Affects of Technology on Society This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

How has Technology Affected YOU? All Technology has a profound affect on all of us. Can you tell me the pros and cons of technology?

Technology is the basis of a society, and it affects all civilizations past, present, and future. Technology is like Newton's third law of motion, "For every action there is an opposite reaction. How does technology affect you and this classroom?

Technology has many benefits but at the same time it can have negative consequences. Technology affects our society significantly. For example one of the most advanced inventions is the computer. The computer might be considered the greatest invention ever (next to the telephone and light bulb) and we are constantly finding new ways to improve it. Computers influence many aspects of our lives, including: medicine, communications, mathematics, entertainment, business, agriculture, and all other sciences. How do you use computers today?

While computers are beneficial to us we depend on them too much; this makes us vulnerable to computer hackers who seek to destroy all we have created. What about inappropriate web sites? Chat rooms? These can also be negative. Have you ever heard of a story concerning computers that turned out to be negative?

We tend to think of inventions as modern gadgets, yet there are Stone Age innovations that we still use today. Think of inventions that still exsist in the 21st century. Some examples might be farming, cooking, games etc.

Velcro inventor George de Mestral wanted more stringent patent (excludes other from using invention for a period of time) laws. How would extending the life of a patent benefit inventors? What would be the affects on the rest of society? How would this affect drug manufacturers as we discussed in unit 1?

The cotton gin is a vivid example of how an invention can have positive (boosting the textile industry) and negative (creating a strong new economic incentive for owning slaves) effects on society. Are there other inventions that have (positive and negative aspects)? Some may include airplanes, automobiles, cell phones, computers, etc. Name the positive and negative of each of these inventions!!

Society pushes us to invent and innovate new products every day. We as a society demand more and better products all the time. Do we stop to look at the affect this has on us as a society and a nation. Stop and think about how technology effects you both positively and negatively every day.