Technology is a term used to describe the use of computers and other electronic devices in everyday life. Using technology for daily activities can be beneficial. However, technology can also cause problems. New technologies have been criticized for their impact on the environment since the 1970s.
New technologies have a profound effect on individuals and on society as a whole. For example, the Internet and wireless technology have changed the way Americans receive news. Companies also use technology to increase their efficiency. They develop and implement new technologies to serve their customers and stay competitive in the marketplace.
During the Middle Ages, technological progress was remarkable. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, technology became an important economic force. As the IT industry grew in the mid-20th century, computing capability rose significantly. It became possible to manufacture devices that could be used to monitor the transit of objects in the sky. Moreover, technology decreased the cost of devices.
The use of new technologies has led to an increased interest in clean energy. In addition to this, new technologies have caused pollution, disrupted social hierarchies, and harmed individuals. In recent decades, this issue has led to the formation of an eco-village movement. Despite this, the importance of technology as an economic force has been growing.
During the last two centuries, the philosophy of technology has evolved into a discipline that examines how technology shapes the culture of a society. This discipline has focused on a number of aspects of technology.
Historically, the relationship between technology and society has been co-dependent, synergistic, or symbiotic. Generally, these concepts relate to the fact that people who use technology must reason through constraints. In situations where new technologies cannot be utilized, people are required to import skills and use centralized infrastructure. For example, in a manufacturing setting, the ability to work with a computer is more valuable than having the use of a typewriter.
Despite the importance of technology as an economic force, it is important to keep in mind that it is not an end in itself. To achieve an end, people must first decide what problem is to be solved and what means are most effective in achieving that goal. This is a complex process that requires sustained efforts. Often, promising early technologies stall in mid-development and require long-term, consistent efforts to overcome.
The instrumentalists’ approach to technology is one that emphasizes the narrowness of its technical rationality. Unlike the interpretative sociology of technology, the instrumentalists see technology as a low-resistance path to a desired end. They adopt the language of means and ends.
A more meaningful definition of technology, however, can be one that emphasizes a wide array of human creativity. For example, a person making technology may actively participate in defining the desired state of the world. This articulation of the end can be shaped by the values and interests of the beholder. The making of technology is a process that is not always simple, but in which each step increases confidence and validation of the underlying ideas.