Science Technology And Society

Science Technology and Society

Name

Affiliation

Date

Science Technology and Society

Power

Artifacts have politics, but it can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Some of the distinctions, which Winner has made within the concept of technological politics include the matter of nuclear and solar energy. The author is of the view that these energy sources can be utilized for the progress of the society, by creating alternative energy. On the other hand, the countries of the world use nuclear energy as their weapon against the other powers of the world. It is the demonstration of technological politics in the world. The power exercised by technology is different from other kinds of power that exist in society, such as laws, cultural values, or force because it has the more significant potential of harming the society, in the case of wrongful utilization. Moreover, the impact of technological politics are rapid, as well as long-lasting and irreversible in some instances as well (Winner, 1980).

Technology

Technological advancement is the leading source of the progress of any society. Technological rationality means that the technology is initially developed and implemented in the society on the rational basis, however, with the passage of time, the standard of rationality in the society changes, due to the implication of the technology. On the other hand, critical technology means the technology which is developed and implemented on the society, in order to ensure the betterment or progress of the society. The example of technological rationality and critical rationality is the labor movement which was initiated to advocate the rights of labor; however, it has now become a necessary organization of the society, guide and work for the rights of the labors. Marcuse is concerned about technological rationality because he thinks that technology is becoming authoritative and would control society. I agree with his concerns as human beings have become dependent upon the technology and show more obedience towards it. Technology rationality also exerts undue influence in the world today in the way that it is controlling different aspects of human life, and has become an inevitable part of human life. The technological rationality has created a race of making progress in the society, and each and every individual has to take part in it, irrespective of their willingness to do so, which exerts undue influence on them (Marcuse, 2004).

Science

Science is done by the people having specific identities and ideologies, as well as working at specific times in history to accomplish specific goals. The scientific knowledge is impartial, objective and apolitical. The objectivity of science is socially produced in the way that the society stresses on not letting the personal biases, subjectivity, personal interests and values of a person to impact the scientific research or procedure. It pays greater attention to the fact that it should be rational and objective and the scientist should not try to prove something by adding favors to the concept. The apparent objectivity of science shapes the social lives of scientific facts because they are based on truth and reality and not on the personal values or biases of some individual. Some of the thinkers have the issue with the way objectivity functions in the world because they are of the few that objectivity works on evidence and it is not possible to get the evidence of each and every concept. Sometimes, the evidence is made using the thought process and cognition of the individual who cannot be declared as objective. I agree with the critique because sometimes the thinkers and scientists have to change their method, in order to explore some concept (N.A, n.y).

References

Marcuse, H. (2004). Some social implications of modern technology. In Technology, war and fascism (pp. 59-86). Routledge.

N.A. (N.Y). Epistemological Conclusions from the Established History of a Concept.

Winner, L. (1980). Do artifacts have politics? Daedalus, 121-136.