Technology Development in Modern World - Essay Example

?Technology Development Humans have been evolving since the early prehistoric times. An adaptive species, one of the ways in which humans were able to proliferate and adapt to the diverse landscapes of the Earth was through the creation of unique tools. As time progressed, tools became more complex and human societies began to flourish. Research into the fields of mechanics, metallurgy, and other industrial fields created new jobs and opportunities. The development of computers and the Internet marked the new acceleration rate in the information technologies revolution. In the past decades, the growth and dependence on technology has increased in almost every field of discipline. Even though the great strides in technology have offered technologies and increased opportunities, it has also impacted society to where there have been consequences as well. In particular, the use and development of technology has most impacted the fields of education, medicine, communication, and the environment. Traditional educations in early history were the explicatory nature of academics that were passed through the word of mouth. With the development of written language, knowledge could be stored, harnessed, and taught through the use of books. As technology has been developed, it has opened new avenues into the way teaching is conducted. The Internet, in particular, has become a widely used utility. It allows for a great amount of flexibility in learning. The vast amount of resources that can be brought into the classroom gives educators access to supplementary material that can enhance lectures. Classes can now be taken at a distance, which gives adult and non-traditional students access to education and can take courses at their own pace. This has become a common way in which classes occur in higher education. New technologies such as smartboards and computers are used to teach students in new ways. However, there are also cons to the use of technology in education. Because students have access to a whole new set of resources, plagiarism has become more commonplace and has had to become a strictly enforced academic area. In addition, technology can also hinder educational development as educators and students are now dependent on the need for technology in the classroom through computers and electronic books. The field of medicine has also been influenced by technology. The first movements in the field of medicine consisted of apocrethary and other herbal treatments. As the early scientists became aware of the properties of these herbs, they started learning how to harness and process these chemicals in pure form. This necessitated the development of new devices and procedures by which these compounds could be synthesized. In order to help treat conditions such as bone degeneration, breaking, etc., metallic and polymer alloys have been synthesized to serve as a replacement for these parts. As neural anatomy and the complex thought processes of sensation and perception have been unlocked, more and more advanced prosthetics has been developed to help substitute the replacement of functional limbs. Greater detection devices such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (X-ray computed tomography), etc. have served to help detect injuries, diseases, and abnormalities rather than through the use of exploratory surgery. Laser and computer assisted surgeries have helped increase the successes of surgeries as well as help make complex surgeries easier for medical staff to handle. There are some faults to the use of technology in medicine. An important part of the healing process is the therapeutic relationship between the patient and the doctor. The overuse of technology can hinder this process, which affects the healing process. The use of technology and medicine is also often times untested or is known to have adverse side effects. As a result, in the case of patients that have illnesses, the use of experimental technology and medication can lead to further complications that accompany the condition. In this field, the use of technology has been used to save many lives and is continuously developing to meet the needs of the population. The sociological relationship among different people has been influenced by technology, in particular through the development of communication. This has blurred societal and cultural boundaries and has increased the efficiency of social networking. New developments in satellite and communications technology connect people in a global network on every corner of the globe. This increased connectivity has increased the globalization of economy. Cell phone technology has increased to where Internet access and the use of mobile applications can now be used. There are many fallbacks to the use and development of communications technology. While the linking and the connectivity of the economies, which has been facilitated by faster and more effective communication, has provided many positive aspects, the interconnectivity can also serve as a weak point. This was lasting evident in the earthquakes that struck Japan and its effect on the global economy. In addition, communication technologies have decreased the amount of security we have as individuals due to tracking devices, stalking, etc. Lastly, our industrial and technological development has had ecological and environmental changes. In order to fuel these developments, natural resources have to be first harvested in order to provide new types of technology. In some cases, this has caused damage to the environment i.e. chemicals in the water table, deforestation, etc. Because of this damage to the environment, this has lead to changing climate conditions, changes in lifestyle, etc. As environmental concerns have become a growing concern of both scientists and political officials, new ventures in creating more green technologies have taken precedence. This new technology is being used to combat the damages that are being done to our environment. More ecofriendly technologies and techniques are being developed so that we can preserve and repair the Earth. New engines are being developed in cars so that society can reduce on the use of fossil fuels that are polluting our environment. Technology will continue to be a dominant and integral role in our development as a society. There will be both benefits and consequences to our dependence and use on technology. It will allow humanity to explore new concepts and aspects of the world, but it will also shut other doors. The progress of society depends on the continued use and development in technology. In some cases, the development of technology will be used for exploration and other avenues of humanities progress. In other applications, the use of technology will be used by the military for both offense and defense. This could potentially pose a significant threat as more deadly weapons are created as the result of mankind’s use of technology. However, new technologies will result in new opportunities for society. Thus, the development of technology and its use is a double-edged sword with both benefits and consequences, which come on both sides. References Atkin, D. (2007). Communication technology and social change: theory and implications. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Bauchspies, W, Croissant, J, & Restivo, S. (2006). Science, technology, and society: a sociological approach. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Bijker, W, & Law, J. (1992). Shaping technology/building society: studies in sociotechnical change. New York, NY: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bougdah, H, & Sharples, S. (2010). Environment, technology, and sustainability. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis. Gedeon, A. (2006). Science and technology in medicine. New York, NY: Springer Science. Hanson, W. (2009). The edge of medicine: the technology that will change our lives. New York, NY: St Martins Press. Johnson, D, & Maddux, C. (2003). Technology in education: a twenty year retrospective. New York, NY: The Haworth Press. Kritt, D, & Winegar, L. (2007). Education and technology: critical perspectives, possible futures. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Read More