Technology means a skillful system. The etymology of technology illuminates its meaning. Techne in Greek means art, craft or skill.
From this, Ancient Greeks derived the word technologia, which means a system. This word is made from techne plus logia.
Logia comes from logos with means both word and knowledge.From this, we get the English word technology.
The advantages of applying technology includes:
- Efficient: devices like computers, calculators and washing machines make our life more efficient.
- Communication: we can stay in touch with loved ones far and wide thanks to technology.
- Accurate: letting a computer do our calculations for us can make them faster and more accurate.
- Innovation: technology shows how wonderfully innovative the human mind can be.
- Entertainment: cinemas, DVDs and videogames keep us entertained.
- Educational: the internet has enabled us to access so much more knowledge.
- Life saving: medical technologies save lives every day.
The disadvantages of using technology includes:
- Dependence: dependent on technology, we may lose the ability for independent thought.
- Distraction: technological devices can distract us too much from the important things in life.
- Expensive: pressure to have the latest devices can leave us out of pocket.
- Error prone: devices that make decisions automatically, may make a ‘wrong’ decision due to a malfunction.
- Carbon footprints: many technological devices have very high carbon footprints.
Conclusion: Used wisely, technology is a wonderful thing.
Also read: Technology: Meaning, Merits and Demerits of Technology