Social Effects of Technology Essay -- essays research papers

IntroductionThe interaction of engineering science and society may be the one(a) thing more than any other that gives society a meaning and defines us a human beings. In recent years it has become e preciseday to point fingers of accusation at applied science as if it were "autonomous" and driving us all to perdition. I take other view. No doubt the uses of engineering science and society interact strongly. I think it wrongheaded and very naive to think of aggressive technology affecting a passive society wearing away away the things that give society value and leaving behind a rusted hulk. Admittedly there always the potential for abuse or upon of a technology, but technology is not inherently destructive, I argue. In the following we will consider ten effects of technology. No doubt many more can be thought of. Instead of, or in addition to the list below, we might include the effect of technology on health, on other technology or on the security of the individual a nd the nation. I consider these and other topics as too narrow in scope or able to be covered under one or more of the other headings. I believe the following ten can be use as a systematic first step into the study of technology and society. Here is the list of effects. Following that I will discuss each briefly. in the long run I will present a list of nine determine regarding the interaction of technology and society to guide our analysis. Ten results of TechnologyTechnologys Effect on Commerce Technologys Effect on Social Systems Technologys Effect on The Environment Technologys Effect on Individual Psychology Technologys Effect on The place of Change Technologys Effect on Institutions Technologys Effect on Individual Freedom Technologys Effect on Our Perception of Reality Technologys Effect on Our Mutual dependance Technologys Greatest Effect In the following each of these are briefly discussed. Technologys Effect on Commerce The first field deals with the economic and com mercial consequences of the technology in question, whether it is an existing historical technology or a burgeoning one that is just beginning to impact the society. This was not chosen without considerable thought. The impact of technology on the commercial aspect of human culture is a major one. Most technological changes begin in the economic realm. Technology is a recognize factor in the supporting and developing of an... ... the argument that nature was created specifically for our use. There is pleasure and value for humans in nature. Preserving diversity preserves opportunities for pleasure. Ecologistic-Scientific valuesHumans enjoy the systematic study of nature. Esthetic Values Symbolic ValuesWe use technology everyday -- in common speech, in literature, in art, in fact, in many ways for communication and thought. Humanistic Values Moralistic Values Dominionistic ValuesHumans seem to have a pick up to dominate nature. Generally one tries to preserve ones dominion. Negati vistic ValuesThis is the flip side of the positive values 1-8 above. This alludes to fear and alienation people feel toward some move of nature such a spiders and snakes. Those who hold negative values may not support preservations attempts if they conflict with these values.Education plays a role -- a very strong role -- in the values a person holds. The more education one has received, the more one will tend to stress the wideness of humanistic, moralistic and scientific values, downplaying dominionistic, utilitarian, and negativistic values. Those with less education tend to see things the other way around.