The Meaning of Progress – Understanding Technology
Technology can be simply knowledge on how to do stuff. Computers are good examples of technology embedding. This allows others to use the machinery without actually knowing how they function. They are sometimes called computer technology systems. The simplest form of technology is their creation and usage of basic technological tools.
There are several different categories under which technological tools fall. For instance, there are technologies that deal with energy, information and communication, transportation, and even manufacturing. Technologies can be categorized further. Two examples are digital technology and computer technology.
Digital technology refers to digital information systems. Digital information can be in the form of electronic or non-electronic data stored on a computer. This is stored in one or more memory devices. There are different ways in which information is stored. One example files on a hard drive. Other examples are text or binary codes stored on chips.
Computer technology is another form of technological embedding. This is evident in computer software and hardware. The way in which information is encoded and stored is done using different forms of technology. Examples of these include memory, hard drive memory, random access memory, etc.
On the other hand, information technology pertains to the field of technological systems used to create and utilize tools and equipment. Examples of this category are manufacturing, industrial arts, healthcare, etc. These categories also encompass subcategories such as information technology. The term technology has several different meanings, depending on the context in which it is used.
Another way of looking at technology is through the lens of scientific investigation. Scientific investigation is basically a process whereby scientists to test theories and hypothesis. Once they have succeeded in proving a theory, they can then support it by performing experiments to prove that hypothesis. Once these experiments are concluded, the findings are recorded and shared amongst the scientific community. This helps to prove or disprove theories and help to solve problems.
Technology in this context does not pertain to what people do with technology for practical purposes only. It also encompasses what people do with scientific knowledge, both knowledge derived from science and knowledge which are unadulterated. For instance, scientific knowledge like gravity, electricity, etc. is not able to be applied practically because we do not yet have the scientific knowledge to directly manipulate all of the forces that are affecting it.
However, if we are able to directly manipulate gravity, for instance, then we could indeed solve many practical aims in the future. Science has the power to help us solve many practical aims because it is a discipline that has grown over the years through the accumulation of accumulated scientific knowledge. Therefore, technology is neither here nor there; it is a part of our common past and future. It is a means to an end, and the end goal is always to reproduce the species. In short, technology is nothing other than the human mind using technology to solve practical aims.
The problem with the scientific method is that it is limited by its own presuppositions and limitations. For instance, in physics, you cannot use energy to solve mechanical problems. To move from one place to another, you must apply force. So, in the light of this, it can be concluded that knowledge which is produced by means of physical processes is more superior than knowledge which is produced by means of the scientific method.
This is the reason why technological systems have been developed to circumvent these limits. The limitations of the scientific method are solved by the technological systems. Therefore, the development of technological systems and the subsequent adaptation of those technological systems to current circumstances are key factors behind the achievement of great technological progress. This is why many consider that the real meaning of progress is not in the technological systems per se but in the progress of humanity as a whole.
There are two main theories on the subject of technology. The first one is that technology is nothing more than techniques and tools for increasing efficiency. According to this theory, technological systems are designed to improve the rate of productivity and to create new sources of wealth. The second theory is that technological systems are artifacts of culture and society. According to this theory, technological systems affect people through social norms. These cultural and social norms shape how knowledge is produced and how it is distributed.
Unfortunately, both of these theories are problematic. For instance, the first argument suggests that technology has actually been the cause of economic development. On the other hand, technology is neither the cause nor the solution to the problem of scarcity. Hence, the debate continues.