Technology ("science of craft", from Greek τέχνη, techne, "art, skill, cunning of hand"; and -λογία, -logia) is the collection of techniques, skills, methods and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. Technology can be the knowledge of techniques, processes, etc. or it can be embedded in machines, computers, devices and factories, which can be operated by individuals without detailed knowledge of the workings of such things.
The human species' use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistoric discovery of how to control fire and the later Neolithic Revolution increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans to travel in and control their environment. Developments in historic times, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. The steady progress of military technology has brought weapons of ever-increasing destructive power, from clubs to nuclear weapons.
Technology has many effects. It has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of Earth's environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms.
Philosophical debates have arisen over the use of technology, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar reactionary movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, opining that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition.
Until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but 21st century scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and passed their knowledge to other generations.
In today's world, where just about everything is more convenient and accessible due to advances in technology across almost all sectors, it may seem as though it's a misnomer to even mention any disadvantages of technological advances. However, despite how far technology has taken humans and no matter how convenient it may make things, there are some disadvantages accompanying this level of access.
Encourages innovation and creativity – Since technology is challenging, it sparks the brain to work
to its full potential. In the past, it used to be very difficult to
start a business, one had to have lots of capital and they even had
limited access to business information. Today, it is very easy to start a
business while at home. Let’s look at companies like Etsy.com which
enable creative people sell their works online, this encourages
creativity. Another good example is kickstarter.com
which helps creative people get funds for their projects through crowd
funding. On this platform, creative developers post projects seeking for
funding from the community, this helps them generate lots of cash for
their good ideas which latter leads to creation of new Jobs. The other
creative works which have been facilitated by modern technology include
Google , Apple , Facebook , Microsoft , Amazon , etcImproved communication: Communication is like water to life. We can not develop without communication. Modern technology has blessed us with advanced communication technology tools. These can include e-fax machines, electronic mail, mobile phones, videoconferencing, instant text messaging applications, social networking applications. All these modern communication technology tools have simplified the way humans and businesses communicate. I can easily talk to my relative oversees using a mobile phone or video chatting services like Skype.
Convenience of Traveling: Modern transportation technology makes it very easy to travel long distances. Transport is a very important both in our lives and in the business world. Transportation technology has evolved with years. In the past it used to be slow and expensive to move long distances. Now days, I can cover a 10 miles distance with in a few minutes or hours using electric trains or airplanes.
Improved housing and lifestyle: This is another great way how modern technology has simplified our lives. If you compare the type of housing we used to have in 1900 and the architecture of houses today, the difference is very big. New architectural technology has improved the types of housed we build now days. People with money can afford town floating housed and glass homes. Most of the items in our house are now automated, for example, doors use finger prints which guarantee security. Remote webcams which you can use to monitor what goes on at your home.
Efficiency and Productivity: Modern technology has helped businesses increase production. Humans are slow and some times they fail to deliver on time. So many businesses have integrated modern technology in their production line, most of the hard work has become so simple and the results are better than those of humans. Let’s look at a farmer who uses modern technology right from the day of preparing the farm land to the day of harvesting. They save a lot of time and money during this process.
Social Networking: Modern technology has made it simple to discover our old friends and also discover new people to network with. This is a benefit to both individuals and businesses. Many businesses have embraced the social networking technology to interact with their customers. Users of social networks can share information with friends, live chat with them and interact in all sorts of ways.
Changed the health industry: Now days most hospitals have implemented modern technology in surgical rooms, this has reduced on mistakes made by doctors. Humans can easily make mistakes because of work overload and stress factors. Also the business community has developed health applications which can enable us monitor our health and weight. These applications can be used on mobile phones, so users can have them at any time of the day.
Source:
Wikipedia
http://www.useoftechnology.com/modern-technology-advantages-disadvantages/
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