Social Shaping of Technology and Technological Determinism

It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity”, these are the quotes of the famous German physicist Albert Einstein in relation to how the world has become overly reliant on technology. As a result, we have taken nature for granted while also ignoring the adverse effects of technology. The making of steam engine, the usage of fossil fuel and the creation of chlorofluorocarbon are all technologies which has benefited us greatly and are continuing to do so, but like everything on this earth there are always negatives to counter the positives This is the balance that we must find between nature and humans.

Leo Marx, once a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Harvard graduate, wrote an article titled “Technology The Emergence of a Hazardous Concept”. In this article, the author explores the modern day definition of the word technology and argues that technology offers too broad of a definition and is ill fitting to describe all technical advancements and their creators. Technology can be defined as the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science (dictionary.com). On the other hand, it can

W asks, Can technology "embody specific forms of power and authority" (19). He reviews the ideas of Kropotikin, Morris Hayes, Lillienthal, Boorstein and Mumford on his way to answering his question. For example, Hayes states that "deployment of nuclear power facilities must lead society toward authoritarianism" because of safety concerns (19-20). W believes "that technical systems of various kinds are deeply interwoven in the conditions of modern politics [and further, that the] physical arrangements of industrial production, warfare, communications, and the like have fundamentally changed the exercise of power and the experience of citizenship" (20). Indeed, "human ends are powerfully transformed as they are adapted to technical means" (21).

To define technological determinism is an approach in technology or technological advances, as a central element in the process of social change. Technology is stabilized, its tend is design to dictate the behavior of users, which diminishing the human agency. Social and cultural circumstances in which technology is developed, however ignores this stance. As we watch The Apple Special Event, Apple’s new product line is an example of technological determinism. Apple product make users feel they need the newest and latest products that they offer. Radio Wars showed technological determinism as the radio change. From how people used AM radio then they discovered FM radio and people switch from AM to FM. Once satellite radio was created people

According to Marc Goodman, a global strategist, author and consultant, and Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering, today’s technologies have a huge influence on our world, which, in turn, becomes very open, and that has implications both bright and dangerous. Nowadays, technologies are developing so fast and it makes our world easier and more comfortable, on one side, but dangerous and threatful, on the other side.

Imagine the impact technological innovations have had on society? How much did technology influence society a decade ago, and how much does it influence society now? Technology was created from humans to become a more efficient specie. Although technology has advanced society with respect to technology and efficiency, it has also created problems not previously seen because of the use of technology. Edward Tenner, a writer and technology consultant, wrote an article titled “Another Look Back, and a Look Ahead” published in 1996. In his article Tenner argues, through the use of the rhetorical appeal ethos, compare and contrast, and cause and effect, that society is advancing at an alarming rate and suggests a “retreating from intensity”

In the world there are many different and developing types of technology that can offer many benefits, but at the same time cause many problems. Technology comes in many shapes and sizes and does many different things. Whether it’s a house that can do everything for its inhabitants , or a device that can make the paralyzed walk again, society is moving forward in the world of technology although it may be controversial.

The rapid rise of technology has dominated the narrative of humanity for centuries, generally improving life in almost all metrics. At all times throughout this history, technology has been labeled from demon to savior, creator and destroyer; the term has consistently been a lightning rod of ambivalence. As the speed of technological growth continues to increase, some fear that our society might undergo tumultuous, perhaps unsustainable, amount of displacement.

that technology is usually seen as an external force which is usually introduced to a social situation. However, contrary to the view of most sociologists who support technological determinism, majority of the scholars have argued that social forces determine technologies (Hutchby, 2001).

Mankind has limitless potential. However, we often are first forced to break down old barriers. In the past humans have broken free of gravity and traveled through the skies. Then came the invention of the computer. The idea of millions of calculations performed each minute may have seemed absurd a century ago, but society’s dependence on it today can never be overestimated. The future, I believe, will be an era of power and energy.

Technological determinism is a term developed by Marshal McLuhan, a theorist in the study of new media. By technological determinism, McLuhan refers to technology having the power to change societies and influence our cultures. In this essay I will argue that technology does have the power to change society and influence a civilization, using ideas put forward by Marshal McLuhan. I will also discuss the debate around technological determinism recognizing the claims made by Raymond Williams that society shapes technology as we look back at its emergence and their subsequent control.

Techno-optimist or techno-pessimist? That is the question. Technology throughout time has no doubt changed our way of life. Travelling to destinations quicker, curing new diseases, or figuring out how to cease a wide famine are examples of how technology has made advances over time. The solutions that scientists create spark a tool that others cannot live without. But what if these technologies bring out negative effects rather than their desired purpose? Sometimes, innovators create new inventions that bring unintended consequences. It could range from less communication face to face, side effects from new medicines, or pollute the earth’s atmosphere.

Technology has played an integral part in shaping society in many different ways. Throughout history, technological inventions have changed everything from the way humans are clothed and fed to the very ways we communicate and interact as a species. Examining the effects technology has on society illustrate both how technology shapes culture and society and how society can affect future technology. This can be seen by examining a few of the major technological innovations in human history followed by a look at a new technology and how it may shape future society.

The evolution of technology has changed society in both positive and negative ways. People all over the world use and benefit from modern technology. Technology has simplified the access to many tools people need in education, medicine, communication, transportation, etc. However, using it too often has its drawbacks as well. In most cases, the time of finishing projects is cut by more than half with the help of technology. Many people do not realize that technology has its negative affects society as well, and its rapid advances has changed life for worse in a number of different ways.

Since the beginning of time, the human population has strived to live simpler lives. We have spent generations, creating innovations within technology to ensure our lives would always be more simplistic than those who lived centuries before us. People now have the ability to update their Facebook status’, map the human genome to target strands of DNA that can be disastrous to one’s health, send out amber alerts nationwide, and create plants that are resistant to pesticides. Many fields, such as medicine, law enforcement, and entertainment have benefited greatly from advancements in technology which has inevitably changed the way society operates. However, with the abundance of technology available, society has developed an unhealthy relationship where we now rely on technology too heavily. Technology has rendered our minds incapable of the ability to play, communicate, and live our lives in the moment, despite its positive additions to our society.