In this blog post, we explore the role of science and technology in dominating nature, along with its limitations and possibilities, through the lens of the film Planet of the Apes.
Humans must dominate nature. We have no choice but to utilize nature; not only do we obtain food through it, but almost everything around us—countless objects and our environment—depends on nature. To harness nature, we’ve needed extensive science and technology, which has consequently advanced. However, this has also led to various problems. Yet, we cannot separate science and technology from our lives; instead, we continue to develop and improve technology, making it more environmentally friendly. From this perspective, I emphasize that utilizing and dominating nature through science and technology is necessary, and the problems arising from this can also be improved through science and technology. As one example supporting this, I will cite the 2001 film ‘Planet of the Apes’. First, I will briefly introduce the film’s plot.
The film begins aboard a spaceship. The crew was conducting various explorations, using chimpanzees trained to explore uncharted territories humans had yet to reach. These chimpanzees possessed the ability to return to the spacecraft after their missions. However, during one expedition, a chimpanzee disappears due to a magnetic field, prompting pilot Leo to go in search of it. During his search, Leo himself is also transported somewhere by the magnetic field. This field acts as a kind of time machine, transporting him to a distant future on another planet. The place where he lands is a world where chimpanzees dominate humans. To escape, Leo mobilizes his equipment and sets out to find his former crewmates. During this search, he realizes that a spacecraft he discovers on the planet is none other than his own. Through past research, the chimpanzees had become more intelligent, eventually overwhelming and dominating humans. Unable to find an escape route, Leo ultimately joins other humans on the planet to fight against the apes. Amidst this, an ape descends from the sky in a spaceship. This ape is the very chimpanzee Rio had initially sought out. Later, Rio returns to Earth, only to find it now ruled by apes. Thus, the film concludes.
Many viewers will likely reflect on themes like the vengeance brought by reckless animal experimentation or consider bioethical questions. However, I wish to focus on several other elements in this work. The first is the necessity of utilizing nature. We have no choice but to utilize nature for survival and development. In the film, chimpanzees are used for space exploration, sent to dangerous places humans cannot yet reach to verify safety. This can be seen as an essential measure for human safety. Some might question whether space exploration is truly necessary or if chimpanzees should be sacrificed. Yet humans possess a desire to explore beyond basic survival needs, and the vast cosmos is a fitting domain for fulfilling this urge. Furthermore, sending chimpanzees to places humans cannot reach is an unavoidable choice.
During the intense space race between the US and the Soviet Union in the Cold War era, the first living being to reach space was a dog named Laika. Today, the vast amount of information we obtain through satellites is achieved through such utilization of nature and experimentation. The medicines we take are also used only after their safety is confirmed through animal testing. We cannot administer drugs with unknown risks to humans first; therefore, animal testing is unavoidable. In this way, we are advancing technology by utilizing nature. For plants, an example is how we used trees to build houses in the past, and today we obtain medicines through plant research. We cannot live without nature’s help and have always relied on it.
In this process, science and technology advanced to utilize nature more efficiently. Of course, science and technology didn’t develop solely for exploiting nature, but it’s also true that technology has advanced to meet our need to improve our quality of life. In the film, injections for chimpanzee training, research, and the development of better drugs and training methods enhanced the chimpanzees’ intelligence. This ultimately led to a situation where humans were dominated. In this sense, attempts like cutting down trees to build houses or developing feed for pigs and cattle to increase productivity also demonstrate the advancement of science and technology for a better life. We strive to effectively utilize nature through science and technology to improve our quality of life and increase efficiency.
While such science and technology have enriched our lives, there are also instances where nature takes revenge due to reckless exploitation. The phenomenon of apes dominating humans in movies can serve as an example. In reality, representative cases include ozone layer depletion caused by the use of Freon gas and global warming resulting from industrialization. Landslides triggered by roads carved into mountains also fall under this category. This can be seen as the result of our failure to achieve harmony with nature while pursuing a more comfortable life through science and technology, leading to reckless development. Some might argue that chimpanzees or mountains did not consent to such exploitation. However, this does not mean we can preserve all of nature exactly as it is. Humanity has pursued convenience and speed, developing and altering nature. What I wish to emphasize is that even amidst this, we can overcome problems through science and technology.
In the film’s battle between humans and apes, Ryo uses the spaceship’s nuclear fuel to kill apes en masse. This successfully demonstrates human power and throws the apes into disarray. Furthermore, the fact that the final ape descends aboard a spaceship—the very embodiment of science and technology—carries significant implication. This can ultimately be interpreted as meaning that science and technology can quell nature’s backlash. While the film’s content may seem somewhat unrealistic, examples like developing better materials to slow global warming support the fact that science and technology play a role in solving problems in our reality. Landslide issues have also seen some preventive measures established through science and technology. For various problems, we are seeking better solutions rather than suppressing technological development, and I believe this pace control is also a role science and technology should undertake.
Ultimately, what I wish to convey is that we humans have no choice but to utilize nature. And in this process, as we advance science and technology, we must also resolve the problems arising from the relationship between humans and nature through science and technology. In other words, science and technology are indispensable to us as humanity. Before considering nature’s right to life, we must acknowledge that we inevitably have to utilize nature, and we must develop science and technology in the right direction for better utilization and control.
