Technology

Technology

Farm machines, such as these combines, and other advances in agricultural technology make farm work easier. Such machines and methods also help farmers produce larger amounts of food.

Technology has enabled people to produce more goods and services with less labour. Many factories use mass production techniques. This has led to greater productivity, allowing factory workers to enjoy more leisure time.

Work in an Industrial Country

Percentage done by machines, people, and animals:

1840’s

Animal (52%)

People (13%)

Machines (35%)

1990’s

Animals (less than 1%)

People (1%)

Machines (more than 98%)

(In 1850, machines did only 35 per cent of farm and industrial work in the most developed countries. This chart shows how the 1850 percentages compare with those of 1990, when ma­chines did over 98 per cent of the work).

Technology refers to all the ways people use their in­ventions and discoveries to satisfy their needs and de­sires. Ever since people appeared on the earth, they have had to work to obtain food, clothing, and shelter. They have also had to work to satisfy their desire for lei­sure and comfort. Through the ages, people invented tools, machines, materials, and techniques to make work easier. They also discovered water power, electric­ity, and other sources of power that increased the rate at which they could w'ork. Technology thus involves the use of tools, machines, materials, techniques, and sources of power to make work easier and more pro­ductive. Modern communications and data processing also rely on technology, especially electronics.

Many people call the age we live in the age of tech­nology. Yet people have always lived in a technological age because they have always had to work to obtain most of life's necessities and many of its pleasures. Technology thus includes the use of both primitive and highly advanced tools and methods of work. But when people speak of technology today, they generally mean industrial technology— the technology that helped bring about our modem society.

Industrial technology began about 200 years ago with the development of the steam engine and power-driven machines, the growth of factories, and the mass produc­tion of goods. As industrial technology advanced, it af­fected more and more aspects of people's lives. For ex­ample, the development of the car influenced where people lived and worked and how they spent their lei­sure time. Radio and television changed entertainment habits, and the telephone revolutionized communica­tion. Today, industrial technology helps people achieve goals that few would have thought possible a hundred years ago. It gives people the means to conquer hunger and to cure or prevent many diseases. It enables them to transport goods and passengers swiftly and easily to any place on the earth. They can even leave the earth, travel through space, and set foot on the moon.

Science attempts to explain how and why things hap­pen. Technology is concerned with making things hap­pen. Since 1850, science has contributed much to mod­ern technology. However, technology has often contributed to science, for example, by providing suit­able tools for observation. In addition, not all technol­ogy is based on science, nor is science necessary to all technology. For example, people made objects of iron for hundreds of years before they learned about the changes that occurred in the structure of the metal dur­ing iron making. But some modern technologies, such as nuclear power production and space travel, depend heavily on science.

The word technology is sometimes used to describe a particular application of industrial technology, such as medical technology or military technology. Each of the various specialized technologies has its own goals and its own tools and techniques for achieving those goals. The engineering profession is responsible for much of today's industrial technology (see Engineering).

 An automated steel mill produces huge steel bars at the touch of a button. The computer- controlled machines that roll the glowing bars are products of modern technology. Other ma­chines and methods will turn the bars into a variety of industrial and household products.

Cars, like other inventions of technology, have changed our way of life. The convenience of car travel influences where we live and work and hoyv we use our free time.

Assembly line production, an important method of technol­ogy, increases the amount of goods a worker can produce. In­creased productivity provides more goods for more people.

Industrial technology enables people to live in greater security and comfort than ever before. But only a small part of the world's population enjoys the full benefits of advanced modern technology. In addition, nations with advanced technologies have found that cer­tain undesirable effects, such as air and water pollution, have accompanied technological growth. Technology also enables people to produce more powerful weap­ons, thus adding to the destructiveness of war.

This article describes technology's benefits and unde­sirable effects. It also discusses the problems people face in trying to combat these effects. The development of technology largely parallels the history of inventions and discoveries, which is traced in the article on Inven­tion. Detailed information on the development of tech­nology in specific areas can be found in the History sec­tions of such articles as Agriculture, Medicine, and Transportation.

Benefits of technology

Technology has helped people gain a degree of con­trol over nature and build a civilized way of life. The ear­liest human beings had little control over nature. They had only simple tools and did not know how to rear ani­mals or cultivate plants. Instead, they obtained food by hunting, fishing, and gathering. They had no permanent homes and only animal skins for protection against cold. The sun and moon were their Only sources of light. About 800,000 years ago, people discovered how to make fire and so could provide themselves with heat and light wherever they went. Still, they made little no­ticeable impact on their environment.

About 10,000 years ago, people learned how to rear animals and grow crops. The development of farming led them to settle down in small groups. Then, partly be­cause agriculture produced surplus food, the popula­tion grew. In time, towns and cities developed. Many people became free to pursue kinds of work other than food production. Classes of warriors, priests, craft- workers, and merchants developed. This division of la­bour helped make civilization possible.

Through the ages, technology has benefited people in four main ways. First, it has increased their produc­tion of goods and services. Second, it has reduced the amount of labour needed to produce goods and serv­ices. Third, it has made labour easier. Fourth, it has given people higher living standards.

