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Letters | Titan sub tragedy: in innovation, human arrogance comes before a fall
- Readers discuss the importance of safety and humility in innovation, and how robots can come in useful on high-risk expeditions
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The implosion that killed all passengers on board the Titan submersible was tragic, and its causes will not come to light until a deep dive into the accident is complete. Yet, it has been reported that early, repeated warnings about the Titan’s design were not heeded.
If those safety concerns did fall on deaf ears, the accident would be yet another poignant reminder of how erroneous judgment costs lives, despite the best intentions of human beings in the field of innovation and technology.
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Understandably, to make breakthroughs in science and technology, improve standards of living and advance civilisation, a risk-taking, entrepreneurial spirit is necessary, especially when figuratively or literally exploring uncharted waters – but stringent safety standards should always be upheld.
After all, there are risks inherent in new technology. A prime example would be self-driving vehicles. Before they are mass-produced, robust testing has to be done to ensure their ability to navigate wide-ranging traffic conditions and potentially dangerous situations.
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Some may argue that a luxury deep-sea tour to the Titanic’s resting place should not be compared to an everyday application of technology, but who is to say such exploration won’t shed new light on some aspect of science and lead to new discoveries later?
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