Perhaps the most fundamental and direct impact that technology has on the everyday life of most people is economic in nature.
The issue of jobs and unemployment is one that strikes a chord of concern in just about every person. While competition between machinery and human labor has long existed in the realm of physical tasks, it has only recently been introduced into the domain of mental work.
Much as heavy machinery has eliminated the need for physical exertion on the part of humans, so too does modern technology, in the form of microchips and computers, bring with it the potential to eliminate mental drudgery. Does this mean, however, that humans will no longer have any purpose to serve in the world?
To gain some perspective on the issue, we can take a look at the past. At the beginning of the 20th century, jobs in factories and agriculture were disappearing at a rapid rate. But with the loss of those jobs came the potential for millions of new jobs and economic development in new industries.
Today, new manufacturing technologies, such as Robots, Autonomous Cars and Artificial Intelligence techniques are rapidly reducing the number of production jobs. The advent of new technology is projected to rapidly decrease the demand for clerical workers and other such semiskilled and unskilled workers.
The development of more advanced technology affects our economy because it is not bound to provide economic growth. Making it possible for technology to truly replace humanity would be disastrous.
Computers, Smartphones and Tablets, which have revolutionized the workplace, are similarly infiltrating society. They have brought about innumerable advances in education and personal communication.
Slowly but surely, Smartphones have begun to infiltrate the classroom. Though not yet optimized for education, the smartphone or tablet has much potential in this arena. Wireless networks can allow for the easy sharing of courseware, submissions by students of papers, exams, courseware responses, and other creations. The networking of information can provide students with instant access to vast amounts of information and knowledge.
The realm of communications has likewise seen immense change. We are provided with new ways to communicate with each other, such as email, instant messaging and most importantly social media. Documents placed on the internet are sources of information for the rest of the world. Vast databases allow for the easy storage of information. Global positioning satellites allow us to track our exact location and find our way to various destinations.
But what social problems will arise with such progress? Will we become increasingly dependent on our smartphones to the point of social breakdown? The technology is a more powerful social force than the aspiration for freedom, while technological progress AS A WHOLE continually narrows our sphere of freedom, each new technical advance CONSIDERED BY ITSELF appears to be desirable.
The potential applications of technology to warfare are well known but the question is, are these applications positive or negative?
One might argue that the military application of science is undoubtedly negative in that it has led to the creation of the atomic bomb and other such weapons of mass destruction. Technology has made the complete destruction of humanity possible. That capacity continues to grow, as more nations develop nuclear technology and the proliferation of nuclear warheads continues.
On the other hand, it is also possible to argue that science has made it possible for the more accurate destruction of enemy targets and, in doing so, has lessened unintended damage to civilian populations. Smart bombs and cruise missiles have lessened the human component of war at least to some degree.
But what will the effect of future more advanced technology be? Will technology be so ingrained in society as to destroy it and imprison humanity? Will it lessen the amount of destruction and death? Or will it be our ultimate undoing?