Technology and Society

Technology and SocietyTechnology and Society are a series of five articles on the major themes of the book. It is also a seminar course that can be used as a part of a college-level course on the history of science, technology, and society. It provides an overview of the concept of technology in the Western world.The term technology has several meanings in our society and Western civilization. In this article, the word 'technology' is used to refer to tools, devices, apparatus, and other items or entities that enable us to accomplish tasks or to achieve some other goal. We use such terms as computers, radar, transportation, communication, and various other devices and products that support and enhance our lifestyles.Technology has evolved from the simple use of stone axes and hammers to the large, sophisticated machines of today. This development has been encouraged by human intervention; those who first invented tools and devices will be regarded as the creators of technology. Those who made such innovations would be called 'technologists'.Societies that have the advantage of having access to the most advanced technologies are those that build large structures and civilizations. Those that have developed complex societies are the ones with technological prowess. Those societies that make advances in technology at a slow pace or at a more leisurely pace are less technologically advanced than the societies that advance through discovery.Societies that move at a moderate pace are less advanced than the societies that move through discovery. Society is defined by how quickly it advances technologically, and how fast the innovations occur. The societies that advancing at a fast pace typically create structures that are unsophisticated compared to the structures that advance at a moderate pace. Society is a self-perpetuating process, and advanced societies will be characterized by advances in technology as their populations increase.Advancementoccurs through many ty pes of activities, including discovery, invention, and invention. Invention is the initial formulation of a new idea that eventually leads to the creation of something useful. Discovery is the act of finding a thing already known to be useful or of discovering something that has never been discovered before. In this paper, we are considering advancements that create something useful.Societies that advance at a moderate pace will follow the developmental pattern of discovery and invention as it arises. They will look for things to utilize and create, and then they will make inventories of these things and start the process of discovery and invention. While advances in technology lead societies to be aware of things that are needed for survival, advances in invention will lead societies to invent things that people can use to augment their quality of life.Society will become more advanced if it makes use of items that people are already comfortable with and familiar with. The ability to create things that people already know will lead societies to advance faster. The evolution of society will be measured by how quickly societies can develop and refine the knowledge of their people through the use of tools and objects already available.