Ethics

Technology is a term that is usually employed in reference to the practical application of skills in science in order to suit the purposes of humankind living in this world. At present, there is a wonderful progress in technological development and it is certain that we are living in a time when science is limited only by our imagination. Most people are glad about what our civilization has been able to achieve during the last century. Some of the things that our great-grandfathers thought would be impossible are now a common occurrence in our daily lives. Although the society has greatly benefitted from technological improvement, it has also brought some problems.

Science and technology has brought increased benefits to the infrastructure in the society (Fallon, 1999). Faster and efficient means of transport, such as the advent of the electronic railway lines and modern airplanes have greatly benefitted the society. People can now travel from one part of the world to the other without difficulties. For instance, some years ago, man was using very simple ways of moving from one place to another. Man used horses, camels, or simply walked to reach his destination.

In cases in which individuals were forced to travel long distances, they had to sail in ships to reach their destination. However, with the advance in technology, the current situation is very different. This is because in a few hours, one can reach a neighboring town, in about twenty minutes one can get to the place of work, and it only takes a few minutes for one to get to the nearest grocery store. Voyages that could take place months to finish are now accomplished within a few hours by the use of the airplane. Some years ago, almost everything was analog. However, thanks to the invention of technology, almost everything currently is digitalized. The telecommunication industry has also greatly improved in this century. People are now able to communicate better by the use of mobile phones and radio services.

Technology has been a significant contributor to the globalization of our world. The advent of information technology has brought people to be closer to one another. In addition, it has enabled the worlds economy to function as one single independent system hence, people are able to transmit information faster and effectively. The obstacles that were posed by linguistics and geographic boundaries have not been able to withstand the fast advance in technological improvement. The world is now being referred to as a global village. This is because some nations, for example, Japan and Mozambique, which were separated from the rest of the world due to geographical constraints, are now reachable, thanks to technology.

It is important to note that if the society were absent, then there would be no technology in the world. This is why the invention of some machines has greatly benefitted the life of humans living in this planet (Haugen  Musser, 2007). It is difficult for the society to function properly if the industries currently present in this world were absent. Therefore, for a society to be complete, it requires technology for its well-being. The invention of the computers has brought many benefits to the lives of people. This milestone technological advancement has enabled people to advance in knowledge through gaining useful information that is essential in life. In our generation, it takes a few seconds to retrieve useful information from the internet. One is also able to send a message to a friend who might be living thousands of kilometers away just at the click of the mouse.

On the other hand, the efforts that people have made to apply science to suit the various needs of people living in this world has also been detrimental to the society (Hjorth et al., 2007). Technology has been cited has the major cause of various diseases that is currently affecting the lives of most people. These include, but not limited to, obesity, laziness, and improper personality development. Many people have been rendered jobless and others are worried because they lack adequate security at their workplaces due to technology. Privacy issues are now more rampant as more and more people are complaining. Some people have been obsessed so much with technology that they have become fatter and less healthy. This has been attributed to the increased use of personal automobiles that have made most individuals to reduce their frequency of doing outdoor activities such as walking and jogging.

The invention of smart phones and online gaming systems has negatively affected the well-being of the society. This is because most people nowadays prefer to stay at home and engage in few conversations with others. This addiction has impaired the social relationships among people (Anderson, 2009).Many people are currently immersed in a world of video games, instant messaging, and 3-D avatars where they simulate everyday life. This virtual world has allowed people to jog, marry, and have children.

Eventually, social isolation and serious cases of depression have been seen in most people. For example, in the U.S. alone, studies have found out that 5.3 percent of Americans suffer from depression because of a number of factors that include social isolation. Therefore, even though science can make our life to be more efficient, it is unable to take the place of human touch. Recently, sophisticated weapons have been created that are able to wreak havoc to the lives of people.  This has made people to die recklessly due to merciless use of these weapons. Moreover, some places on this planet have become so much contaminated such that no organism can survive there.

It is certain that technology can either impair or benefit the society. However, the current advance in technology has brought increased benefits to the society. From the period of the industrial revolution that took place during the eighteenth century, the world has experienced a fast advance in technological improvement. Even though the advent of technology has made life in this world easier and convenient, people should pay less attention to it. In order to avoid its disadvantages, it should be a lesser component of our existence, rather than the greater. This would ensure we have healthier and less lonely individuals living among us. Some people claim that as more advancement is made further into the frontier of technology, then the society is on the verge to self-destruction. This may occur slowly through the loss of culture and eventually a sense of self. As much as this may reflect the current situation, however, if we can limit technological progress, then will we be able to survive.