Modern Technology and Judaism

(כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃

Genesis 1:27

(27) And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Judaism and Modern Technology, Daniel Eisenberg: http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48949821.html

"The world is a God gift to man for him to mold and shape, but most importantly, to improve. Man is also instructed to emulate God. When the Torah states: 'And God created man in His image, and in the image of God He created him' it teaches us that man was fashioned to be a creator, just as God is a creator.

שמות כ״א:י״ט

(יט) אִם־יָק֞וּם וְהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּח֛וּץ עַל־מִשְׁעַנְתּ֖וֹ וְנִקָּ֣ה הַמַּכֶּ֑ה רַ֥ק שִׁבְתּ֛וֹ יִתֵּ֖ן וְרַפֹּ֥א יְרַפֵּֽא׃ (ס)

Exodus 21:19

(19) if he then gets up and walks outdoors upon his staff, the assailant shall go unpunished, except that he must pay for his idleness and his cure.

Eisenburg, IBID

Medicine is no different. Daily advances in biotechnology offer hope for so many. People live longer than ever before and vaccinations and antibiotics have turned infectious disease into an inconvenience, rather than a scourge. Smallpox has been eradicated. Measles, mumps, whooping cough, and polio are virtually memories. We have mastered the world and subdued disease and Judaism applauds every medical breakthrough.

בראשית ד׳:כ״ב

(כב) וְצִלָּ֣ה גַם־הִ֗וא יָֽלְדָה֙ אֶת־תּ֣וּבַל קַ֔יִן לֹטֵ֕שׁ כָּל־חֹרֵ֥שׁ נְחֹ֖שֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֑ל וַֽאֲח֥וֹת תּֽוּבַל־קַ֖יִן נַֽעֲמָֽה׃

Genesis 4:22

(22) As for Zillah, she bore Tubal-cain, who forged all implements of copper and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

בראשית ו׳:ה׳

(ה) וַיַּ֣רְא יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Genesis 6:5

(5) The LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time.

בראשית ו׳:ז׳

(ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃

Genesis 6:7

(7) The LORD said, “I will blot out from the earth the men whom I created—men together with beasts, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I regret that I made them.”

Eisenberg, IBID

This progression of events is not meant to be a warning to us regarding the evils of technology. It is meant as warning regarding corruption in the application of scientific progress. The flood is not a consequence of the new technology; it is a response the corruption of mankind. The Torah describes that the world had become corrupt and full of robbery and violence. It was the degeneration of man's interaction with his fellow man that led to the destruction of the world.