now possible to type instead of write and this reduces the amount of time spent in writing. Also, we are able to communicate globally and assess information in the comfort of our house via the internet. In this way, science and technology have benefited the world by linking people together and turning the world into a ‘global village’.  Science and technology have also increased our standard of living over the years. Jobs are created, trade is facilitated via technological equipment like ships and aeroplanes and, last but not least, people are living in unprecedented comfort and convenience, all thanks to science and technology.  In conclusion, science and technology can be both a cause and a solution to many of the world’s problems. It is not science and technology but rather, the use to which we put them that determines its value. Science and technology are just some of the devices which our famously corruptible species uses to flout the laws of nature. However, when put to good use, science and technology can bestow upon mankind countless benefits that will last for centuries to come. (Adeline Woo Yiupheng  98C02)      38/50     Go to top of page