THE BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY

There are four kinds of benefits that can be distinguished if one looks at its recent history
and considers its future:

1. Higher Living Standards. New drugs, better medical attention, and improved
sanitation and nutrition have more than doubled the average life span in industrial nations within
the past century. Machines have released us from much of the backbreaking labor that in
previous ages absorbed most of people's time and energy. The ancient dream of a life free from
famine and disease is beginning to be realized through technology. The standard of living of
low-income families in industrial societies has doubled in a generation, even though relative
incomes have changed little. Many people in developing nations now look on technology as their
principal source of hope.

2. Opportunity for Choice. Individual choice has a wider scope today than ever before
because technology has produced new options not previously available and a greater range of
products and services. Social and geographical mobility allow a greater choice of jobs and
locations. In an urban industrial society, a person's options are not as limited by parental or
community expectations as they were in a small-town agrarian society. The dynamism of
technology can liberate people from static and confining traditions to assume responsibility for
their own lives. Birth control techniques, for example, allow a couple to choose the size and
timing of their family.

3. More Leisure. Increases in productivity have led to shorter working hours. Computers
and automation hold the promise of eliminating much of the monotonous work typical of earlier
industrialism. Through most of history, leisure and cultural pursuits have been the privilege of
the few, while the mass of humanity was preoccupied with survival. In an wealthy society there
is time for continuing education, the arts, social service, sports, and participation in community
life. Technology can contribute to the enrichment of human life and the flowering of creativity.
Labor saving devices free us to do what machines cannot do. Proponents of this viewpoint say
that people can move behind materialism when their material needs are met.

4. Improved Communications. With new forms of transportation, one can in a few

hours travel to distant cities that once took months to reach. With electronic technologies (radio,
television, computer networks, and so on), the speed, range, and scope of communication have
vastly increased. The combination of visual images and auditory message have an immediacy
not found in the linear sequence of the printed words in newspapers. These new media offer the
possibility of instant worldwide communication, greater interaction, understanding, and mutual
appreciation in the “global village.” At present, through the different social network sites, citizens
could already participate in an instant debate on political issues or any other issues they may
feel they are involve. Technology brings psychological and social benefits as well as material
progress.

Science and Technology and the Good Life

Science and Technology also takes part on the achievement of a good life. Today, we
cannot expect our life without science and technology revolving around it every single
second. Science and technology are extremely essential in our everyday life as they have made
things more simple, fast and secured. They are the means that provide us with ways and
objects that help us live a better life. As discussed, you can list as many as possible benefits of
science and technology to humans helping us live a good life. Technology provides us
higher living
standards, opportunity for choices, more leisure and improved communications, all of which
leading humans to an easier and enjoyable life. With all these, let us remember to not depend
on these too much, maximize its use but not abuse it, as it pose not just advantages but also
harms to human race.

Lesson 6: When Technology and Humanity Cross

COURSE MATERIAL

Our world is entering a period of truly transformative change where many of us will be
surprised by the scale and pace of developments we simply hadn’t anticipated. These
exponential technological advances offer tremendous potential, and with these opportunities
come tremendous new responsibilities. It is a big challenge for us humans to embrace these
changes brought by science and technology together without losing our own humanity. This is
true especially to digital technology where changes are so abrupt that sometimes it already
threatens humanity.

“Technology” came from the Greek words techne which means art, and logos which
means word. This makes technology a discourse on arts. It was in the 17th century when the
concept was only used to talk about the arts or applied arts. Then, the use of tool and machine
was attached to the concept of technology. Nowadays, most people live with great reliance to
the different technological advancements. We cannot deny the fact that technology is already
inevitable part of the society. Technology today does not only bring convenience but also
pleasure and happiness. It keeps on progressing due to ever-progressing mind of mankind, but
it is still important to note that “anything too much is bad.” Various ethical dilemmas have been
identified throughout time involving technology mostly when misused. People responsible for
the technology lay the dilemmas for the public to see and realize what they are in for.