Increased production. Through technology, people have achieved a tremendous increase in the production of goods and services. In the mid-1800's, for example, people and animals were the main source of power on farms. Farmers laboured from dawn to dusk, yet one farmer produced enough food for only about four peo­ple. In the early 1900's, more and more farmers in indus­trial countries began using tractors and other machines powered by diesel fuel or electricity. Today, machines do most of the work on most farms in industrial coun­tries. As a result of machinery, fertilizers, and other ad­vances in agricultural technology, one farmer today may produce enough food for about 100 people. Similar de­velopments have occurred in manufacturing, mining, and other industries. Most workers today produce many times more goods than they did a hundred years ago.

Reduced labour. Powered machines have increased production. But they have also reduced the amount of labour needed to produce goods and services and so have increased productivity. Increased productivity gives workers more leisure time. In the early 1800's, for example, most factory work was done by hand or hand- operated machines. Workers laboured 12 to 16 hours a »y day, six days a week. Few people were able to take a holiday. Today, powered machinery has largely replaced hand labour in factories. Many factories also use mass production techniques. As a result, the amount of labour needed to produce manufactured goods has decreased sharply. Today, factory employees in many countries work only eight hours a day, five days a week. They also receive paid leave for holidays.

Easier labour. Technology has enabled people to produce more goods and services with less labour. It has also made labour easier and safer. Coal mining pro­vides an example. In the early 1900's, miners toiled all day with pick and shovel to produce a few tons of coal. The mines were dark, poorly ventilated, and dangerous. Today, mining is still dangerous. But better lighting and ventilation and improved safety devices have reduced the hazards. The work itself is easier and more produc­tive. Machines perform most of the hard labour. The op­erator of a coal-mining machine can dig about 1 metric ton of coal a minute.

Higher living standards have resulted from the in­creased production of goods and services. The indus­trial nations produce more goods and services than other countries and have the world's highest standard of living. Most people in industrial nations are better fed, clothed, and housed and enjoy a healthier, more com­fortable life than any other people in history. Above all, technology has increased human life expectancy— the number of years a person can expect to live. Improved public health practices have ended the plagues that once swept through many countries. Better health care and nutrition have also reduced the number of deaths among infants. In 1900, many people did not live past the age of 50. Today, many people live for more than 75 years (see Life expectancy).

Undesirable effects of technology

The advance of technology has benefited people in numerous ways, but it has also created serious prob­lems. These problems have arisen mainly because tech­nologies were put to use without considering the possi­ble harmful effects. For example, many people wel­comed the development of the car in the late 1890's and early 1900's. They believed that cars would be quieter and less smelly than horses. But as more and more cars came into use, the noise of roaring traffic proved more annoying than the clatter of horse hoofs. Car exhaust fumes proved worse than the smell of horse manure. The fumes polluted the air with carbon monoxide gas and other impurities and so threatened human health. Also, cars cause even more traffic congestion in cities, and car travel can be more time-consuming than travel on horseback. The ever-increasing production of cars used up iron and other natural resources.

This section discusses four major undesirable effects of technology. They are: (1) environmental pollution, (2) the depletion of natural resources, (3) technological un­employment, and (4) the creation of unsatisfying jobs.

Environmental pollution is one of the most harmful effects of industrial technology. Most industrial coun­tries face problems of air, water, soil, and noise pollu­tion. Motor vehicles cause most of the air and noise pol­lution in these countries. But many other products as well as many processes of technology also pollute the environment. For example, certain insecticides pollute the soil and water, and endanger plant and animal life. Factory smoke and wastes also contribute greatly to air and water pollution. In many countries, power plants that burn oil or other fuels to generate electricity add millions of tons'of pollutants to the air annually. Junk­yards, opencast mines, logging operations, and motor­ways disfigure the natural environment. See the article on Environmental pollution for a discussion of technol­ogy's harmful environmental effects.

The depletion of natural resources. The rapid ad­vance of technology threatens the supply of natural re­sources. For example, the use of electrically powered machinery in industrial countries has greatly increased factory production. But at the same time, it has reduced the supply of oil and other fuels used to produce elec­tricity. These fuels cannot be replaced after they are used. As power production increases, the supply of fuels decreases. Power production increased so much during the 1950's and 1960's that some countries began to experience a fuel and power shortage during the 1970's.

Some experts argue that the use of hydroelectricity in some countries also depletes natural resources. Usually the damming of rivers transforms fertile agricultural land into lakes and the dams' effectiveness is gradually reduced by silting (the build up of soil washed down in a river).

Technological unemployment is a type of unem­ployment that sometimes results from advances in tech­nology. The most common type of technological unem­ployment occurs as a result of mechanization— that is, the replacement of human workers with machines. Since the late 1950's, many factories and offices have in­troduced computers and other machines as part of a self-operating system called automation. Automated ma­chines perform many tasks formerly done by workers, and so automation has caused some unemployment. But automation also has helped a number of industries ex­pand. As a result, these industries have been able to provide new jobs for displaced workers. Technological unemployment, however, remains a threat to workers in many industries. See Unemployment (Structural unem­ployment).

