What Is Technology?
Technology is the way humans creatively apply scientific knowledge to organized tasks involving people and machines that meet sustainable goals.
It is a broad concept that encompasses a wide range of activities and products. It includes everything from smart factories and 3D printers to electronic devices like computers, tablets, and phones to communication systems such as satellite networks and the internet.
Some of the most significant applications of technology are in areas such as education and healthcare. For example, using technology to teach and communicate with students makes classes more engaging and accessible. Furthermore, it enables them to have access to lectures and class materials at any time they want to review them. Similarly, the use of technology in hospitals helps doctors and medical staff to provide better care to patients by quickly analyzing their data for faster diagnosis and treatment.
The word technology comes from two Greek words: episteme and techne. Episteme refers to the knowledge of things, and techne refers to the knowledge of how to do or make something. The ancients then combined the two terms to form technologia, which later became the modern word technology.
Unlike science, which is concerned with necessity and universality, technology considers the contingencies of specific circumstances. This is why it often involves deliberation, not merely calculating the most efficient means toward an end that has already been determined. Joseph Dunne explains that a technologist ‘deliberates about what might count as an acceptable end to a particular case’, not just about how to get there from here.