Technology

Technology is the use of knowledge to achieve practical goals, often in ways that can be repeated. It includes both physical tools like utensils and machines, and non-physical products like software. Technology is important in science, engineering, and everyday life.

Big changes in society have happened because of technology. The first known technology was the stone tool, used long before recorded history. Controlling fire helped human brains grow and led to the development of language during the Ice Age. The invention of the wheel in the Bronze Age made travel easier and allowed for more complex machines. More recent inventions like the printing press, telephone, and Internet have made communication easier and created a knowledge-based economy.

While technology helps economies grow and improves lives, it can also cause problems such as pollution, using up resources, and job losses from automation. Because of this, people continue to discuss the best ways to use technology and how to deal with its possible downsides.

Etymology

The word technology started in the early 1600s and meant "systematic treatment." It comes from the Greek word τέχνη (tékhnē), which means "craft" or "art."

In the 1800s, people in Europe began using words like Technik in German or technique in French to describe any "way of doing" something, like dancing or printing. Over time, especially with big scientific discoveries and industrial changes, the word technology came to mean using knowledge to solve problems and create useful things.

History

Main articles: History of technology and Timeline of historic inventions

Prehistoric

Main article: Prehistoric technology

People first made tools by watching and trying different things. About 2 million years ago, they started making stone tools by hitting pebbles to create sharp edges. This skill got better over time.

Fire was a very important discovery. It helped people cook food, which made it easier to digest and gave more nutrients. Fire also let people live in colder places.

During this time, people also made clothes from animal skins and built simple shelters. These helped them survive and move to new places.

Neolithic

Main article: Neolithic Revolution

Farming began around this time, which led to bigger communities. People started making better stone tools and built more permanent homes.

Writing was invented, which helped share knowledge and start libraries, schools, and science.

People learned to work with metals like copper and bronze, making stronger tools and weapons.

Ancient

Main article: Ancient technology

Humans found new ways to use energy, like sailing ships and using river floods for farming.

The wheel was invented around this time, which made travel and trade much easier. Wheeled carts could carry heavy loads, and the wheel was also used in making pottery.

Cities like Ur had paved streets and some homes had running water and toilets.

The Romans built many aqueducts to bring water to their cities over long distances.

Pre-modern

Main articles: Medieval technology and Renaissance technology

New inventions appeared, such as silk making, the horse collar, and simple machines like levers and pulleys. These were used in tools like wheelbarrows and windmills.

Universities spread knowledge, and the invention of the printing press helped share ideas widely.

Modern

Main articles: Industrial Revolution, Second Industrial Revolution, and Information Age

The Industrial Revolution began with steam power, leading to big changes in farming, factories, and transportation.

Later came new technologies like electricity, light bulbs, telephones, and airplanes.

The 20th century brought nuclear power, computers, and the Internet. Medicine improved with new scanning and treatment technologies.

Today, technology requires special training and has created many new jobs and fields of study.

Impact

Technology has been a big driver of economic growth over time. Humans have used new ways to make and use energy, which helped us do more things and live better lives. For example, fire let us cook more foods and made it easier to digest them. It also helped us make tools from metals like tin, copper, and iron for hunting and trading. Later, farming let people live in towns and cities, leading to bigger societies with armies and organized religions.

Technology has improved our lives in many ways, like making us richer, more comfortable, and healthier. But it can also cause problems, like pollution and unfair treatment of people.

In recent years, the internet and social media have become very important. They were once seen as ways to share knowledge and help democracy. But now, there are concerns about false information, extreme views, and unfair treatment of people.

Since the 1970s, people have worried about how technology affects the environment. This has led to more investment in clean energy like solar and wind power.

Technology has changed jobs throughout history. Machines have taken over some lower-paying jobs, but also created new, better-paying ones. With the rise of artificial intelligence, it's still unsure if it will create more jobs than it replaces. Some studies suggest it might lead to both job losses and gains.

As we rely more on technology, there are also concerns about security and privacy. For example, some criminals have used online tools to steal money. Governments are trying to crack down on these activities to protect people.

Technology can help or hurt the environment. Some technologies aim to reduce pollution and protect nature, while others increase pollution and harm the planet. For example, burning fossil fuels releases gases that warm the Earth, leading to climate change. Even ancient civilizations like the Inca Empire caused pollution through their metalworking.

