Technology combines knowledge and creativity to solve problems in people’s working and personal lives. It can improve people’s comfort and quality of life, make work easier and more productive, and contribute to medical progress, but it also threatens to destroy jobs, disrupt social hierarchy, pollute the environment, and harm individuals or groups. It is a powerful force in our modern world, and understanding how it works can help us harness its advantages and minimize its risks.
The word technology is derived from two Greek words: techne, meaning art or skill, and logos, meaning a process, way, or method. Technology is thus literally “the art of acquiring and using techniques”.
Its most general definition describes tools or machines that may be used to achieve specific values and that may be either material or immaterial. These can be as simple as a stone tool, or as complex as a particle accelerator. The term also encompasses non-material technologies such as business methods and software programs.
As human societies develop, the technologies they adopt inevitably affect their environment and relationships with each other. In a technological society, there are many potential pitfalls to avoid: technology can become addictive, it can blur the line between real and virtual, and it can create a dependency on experts for information. In addition, it is important to consider the ethical implications of the development and use of new technologies.
