Defining “Technology”

Click to edit Master title style,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,*,The Nature of Technology,TEC 2029 Technology & Society,Dr.,Susan Doll,August 25, 2011,Overview,Basic technology Quiz,Definition of “Society” & “Technology”,Characteristics of Technology,Technology Literacy,Announcements,EPA,P3 =/= algae project,=,Graywater,treatment,Student Engagement with Courses,“Muddy points”,Textbooks,iClickers,Baseline QUIZ,What is the most important technology in your life?,What if you lived in a poor rural village in Africa?,Name one “good” and,one “bad” technology,List one major technology development for:,Medicine,Agriculture,How did people research and write term papers before computers and the internet?,What year were cell phones invented?,Where does electricity from a wall outlet come from?,Baseline QUIZ,What is the most important technology in your life?,What if you lived in a poor rural village in Africa?,Name one “good” and,one “bad” technology,List one major technology development for:,Medicine,Agriculture,How did people research and write term papers before computers and the internet?,What year were cell phones invented?,Where does electricity from a wall outlet come from?,Most Important Technology,YOUR Life:,Computer,12,Cell phone,7,Electricity,8,Cars,5,Internet,3,Htg/Clng,2,Water 2,(1 each) Civil Works,Agriculture,Sports,Guns,Camera,Rural AFRICA:,Water/Wells 16,Agriculture 7,Hunting/Weapons 5,Phone,3,Htg/Clng,2,Plow/shovel 2,Shelter 2,(1 each),Wheel,Electricity, “any”, “no access”,= We will talk about “Human Needs” in more detail next week,Baseline QUIZ,What is the most important technology in your life?,What if you lived in a poor rural village in Africa?,Name one “good” and one “bad” technology,List one major technology development for:,Medicine,Agriculture,How did people research and write term papers before computers and the internet?,What year were cell phones invented?,Where does electricity from a wall outlet come from?,Technology Impact,“,GOOD,”,Phone 10,Computer,4,Renewable Energy 4,Trans/cars,4,Vaccinations 2,(1 each),Ag Tech,guns,texting, TV,bridges, airbags, calculator, internet medicine, GMO, wheel, bicycle,“,BAD,”,WMD 21,Polluting vehicles 4,Cell phones 2,Guns,2,(1 each),texting, computer, TV,Double-edged sword,Technology itself is not good or bad - it is how we choose to use it and how it lends itself to certain applications.,May benefit some while costing others (e.g. word processing replaces steno pool),Exchange one issue with another (e.g. pollution from horse carriage and cars),Use for individual gain/motives at the expense of,society (e.g. corporate logging of rain forest),Advantages can also carry increased risk (e.g. faster cars),Paradox of Technology,Technological Marvels:,Spacecraft that have left the solar system,Instant access to billions of web pages,Cure some diseases through transplants,Dire Consequences of Technology:,Global pollution,Overpopulation,Threat of nuclear annihilation,b,ioterrorism,Technological disasters:,Bhopal - venting poisonous gas,Chernobyl - massive release of radiation,New Orleans - breaching of the levees,Space Shuttle accidents - Challenger/solid fuel,o-ring,Columbia/heat shield tile,Discussion Questions:,Are there technologies you deal with every day that make you feel frustrated?,What are technologies that have,increased,your freedom?,decreased,it?,Baseline QUIZ,What is the most important technology in your life?,What if you lived in a poor rural village in Africa?,Name one “good” and,one “bad” technology,List one major technology development for:,Medicine,Agriculture,How did people research and write term papers before computers and the internet?,What year were cell phones invented?,Where does electricity from a wall outlet come from?,Baseline QUIZ,What is the most important technology in your life?,What if you lived in a poor rural village in Africa?,Name one “good” and,one “bad” technology,List one major technology development for:,Medicine,Agriculture,How did people research and write term papers before computers and the internet?,What year were cell phones invented?,Where does electricity from a wall outlet come from?,Libraries,Monastery Libraries,Public Libraries,Mobile Libraries,Verbal Communication,Face-to-Face Interviews,Elders/School of hard knocks,Experts,Baseline QUIZ,What is the most important technology in your life?,What if you lived in a poor rural village in Africa?,Name one “good” and,one “bad” technology,List one major technology development for:,Medicine,Agriculture,How did people research and write term papers before computers and the internet?,What year were cell phones invented?,Where does electricity from a wall outlet come from?,Group Activity,Defining “Society” & “Technology”,Rows 1,3, and 5 turn around to work with the people behind you.,HAND IN a sheet of paper with your team member names and summary of group discussion.,“Society”,What do you think “society” means?,List some of the attributes of a society.,“Technology”,What do you think “technology” means?,List some of the attributes of a technology.,Name some different,categories,of technologies that affect your daily lives.,Give at least two examples for each category,Defining “Society”,Implies HUMAN,Structure - family, community, regional,Some level of shared norms and values,Interdependency / interaction,Common means of survival,Rituals, taboos,Governance,Defining “Technology”,“Totality of the tools and systems that make up the human-made environment”,(HOEPFL&RAICHLE, p.1),“Everything that we,use that is not as it comes to us in nature falls,under the heading of technology” (HOEPFL&RAICHLE, p.5),“Whole collection of methodology and artificial constraints created by human beings to increase their probability of survival by increasing their control over their environment (Paul A. Alcorn),Technology Elements,Material artifacts,-,objects we create,that have been manufactured for specific uses and purposes.,Produced through a series of steps, usually using other technology,(cumulative process),Organizational patterns and processes - coordination of multiple steps and integration of different pieces to create new and complex,systems,Human skill - create and use,for our survival,externalize,evolutionary,development.,Attitudes and values - power of choice,technology raises ethical issues that we,must deal with, consider consequences,Technology helps us:,Do things not otherwise possible,Do things cheaper, faster, more easily,Compensate for our physical shortcomings,Discussion question: What are some examples of technologies that make,us faster? stronger? able to tolerate climate extremes?,Speed,Distance/reach,Capacity,Comfort,Cost,Complexity,Supporting Infrastructure,Technology,Advances,(e.g. transportation & communication),Carrying Capacity,Distance,Technology Literacy,Characteristics of this literacy:,knowing about the concepts, benefits, and risks associated with technology;,exhibiting a willingness to learn about new technologies;,participating in decision making about technology;,having the capabiliti,es to use, design, and evaluate technologies.,Benefits of technological literacy to the individual:,ability to make better-informed choices,become a more actively engaged citizen,contribute to the workforce,function more effectively in society.,Shift in Technological Development,Concept of “renaissance man”,Not so long ago, simple tools to produce food, shelter, and basic amenities for survival.,Today, work is increasingly specialized with highly evolved tools to create and manage complex, often centralized systems of manufacturing, energy production, transportation, communication, and beyond.,harder to understand (also evaluate and control),potential reach has expanded far beyond local impact to, in some cases,global,impact (e.g. tools of war and global climate change),Perspectives on Technology,Emmanuel,Mesthene,Harvard Program on Technology,& Society:,Technology is a source of advancement, prosperity, and improvement - progress is good.,TECHNOCRATS,Technology often a curse, leading to environmental destruction, social breakdown.,LUDDITES,Technology not worthy of notice; “dont care how it works, just want it to be there when I need it.”,NO OPINION / DONT CARE,Thomas,Jefferson/Benjamin Franklin:,Technology is a means for betterment of the human condition, warn of potentially corrupting effects of technological progress.,PROGRESSIVE,Full measure of a technology will consider not just what the technology does or enables, but its social, cultural, environmental, economic, and political ramifications.,Next week,Historical perspective,1st Homework assignment,