Essay/Term paper: Technology in our society

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Internet

Technology In Our Society

No doubt, technology is increasingly important in the modern world. It is
amazing how fast technology has been developed. Nearly every major advance was
invented in the last century. These invention are always planned for a positive
result, however the negative effects often do not become apparent until after
the event. These effects will be deal in the following paragraphs with related
materials.

The text, "Whose Life is it Anyway?", by Brian Clark, has clearly illustrated
that with the development of medical technology, people can now have a better
quality of life. Moreover, many lives which normally would not survive without
the advance in medical treatment can now be artificially prolonged. The central
character, Ken Harrison, who becomes a quadriplegic after a car accident, has
met this situation. Nevertheless, it is cruel to ask him to face this life if he
does not desire to. He can no longer sculpt, run, move, kiss or have any form of
sexual fulfillment. Obviously, his normal life has drifted away. The tendency to
sustain people's lives, just because the technology is available, is intolerance
under certain circumstances. It is the individual patient who must make a
decision about whether to keep himself alive. "What is the point of prolonging a
person's biological life if it is obtained at the cost of a serious assault on
that person's liberty?" There is probably no simple answer for this question.
Any patient's decision should be respected, not based on the fact of all
available technologies. This medical technology has the potential for both good
and bad results. However, it is very important in today's society.

"Insurance in the Genes" is a piece of valuable material which explores another
area in the technological field. Nowadays, genetic engineering essentially plays
an important role. Genetic testing can predict a person's biological use-by date,
forecasting everything from heart attacks to breast cancer. People can therefore
have a basic concept of their health situation and prevent what is going to
happen if technology allows them to know this beforehand. "Up until now, only 50
genetic tests have been developed to detect diseases. But within a decade, there
will be tests for 5000 diseases." It is a remarkable increase. In the near
future, hopefully, genetic testing will be employed to reveal potential health
risks. It is a positive effect of technology in the modern world.

Another useful source for the effects of technology in our world is the
documentary. On 23 April 1996, SBS broadcasted a film entitled "Weapon: A Battle
for Humanity". It recorded that landmines and laser weapons are devils.
Evidently, mines do not just shatter individual lives, they also shatter whole
communities. In World War II, mines were used to be defensive weapons. However,
they do not just only kill soldiers, but also farmers farming, children playing
and women collecting food. People in the past or even now have complained about
their existence.

Laser weapons have been abused in military field. Militarism plans to install
these weapons in war. Their power have been recognized that under a certain
condition, laser weapons can result in losing sight. No medical science today
can actually give sight back.

Weapons should only be objects of defense. However, because of the advance of
technology, they have become more and more powerful. Scientists clearly know
that misusing weapons will result in deaths, but they are still working towards
more powerful weapons which can result in even more death. Why is this? Weapons
lead to homelessness, disasters, sacrifices and death. This study of the
development of landmines and laser weapons shows that technology can be used for
destructive and immoral reasons. It is shocking to know that the USA, a peaceful
nation and a member of the United Nations, has spent more than two-thirds of its
research and development finance on military projects in the 1980s.

My personal experience has inspired in me a lot of understanding of this issue.
In today's society, communication and transport are significant features. Over
the last decade, their developments in technology are rapidly increasing. People
who want to go to other countries can travel by airplane; and people who want to
communicate with friends overseas can use the telephone, fax or Internet. Not
only in Australia, but also in other developing countries, Internet has become
more and more common. With the use of Internet, I can now travel all over the
world without stepping out of my door. Most importantly, a large amount of money
is saved and having Internet is important to me. Internet has taken
communication a further step: all information is totally accessible to any who
owns this form of technology. It opens up a new international community which is
positive and should lead to a peaceful modern world.

So in this world today, technology is perhaps the most important driving force
of our society, creating dilemmas concerning life and death, changing nature
with genetic engineering, developing such immoral weapons and the instant
advantages of using Internet.