Man’s Major Needs and Problems Demand Research

Research is sometimes thought to be concerned only with the physical phenomena that man cannot do away with these things because the physical phenomena have domain properly emphasized on material causes and effects. It is true the material factors are the bases which affect man’s life because men are more materialistic than idealistic. However, man has to balance his spiritual and material gifts. If spiritual and material services should go hand, research can be smoothly conducted.

Before research can be conducted, it must be understood. But before one can understand, one must learns, loves to work with interest and does research progress becomes possible because research is a contributing factor of progress. It moves such progress towards goals. Sometimes crises occur in conducting research, and one may have to sacrifice and face the difficulties because success in research is sweet if spiced with sacrifice.

Man’s major need and problems which demand research include how to reduce his burden of work, how to relieve suffering, and how to increase satisfaction in fulfilling his needs, craving, and aspirations. For instance, man suffers in communicating with his friends and relatives here and abroad. To solve this need and problem, an investigator conducts research on modern communication such as cellular phones, internet, fax machines, telephones, and many others for easy communication and even makes instant communication over long distance.

Other examples of man’s needs and problems where products of research are born are as follows:

1. A century ago, rural folks merely used coconut oil lamp to lighten their houses until electricity was invented and used to provide light and other conveniences.
2. Before, only typewriters and mimeographing machines were used as duplicating facilities, but now new improved duplicating facilities are invented like copier machines, printers, scanners, and many others.
3. Five decades ago, businessmen, engineers, accountants, and many others found difficulty in computing so cellular phones, computers, calculators, adding machines and many others were invented to solve this need and problem.
4. Four decades ago, people found difficulty in hand washing their clothes, thus, washing machine was born to solve this need and problem.
5. Five decades ago, people found difficulty in cooking rice and heating the left-over. Hence rice cooker and microwave oven were invented to provide for this need and problem.
6. Elevators and escalators are products of research due to man’s difficulty in going to different floors of the building.
7. During leisure time, man finds difficulty in singing because he cannot memorize the lyrics, and now video, karaoke and many others are invented to provide for this need.
8. Airplanes, ships, buses, jeepneys, automobiles, vans and many others are products of research for easy transportation.
9. Refrigerators and freezers are products of research to keep food for longer period of time and minimize effort in going to the supermarket everyday.
10. In Metro Manila, Philippines, employees, teachers students, businessmen and many others find difficulty in commuting everyday due to heavy traffic, hence, fly over and LRT (Light Rail Transit) were constructed to ease the problem.