There is certainly something to be said in favor of a society trying to take full advantage of current technology to benefit its citizens. Too often there are too many people that are left behind by technology, and they therefore realize few if any advantages from the gains of science. But it would be a very shortsighted society that decided to cut back on research into new technologies to devote resources to ensuring that all of its citizens benefit from the state of current technologies.

First of all, it must be noted that any society must strive to ensure that as many citizens as possible benefit from advances in technology. The knowledge and expertise that are gained from science should not just benefit the privileged few. Leaders have realized this, and quite often social programs aim at providing access to the latest in technology for even the poorest members of society. As one example, many local governments in the United States fund social programs that provide free access to computers and the Internet through local libraries and community outreach programs for underprivileged citizens. Hospitals and clinics also provide the latest in health care technologies at reduced prices or even free to those who could not otherwise afford it. It would be ill advised or even misanthropic for a society to not endeavor to share technology within all levels of the community.

Secondly, research and development must continue in order to ensure that a civilization continues to advance and develop. Reducing the focus on development to make sure that everyone in society benefits from current technology would be equivalent to claiming that we know all that we need to know, so we should make sure that everyone learns and benefits from the current state of knowledge. However, is must be realized that the benefits that a society gains from the development of technology far outweigh its expenditures. As an example, consider the technological developments of the United States’ space program. Although originally developed for use in space travel and exploration, a tremendous amount of space technology has been adapted for use in normal, everyday products that have improved the quality and safety of people’s lives. Smoke detectors, Teflon non-stick coating, cordless power tools and a variety of protective clothing have all been developed using NASA technology. One of the latest advances is a miniature, implantable heart assist device based on space shuttle fuel pumps that can help patients with heart problems to survive and even live normal lives. These are but a few of the benefits that have been realized by an intense focus on researching and developing new technologies.

It is a tough argument to make sometimes when certain pressure groups or activists point out how much money is spent on technological research and development as opposed to how much money is spent on community and welfare programs. These groups are very vocal in quoting raw financial numbers that on the surface do seem to make it appear that the government cares more about technology than its people. But what these groups fail to note are the overall benefits that are gained from the technology that is developed from this research. It is impossible to put a dollar figure on the lives that have been saved or improved by developments in technology.

It is imperative that a society continue to devote as much time, money and energy as possible to the research and development of new technology. What we learn from this research today may turn out to save all of our lives or even the earth itself in the future.

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参考译文

过多的时间、资金和精力都花在了开发新的和更为复杂的技术上。反之，社会应该把目光集中在最大限度地应用现有技术，以便使其公民获得直接利益。

我们当然可以说社会已经做了一些事情来充分利用现有的技术为公民谋取利益。常常是，有许多人被科技抛在了后边，因此，他们对科技给人们带来的好处认识不多。然而，如果一个社会群体决定切断对新技术的研究以便把所有的资源用于保证每一位公民都受益于现有的技术，那么可以说，这是一个目光短浅的社会群体。

首先，应该注意到，任何社会群体都必须努力保证尽量多的公民能从科技进步中获益。从科技中获得的知识和技能，不能只让少数特权阶层享受。领导者已经认识到这一点，而且常常有社会活动旨在为社会中甚至最贫穷的人提供掌握最新技术的机会。例如，美国许多地方政府资助某些社会项目，通过当地图书馆和社区扩大服务计划向弱势民众提供免费的电脑和因特网使用。医院和诊疗所降价提供最新的保健技术，而且甚至为负担不起降价费用的人们提供无偿服务。一个社会如果不努力在其所有阶层分享技术将是不明智的，甚至是不人道的。

其次，必须持续不断地进行研究开发，以保证一个文明社会能持续不断地进步和发展。减少对研发的投入以便保证社会中的每个人都能得益于现有的技术，这等于声明我们已经知道了我们所需知道的全部知识，因此我们应该保证每个人都学会并受益于现有的知识。然而，我们必须认识到，一个社会群体从技术研发中所获得的利益远远超过其在技术研发上所投入的花费。我们不妨看一下美国航天计划中所进行的技术研发。尽管航天技术最初的研发是用于宇宙航行和宇宙探索，但是现在大量的航天技术被应用于日常的普通产品，从而极大地改善了人民生活的质量和安全。烟雾探测器、聚四氟乙烯不沾性涂料、无绳式电动工具，以及各种各样的防护衣，都是利用美国国家航空和航天局的技术开发而成的。最近的一项进步是微型可移植心脏助博器，它是基于航天飞机油泵研制而成的，可以用来帮助心脏病患者存活甚至过上正常人的生活。这些仅是研究和开发新技术所带来的诸多裨益中的几个例子。

当某些施压集团和活动家把新技术研究和开发所用花费与用于社区建设和福利项目的花费进行比较时，进行正当的辩论就很困难。这些集团在引用原始财政数字说明政府更加关注技术而不是关注其人民时显得非常具有煽动性，因为这些数字表面上看确实如此。但是这些集团所未能看到的却是从新技术研发中所获得的整体利益。从技术开发中所拯救的人类生命以及所改善的人民生活，是不可能用小数字计算出来的。

一个社会群体，必须持续不断地付出尽量多的时间、资金和精力进行新技术的研究和开发。我们从今天的研究中所获得的知识，可能在将来拯救我们所有人的生活，甚至拯救我们的地球本身。