Ruby Fruitny

Technology is a term referring to many things from different historical periods, concerning the state of the art in all areas of life, skills and use of tools. It thus includes art, crafts, applied science and knowledge. By extension it can also refer to systems or organizational methods that allow such technology, and all fields of study and the resulting products. The etymology of the word always returns technology in the modern sense, it comes from the Greek Technologia, Techne, “art”, “competence” or “craft” and logia, the study of something, or branch of knowledge of a discipline. Webster’s says that the word was borrowed in 1656 to the late Greek tekhnologia “treaty or an essay on art, presentation of the rules of an art, and of tekhne logos. The concept was later used in 1772 by a German physicist Johann Beckmann. The term can either be applied generally or in specific areas, eg “construction technology”, “medical technology”, or “technology of the prior art.” Technology affects humans in significant ways as well as other animal species and their ability to control and adapt to their natural environment. The use of technology by the human species begins with the development of natural resources into simple tools. The discovery of prehistoric power to control fire increased considerably the availability of food resources and the invention of the wheel helped humans to travel and to control his environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, telephone, and Internet have reduced the barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely with the world. However, all technologies are not used for peaceful purposes, weapons development has progressed throughout history, from the club of nuclear weapons. Technology has affected society and its surroundings in a number of areas. In many societies, technology has helped develop advanced business models (including today’s global economy) and has the appearance of leisure. Many technological processes produce unwanted effects, such as pollution, depletion of natural resources to the detriment of the Earth and the Environment. Many technological achievements influencing societal values and technological developments provoke reflection on emerging ethical issues. For example, the growth of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied to machinery, is the challenge of traditional norms. The philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disputes over the fact that the technology could improve the human condition or vice versa. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar movements criticizing the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, claiming they damage the environment and alienate people. In contrast there are ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism that see technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. However, until recently it was believed that the development of technology was limited to humans but recent scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and transmit knowledge to succeeding generations.