FAQs About Technology

Aaron Bowden

English 102
Lee Ann Dickerson
March 3, 2015

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What is technology?
Technology is the innovations of the world. Technology is used in many different parts
of the world and has a multitude of different definitions. According to Professor Andy
Lane, Technology concerns itself with understanding how knowledge is creatively
applied to organized tasks involving people and machines that meet sustainable goals. 1
Technology is all around us and is involved in everything we do. Very few people go
about their day without coming in contact with some form of technology or something
created by technology. Indeed, most of us carry around a piece of technology, a cell
phone, for most of the day.
How has technology improved over the years?
Technology began as a very primitive idea compared to the present day technology.
Over the years technology has become more innovative and more complex. For example
the first computer created in 1946 was the size of a room and was a giant calculator.
Now that same computer can fit in a pocket all the while having capabilities of
performing a multitude of different tasks. Technology has been modified to become
more compact and serve more purposes in our lives. In businesses according to Jerome
A. Mark, The innovations include advanced communications systems, industrial robots,
flexible manufacturing systems 2 and those innovations have the potential to
increase productivity in office and factory production tasks. 3 Technology has given
industries the capability to advance and excel and technology is innovating daily.
How has technology positively and negatively affected society in general?
Society has made great strides through the advancement of technology. However, it may
be argued that society has been afflicted by technological advancements. The major plus
and negative sides of technology and its afflictions come to the topic of communication.
Technology has allowed us to keep in touch with relatives and friends when distance
might have made this otherwise difficult. However, in situations where we are close to
our friends and relatives, technology seems to be distancing us from the people right next
1 Andy Lane. What is Technology? Open Learn, last modified September 14, 2006,
www.open.edu.

2 Jerome A. Mark. Technological change and employment: some results from BLS research,
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2, 2015, www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1987/04/art3full.pdf.
3
Ibid.

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to us. Brittany Walker expresses, being dependent upon technology has only
conditioned us to become less social, interactive, and outgoing. 4 Society has been
changed by technology and it is prevalent how it has affected society is in positive and
negative ways.

Is technology harmful to the health of people or environment?

Technology is all around us and it varies on what it may do for us. More importantly
though is the affects technology might have on us. Firstly, technology has led to many
great discoveries and it has been undoubtedly beneficial to us. As stated by Stephen H.
Unger, The list of beneficial advances in technology is endless. 5 However, the article
in which Unger makes claim to that is primarily on the downside of technology
innovations. The main cause for concern stated by Unger is that, the societal
mechanisms for ensuring that they are not significantly harmful are being phased out. 6
So it is a growing concern that the products of technology may become very harmful to
our health. Fortunately the innovations for our environment seem to be mostly beneficial.
Technology has been created to provide us with cleaner air and safer water to drink. So
technology can be seen as both harmful and beneficial to our health and environment.
What is a computer and what can they do for me?
A computer is simply known as any device that stores and processes data. A cell phone is a
computer, as well as the laptops and desktops used every day. Computers are used every
day to complete many tasks. The computer can be used to send emails, play games, watch
movies, or to look up information. The tasks a computer can do are essentially endless.
By giving the computer a command and it will process what information it was given and
4
Brittany Walker. The positive and negative impacts technology has on our daily lives,
Instructional Center for Educational Technologies, September 19, 2014, www.uwplatt.edu. /icetnews/positive-and-negative-impacts-technology-has-our-daily-lives.
5
Stephen H. Unger, Reckless Use of Technology, Ends and Means, February 20, 2013,
www1.cs.columbia.edu/~unger/articles/reckless.html.
6
Ibid.

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execute a specific command to fulfill a request. Computers are good for researching
information, making plans, and communicating to others. Different computers have
different capabilities and finding a useful computer is possible by visiting any type of
technological retail store such as Best Buy.
What is the most innovative technology of the year 2014?
Narrowing down the most innovative technology of the year is near impossible. The year
2014 has been yet another milestone for advancements in technology. Companies are
using technology to their advantage and the company looking at making a big change to
our world is Amazon. Amazon is designing drones that CEO Jeff Bezos is pushing to
commercialize for his business. Amazon is striving to be more innovative and the only
thing holding them back is the Federal Aviation Administration. Gregory S. McNeal
states, Amazon has asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an exemption
from rules prohibiting the use of drones for commercial purposes.7 Amazon continues
their pursuit in making this drone delivery possible which is making them a top innovator
of the year.
Is technology important to the people of the earth?
Technology is certainly used in most of the world. Whether through direct contact or through
second hand contact technology is all around us. Technology is beneficial to people and it
will likely never stop being a part of our society. Technology is not just gadgets and toys.
Technology is vital to positive development. Without technology we would not be able to
survive on Earth with our growing populations. It is an important and necessary part of
our society. It facilitates communication worldwide, and helps with the transfer of
information to all societies. Technology is crucial for our society and our existence.
What is the future of technology?
Technology advances and updates continuously. The capabilities and complexity of
technology becomes greater throughout time. The future of technology is a bright and
exciting path. Rick Chin describes technology as becoming, near telepathic. 8 Looking
at the possibilities of technology, it is also foreseen that with the advancement of
7
Gregory S. McNeal, Six Things You Should Know About Amazons Drones, Forbes, July 11,
2014,www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2014/07/11/six-things-you-need-to-know-aboutamazons-drones/.

8
Rick Chin, 8 Current Technologies That Will Shape Our Future, Mashable, September 18,
2011, http://mashable.com/2011/09/18/future-technology/.

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technology, it will, not only be more powerful, but also more integrated with one other.
9
In the future, it is likely technology will be able to read the movement of your eyes and
you will be able to control technology using this technique. Virtual reality is one of the
biggest upcoming technological advancements. It will soon be making its debut in the
entertainment field with competition between many well-funded companies. Technology
will unlikely ever cease to amaze us.

9
Ibid.