Technological progress has created numerous benefits, improving the quality of human life. What is known for a fact is that technological progress is unstoppable and inevitable as humanity has been using the results of technology for so long that it is hard to imagine the life without it. However, the dubious nature of technological advances has become a topic of debate for many years as the development of physical, biological, and digital technologies created both benefits and risks.
One of the main advantages of the elaboration of technology is the advancement of medicine. It has increased life expectancy and made it possible to treat deadly diseases. For example, the improvement of microcopy gave humans the possibility to study germs and biological molecules such as DNA. The discovery of laser enabled its usage in medicine for eye and heart surgeries (“Lasers: The light fantastic!” n.d.). Through the use of technology, scientists are now able to conduct researches on life-threatening diseases and provide vaccines to treat them. However, there is the opposite side of the coin. The same discoveries used to improve human life are utilized for its destruction. Lasers, for instance, are used to produce bombs and missiles. Laser guns are widely implemented by the military and terrorists to kill other people (“Lasers: The light fantastic!” n.d.). Moreover, lab technologies are also used to create deadly viruses as a biological weapon to harm humanity. Thus, technological advancement creates a vicious circle as tools meant to benefit people are the same ones that can bring destruction when exploited with damaging purposes.
The mechanization of goods production, the improvement of means of transportations and simplification of communication has made human life much more comfortable and full of possibilities. Notably, the invention of the steam engine has taken the industrialization to ultimately another level of technological progress (“The steam engine powers a revolution” n.d.). The discovery of mechanization has increased productivity in factories and farms. Transportation development enabled moving from one side of the planet to another to become a matter of hours. It made people’s lives easier and provided great possibilities for both industrialization and commercial development. Modern digital technologies have connected people around the world, improving communication through social media.
Indeed, machines have facilitated the life of a human, however, men misuse it causing an irrevocable effect on the environment. Such problems as air and water pollution, together with deforestation, caused a lot of destruction to the planet (“The steam engine powers a revolution” n.d.). Introducing excessive quantities of gases to the atmosphere of the planet has contributed to global warming as well as to the negative impact on human health. Contamination of water has led to the extermination of the ecosystem and the development of contagious diseases. Indeed, what people considered to be welfare has become the means of destruction of both the planet and people.
Ironically, humanity now stands on the edge of destroying themselves with the dangers of their own creation. Technological advancement will always be a double-edged sword. However, it is in the power of humans to create new approaches to its management in order to minimize its destructive edge and use it for righteous purposes. Correct implementation of technological progress is what people should focus on to preserve the planet.
References
Lasers: The light fantastic! (n.d.). [Lecture notes], pp. 80-81.
The steam engine powers a revolution (n.d.). [Lecture notes], pp. 82-83.