In November 2024, Vilnius hosted the 16th annual conference of the Lithuanian Sociological Society, “Global Challenges and Future Societies.” The event brought together scholars and researchers to explore how technological change, global uncertainty, and shifting societal values are redefining the role of social sciences.

One of the featured presentations, “Scarcity of Resources and Technological Progress: Will Social Sciences Become Redundant,” was delivered by Leonardas Marcinkevičius, a Senior Analyst at LFMI and a researcher at Kaunas University of Technology.

The presentation challenged the assumption that rapid technological progress – or even artificial intelligence – could render social sciences obsolete. Instead, it argued that scarcity is not merely a temporary condition, but an inherent (ontological) feature of human existence.

Drawing on debates in economics, moral philosophy, and political theory, the presentation emphasized that:

• scarcity arises from the interaction between limited resources and unlimited human wants
• technological progress can increase productivity, but cannot eliminate subjective human needs and preferences
• economic and political decision-making will always involve choices, trade-offs, and competing priorities
• questions of justice remain relevant precisely because resources are not infinite

The analysis also explored differing perspectives from Marxism and the Austrian School of economics, highlighting how both traditions engage with the fundamental premise of scarcity.

Referencing thinkers such as John Rawls, the presentation underscored that issues of fairness and distribution arise only because resources are limited. Even in a technologically advanced world with greater abundance, the question of **who gets what –and why –**does not disappear.

The conclusion was clear: rather than becoming redundant, social sciences remain essential for understanding human behavior, ethical dilemmas, and the societal implications of technological change.

As technology continues to transform economies and societies, the presentation reinforced a central message of the conference: innovation does not replace the need for human-centered inquiry. Instead, it deepens the importance of disciplines that help us navigate complexity, values, and choice.