The creation of unsatisfying jobs. Some tasks re­quired by industrial technology fail to give workers a feeling of accomplishment. For example, most factory workers make only a part of the finished product. As a result, they may lack the feeling of pride in their work that comes from creating an monotonous as well as demanding.

The challenge of technology

Modern technology presents enormous challenges. One of the chief challenges is to combat the undesirable effects of existing technologies. Another is to prevent similar effects in the development of new technologies. Still another challenge is to spread technology's benefits to the people of developing countries.

Combating undesirable effects. Some of technolo­gy's undesirable effects are hard to remedy. For exam­ple, it is difficult to make an unsatisfying job satisfying. But automation will continue to free many workers from routine, monotonous jobs. Some of these workers may then face the hardships of unemployment. But with help from industry and government, they can be retrained to fill more highly skilled and possibly more interesting jobs. See Automation (Automation and jobs).

Industries can do much to combat environmental pol­lution and the depletion of natural resources. One way is by developing substitute technologies for those that produce harmful effects. Car makers, for example, can help curb air pollution by installing a catalytic converter (a type of filter) to purify the emissions from car exhaust. Manufacturers can help conserve resources by recy­cling. In recycling, raw materials are recovered from waste products and used to make new products (see En­vironmental pollution [Recycling]).

Technological advances around the home

Technology has brought a host of beneficial products to our homes in the past 150 years. The car enables us to travel much faster than did the horse-drawn carriage of the 1840's. With such inven­tions as the sewing machine and the washing machine, we can perform household tasks more rapidly and with less effort. The air conditioner makes our homes more com­fortable, and electric devices such as the modern lamp are much more convenient to use than their counterparts of the 1840's.

Products of the 1840”s

Horse-drawn carriage

Oil lamp

Flatiron

Handsaw

Needle and thread

Folding fan

Washboard

Wood-burning stove

Products of the 1990’s

Car

Electric lamp

Electric iron

Power saw

Sewing machine

Air conditioner

Washing machine

Microwave oven

Developing a substitute technology can be costly. An industry may need to hire additional experts or invest in expensive equipment. Most industries that develop a substitute technology pass the cost on to buyers in the form of higher prices. Some industries choose not to spend the money to develop a substitute technology. Recycling materials can also be more costly than the use of traditional resources. But in many cases, the choice is too serious to be left to industries because the health of an entire community may be affected.

Substitute technologies may also have undesirable ef­fects. For example, nuclear power plants have several advantages over fuel-burning plants in producing elec­tricity. Nuclear plants can produce large amounts of electricity using only small amounts of raw materials. They also do not pollute the air as do fuel-burning plants. But nuclear plants release hot water into lakes and rivers. This causes thermal pollution, which harms water plants and animals. Scientists and engineers are working to solve this problem. For example, many nu­clear plants have installed cooling towers, which use air to cool the hot water they produce. Some companies re­cover the waste heat produced by industrial processes for the heating of buildings.

Preventing undesirable effects. Some experts be­lieve that most harmful effects of technology can be pre­vented. According to this view, any proposed large- scale technology should be thoroughly tested and then evaluated before it is put into use. Such an evaluation is called a technology assessment.

The purpose of an assessment is to discover in ad­vance all the possible good and bad effects that a new technology may have on society and the environment. An assessment might show that the benefits of a new technology outweigh any undesirable effects. Or it might show that the undesirable effects would be soharmful that they outweigh any benefits.

Some experts doubt the value of technology assess­ ment. They believe that it is not possible to discover all the undesirable effects of a technology before it is put into use. They also fear that technology assessments wi block scientific and technological progress.

Spreading the benefits of technology. Technolo­gy's benefits are limited largely to the industrial nation: But even in these nations, the benefits of technology ar not evenly distributed. Many families in the industrial countries lack ail but the bare necessities of life.

The developing nations of the world enjoy few of technology's benefits. Also, the people of these coun­tries want the goods and services that technology has made available to industrial nations. The transfer of tec nological knowledge from industrial to developing na­tions is one of today's chief challenges.

As technology advances in developing countries, it will probably produce some harmful effects. Advancec technology will probably also continue to create prob­lems in the industrial countries. But technological achievements in the past show that people have the in­telligence, imagination, and inventive skill to deal with present and future problems created by technology.

One technology cleans up after another when a filter press squeezes solid particles out of wastewater in a chemical plant.

Recycling recovers raw materials from wastes and so helps conserve resources used by technol­ogy. The iron and steel in this discarded material is being separated for recycling.

Harmful effects of technol­ogy include the scarring of once-fertile land by opencast, or strip, mining, left. Streams fill with mud, the soil be­comes acid, and plant and an­imal life vanish.

Related articles -See Engineering, Industr Invention, and Manufacturing

See also the following articles: Agriculture, Environmental, Machine, Assembly line, pollution, Machine tool, Automation,Factory, Mass production,

Building, trade, Industrial Revolution Mining, Labour force.

Outline

Benefits of technology

Increased production C. Easier labour

(A)Reduced labour 

(B) Higher living standards

Undesirable effects of technology

(A)Environmental pollution

(B)The depletion of natural resources