Human Dependence on Technology
Science and scientific knowledge are terms that should be unlimited. Enrichment in knowledge should not be prevented with any type of barriers, that is exactly what science taught us. But science and technology are partly taking responsibility for many of the problems that we are facing nowadays. Advancing weapons, such as biochemical, nuclear and bombs have only brought us violence among each other. Human dependence on technology is also a big problem in modern society because technology such as the internet, computers, phones etc. have raised greater than expected. In human dependence on technology essay this topic will be discussed.
About two hundred years ago the change in technology in western society began to quicken. Natural power resources were replaced with technology which led to the industrial revolution. Railroads made it possible for people and things to move quickly over distances and travel more. Telegraph and telephone made distance communications possible. Electric lighting replaced candles and gas lights. Science and technology have produced many destructive things that caused many problems, but on the other side, good things seem to overcome the bad things.
Man, that is powered with his imagination and curious character, was always concerned about the mechanisms of nature, which led to many scientific discoveries and innovations. People who are inventing and using these benefits have become nothing more than mere puppets. How can we be the slaves of this great resource?
Today, the system that research and development use for new products is fundamentally different than it was two centuries ago. The role of the individual inventor had been connected with organized scientific research and technological innovation. Organization of research and development had increased the knowledge of production. Scientists are leading toward cures of diseases that were untreatable. Engineers enhanced the quality of products with materials that were researched. The science and technology have transformed human life, but they have also let us research how to use it most effectively to meet human needs. How much it is useful depends on the needs of society. Four areas will be explained in this essay. Each of them is using products in different ways for different purposes.
The government uses science and technology for the development of innovative solutions in order to provide better public services. In military defense, they are creating weapons to defend the country or to attack other countries. Some products that are invented or improved are high-powered battled weapons, nuclear weapons, robotics etc. Interesting invention released in February by Boeing is the ‘’Loyal Wingman’’ sidekick drone for fighter jets. The Loyal Wingman was developed in Australia as a rapidly configurable platform capable of a variety of tasks to support the manned aircraft on dangerous missions. The new aircraft will have the primary mission set of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and Boeing claims it can be rapidly reconfigured to suit itself to the mission at hand.
It is unknown whether the aircraft could eventually carry weapons and if Boeing is planning for such an eventuality. Loyal Wingman will be capable of flying semi-autonomously and also being controlled either from a nearby aircraft or a ground control station. The first aircraft is under construction in Australia, with first flight set for 2020. Another example is the F-35C. The F-35C is the first and world’s only long-range stealth strike fighter designed and built explicitly for Navy carrier operations. It has the most advanced and comprehensive sensor package of any fighter jet in history. This allows the pilot to see everything in the battle space with unprecedented situational awareness. It can share its information seamlessly. More than a fighter jet, the F-35C can serve as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance asset, sharing information to all networked air, ground and sea assets in the battle space. This ensures men and women in uniform can execute their mission and come home safe. It can reach speeds of 1.6 Mach (~1,200 mph) even with a full internal weapons load. With its fuel and weapons stored internally, the F-35C can fly faster and with no drag associated with external tanks and weapons required for legacy jets.
The influence of science and technology on education is called learning technology. Its goal is to improve performance by creating and using technological processes and resources. Learning technology includes software, hardware, and internet, but it is not limited to it.
As industries that are based on science continue to develop, they get more dependent on inputs of science. They also depend on technological development in order to grow. Industries are growing fast as the environment rapidly changes. Those that cannot cope with the environment often fail. Some industries that are in a mature stage, for example aircraft industry, need thousands of scientist and engineers to deal with complex tasks. Investment in this area is very expensive and not everybody can act on this scale, only those that have technological knowledge can cope with this complexity.
In conclusion, people are divided with their opinions about the overall effect of science and technology on our lives, whether it is good or bad. Technology is changing rapidly and changing us as well. The fact that science and technology are necessary, but they are not sufficient elements of human progress, we have an important question: How much should we invest in science and technology to meet our needs? It remains for us to decide.
