What Is Technology
Essay by review • November 12, 2010 • Essay • 576 Words (3 Pages) • 1,269 Views
technology
Technology (Gr. τεχνολογια < τεχνη "craftsmanship" + λογος "word, reckoning" + the suffix ια) has more than one definition. One is the development and application of tools, machines, materials and processes that help to solve human problems. As a human activity, technology predates both science and engineering. It embodies the human knowledge of solving real problems in the design of standard tools, machines, materials or the process. Thus standardization of design is an essential feature of technology.
Science, Engineering and Technology
Science is the study of facts, phenomena etc. Engineering is the application of the knowledge learned scientifically to develop products. Technology is whatever application of scientific and engineering knowledge to achieve a practical result (see P. A. Roussel, K. N. Saad and T. J. Erickson: "Third Generation R&D", HBS Press 1991).
Example: Flow of electrons produces current; this is a fact or concept in science. When current is passed through a semiconductor device such as silicon or germanium, the mechanism is known as electronics. The production of an electronic device using the concept of electronics is known as electronics engineering. Computers are developed using electronics engineering. Using the computer to store digital information, processing it and sending it from one place to another through telecommunication equipments in a secure manner is information technology.
The term technology thus often characterizes inventions and gadgets using recently-discovered scientific principles and processes. However, even very old inventions such as the wheel exemplify technology.
Another definition -- used by economics -- sees technology as the current state of our knowledge of how to combine resources to produce desired products (and our knowledge of what can be produced). Thus, we can see technological change when our technical knowledge increases.
Technology in ideology
Generally, more recently-developed means "better" in regards to technology and engineering. For example, more recently-developed computers are faster than older computers, and more recently-developed cars have greater gas efficiency and more features than older cars.
The notion of appropriate technology, however, was developed in the twentieth century to describe situations where it was not desirable to use very
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