Technological advances have shaped the human world from the invention of stone tools to the digital economy. With benefits including improved comfort, medical progress and faster access to information, technology is undeniably an integral part of our lives. However, it can also be a force of change with negative impacts such as disrupting social hierarchies, creating pollution and harming individuals. The debate about technology is not just whether it’s good or bad, but how to best manage its impact.
There are many ways to define what technology is, but most definitions tend to fall into a few categories. From a consumer point of view, it includes gadgets like mobile phones, the internet, computers and big TV’s. On a business or enterprise level, it often means IT (information technology) – computers, networks, servers and software. But it can also include the newer types of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality and the Internet of Things (IoT).
For the most part, technology is an invisible and pervasive presence in our everyday lives – we use it without thinking about it or even knowing that we are using it. Technology is also something that we tend to think about in broad terms and without a lot of specificity or nuance. This lack of detail can leave us thinking that technology is a kind of black box with some sort of magical properties. In fact, it is far more complicated than that – and understanding that nuance and complexity requires in-depth research to explore the full range of impacts of different technological developments in their contexts.
It’s important to remember that technology is not the same as science. While science focuses on necessity and universality, technology is about contingencies and contexts. This is why it can be difficult to understand how different technological developments have played out in the real world – and in the way that they create forces for change from unexpected places.
While there are plenty of obvious applications of technology, some less obvious examples include the way that children use animation and video editing software to express their creativity. Similarly, online platforms for storytelling and creative writing can encourage young people to develop their storytelling skills and imaginations.
Technology can also be used to help people with day-to-day tasks by simplifying them or speeding up their execution. For example, smart home assistants and chatbots can provide quick answers to basic questions, while software designed to improve productivity can reduce human error and make processes more efficient.
As the pace of technological advancement continues to accelerate, the need for detailed and nuanced research on its impacts has never been more important. Our understanding of the complexities involved in designing, deploying and refining technology has the potential to transform the way that we work, the way that we live and the way that we connect with each other. It could even help to solve some of our biggest global challenges.
