Technology has a huge impact on our lives. It has made life easier, faster and more enjoyable! But it also has a downside.
It is often used as an umbrella term for everything from digital systems and software to machines, gadgets, and more. But the word is not as widely understood as it could be.
Technological advances have paved the way for new business opportunities, improved manufacturing techniques, and worldwide, globalized trade. But they have also produced side effects that can be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.
When designing any type of technological product, decisions must take into account many different types of constraints. Some are absolute–such as physical laws or limits of flexibility and electrical conductivity–and others have some flexibility, such as economic (only so much money is available), political (local, state, and national regulations), social (public opposition), ecological (likely disruption of the natural environment), or ethical (disadvantages to some people, risk to subsequent generations).
The optimum design must balance these limitations against the benefits to be gained from the technology itself. Scientists, engineers, and mathematicians play an important role in this process by taking a long-term view of the consequences of their work.
As a result of the increasing presence of technology in society, philosophers have been debating whether it enhances the human condition or worsens it. Those who believe that technology improves the human condition tend to view technology as an unavoidable fact of life, while those who are critical of it argue that it can cause harm to humanity and the environment.