Philosophy

Main article: Philosophy of technology

The philosophy of technology is a part of philosophy that looks at how we design and create things, and what those things mean for our lives. This area of study has grown a lot since the 1970s. It asks big questions about how technology affects society and culture.

At first, people thought technology was just a way to extend our bodies and minds. Some thinkers believed technology could help free people, while others worried it might control even those who use it. More recent ideas focus on how people can learn to live better with technology. Scholars also debate whether technology changes society on its own, or if society shapes how technology develops. Today, many experts study how technology, people, and culture all work together. Some critics feel that too much focus on technology can hurt other important parts of life.

Ethics

Main article: Ethics of technology

The ethics of technology looks at the good and bad sides of using new tools and inventions. It helps us think about how to use technology in ways that help people and don’t cause problems.

There are many important topics in technology ethics. These include questions about changing plants and animals with science, using robots in the military, making sure computers treat everyone fairly, and teaching machines to understand human values. Ethics in technology also covers topics like protecting privacy online, being fair in how we use computers, and thinking carefully about tiny parts of materials. Engineers also have a duty to make sure their work is safe and helpful.

Futures studies

Main article: Futures studies

Futures studies looks at how society and technology might change in the future. It helps us think about different possibilities and guides the development of new technologies with human values in mind. Researchers study past and present trends to make educated guesses about what might happen next. They use many tools, including surveys, modeling, statistics, and computer simulations, and sometimes get ideas from science fiction.

Existential risk

Main article: Global catastrophic risk

Some researchers study big dangers that could affect the whole world, like very powerful weapons, climate change, or new diseases. They work to find ways to protect against these risks. New technologies can sometimes create new dangers, but they can also help us solve problems, like protecting the Earth from space threats. It's important for leaders to think carefully about how technology might affect safety and well-being.

Emerging technologies

Main article: Emerging technologies

Emerging technologies are new tools and ideas that are still being developed and haven't become common yet. They include nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics, 3D printing, and blockchains.

In 2005, a thinker named Ray Kurzweil said the next big changes in technology would come from genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics. He thought robotics might be the most important of these. Genetic engineering could give us more control over living things. Some people worry this could lead to unfair treatment of others. Nanotechnology might let us work with tiny parts of matter, which could change how we live and even help fix health problems. Autonomous robots are getting better quickly and might take over jobs that are dangerous for people.

Some experts think that very smart computers, called artificial general intelligence, might become common by the year 2063. This could change many jobs and has people talking about new ways to teach computer science and share money more fairly, like universal basic income.

Movements

Main article: Appropriate technology

Some people in the 1960s did not like living in cities and wanted simpler, local, and sustainable ways to live. This idea later influenced some modern tech communities.

Main article: Technological utopianism

Some believe that technology can create a perfect world where everyone is happy and well-cared for. Ideas include ways to live longer, improve health, and even use technology to enhance human abilities. Movements like transhumanism support using science and technology to improve human life. Others think that very advanced machines might change the world in ways we can't even imagine today.

Technology has also caused some worry and disagreement. One early example is when workers lost jobs because machines could do their work faster. Some people feel that technology takes away from nature and freedom, leading to various movements that try to live simpler lives away from too much technology.

Relation to science and engineering

See also: Science and Engineering

Engineering helps us create new technologies. It involves solving problems with clear rules and limits. Technology is about doing things, while science is about understanding how things work. Some people think science helps create technology, but often technology is made through trying new things and fixing problems as they happen. For example, jet engines were created by testing and learning from mistakes, not just from scientific knowledge. Sometimes important discoveries happen by chance, like finding a medicine in a lab accident.

Today, technology often needs strong scientific knowledge. Over time, more new inventions are linked to scientific research. Inventions based on science are often more valuable than those that are not.

Other animal species

See also: Tool use by non-humans, structures built by animals, and ecosystem engineer

Many animals also use simple tools to help them survive. At one time, only humans were thought to use tools. But now we know that animals like chimpanzees, dolphins, and crows also use tools. For instance, chimpanzees have been seen using sticks to get food or leaves to drink water. Some chimpanzees in West Africa even use stones to crack open nuts. Beavers build dams with sticks and stones, which change the places where rivers flow and affect many other plants and animals.