Technological Devices and the Role they play in the Philippine Society

Television
In the late 1800s, a German student Paul Gottlieb Nipkow was successful in sending
images through wires with the aid of rotating disk, the invention was called “Electric telescope.”
In 1907, two inventors, Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton an English scientist and Boris Rosing,
a Russian scientist, created a new system of TV using cathode ray tubes in addition to
mechanical scanner system. This gave rise to two types of television systems, mechanical and
electronic television. Several experiments done by different scientist before they have achieved
the modern day television we have now. According to Kantar Media, 92 % of urban homes and
70 % of rural homes own at least 1 television set. Most of the time, Filipinos watch television
shows during their free time or anytime of the day.
Television nowadays is mainly used as platform for advertisements and information
dissemination. It also serves as recreational activity, good stress reliever and a good way to
bond with the family members. It can also be a platform to different propagandas and
advocacies. The Department of Education even announced that in the new normal in education,
they will utilize television for educational purposes, though, there were educational shows even
before 1980s and 1990s.

Mobile Phones
Martin Cooper, a senior engineer of Motorola made the first mobile phone call on April 3,
1973 with his Motorola DynaTAC 8000X model. Initially, this kind of device weighs 1.1
kilograms,
and it was capable of 30 minute talk time, but 10 hours charging time. Filipinos love to use their
mobile phones anywhere, anytime. More than half of the Filipino Population own at least one
mobile phone. Survey results showed that one in every three Filipinos cannot live without a
mobile phone.
Primarily, mobile phones are used for communication such as texting or calling.
Additional features of mobile phones or smart phones enable its use for: surfing the internet,
take pictures, send graphic messages, online gaming, stores music, data, videos, and many
others, it is like an all-in-one device. In the new normal, mobile phones are avenue for learning,
online classes can be done with the use of mobile phone. Aside from its many uses, mobile
phones are very portable and can fit in the pocket or small bag.

Personal Computers and Laptops

Between 1833 and 1871, Charles Babbage, an English Mathematics professor,
conceived and designed the, Analytical Engine which was used as the basic framework of the
computers, resembling today’s modern machines. The computer design before was so big that
occupies the whole floor of buildings. Generations of engineers and scientists developed the
much smaller versions of the computer, until they developed the portable Laptops. The first
laptop was invented by Adam Osborne in 1981. Survey says that, Filipino families own more
than one, or at least one computer or laptop. In line with the growing number of computer and
laptop sales, there has been growing number of internet users in the Philippines and one of the
highest digital population in the world.

Although almost all functions of this device are also available in mobile phones, a lot of
people prefer to do their job using either a personal computer or laptop. The advantages in
using of this bigger gadgets includes: wide screens, keyboard, availability of mouse and
touchpad thus easier to maneuver, and bigger data storage components. Online class will be
more convenient if personal computer or laptop will be used.

Ethical Dilemmas we face with this technological advancements

People become lazy and unhealthy. People tend to use the technology in everything that they
do, from washing the clothes, doing the dishes, cleaning the house and many others. They tend
to be in front of their gadget practically most of the time. Just push few buttons, or clicks on their
mouse can do the task, without exerting much effort or stretching a muscle. They become overly
dependent on technology. They have the tendency to be unaware of the time because they are
engrossed with the use of technological devices, and skip meals. Kids of this generation are
easily annoyed or get mad when disturbed when using gadget. Some individuals experience
alienation, because they no longer get out to mingle with other people.

Moral Dilemma

People especially children are freely exposed to different things on their devices who are
not capable yet of deciding what is right or wrong. So everything they see on the internet may
appear for them as normal and good. Children become vulnerable to character change due to
exposure to violence in some videos and games, and this greatly affect how they view the
world.

Ethics of Responsibility

Ethics is defined as moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting
of an activity. People called for ethics of technology to protect mankind from ethical dilemma.
Technological devices somewhat unethical because they bring undesirable consequences to
people. Ethics of responsibility is an appropriate theory that can be used to these dilemmas.
Ethics of responsibility focuses on the positive rather than the negative. Instead of asking “What
is not to be allowed?” Ask “What is to be allowed?”

TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY

According to the article written by Gerd Leonhard in his book Technology VS Humanity,
technology has become: (1) exponential,(2) combinatorial and (3) recursive. It continue to
grow exponentially most of the time through modification, improvement and combination of
existing technology and other times through recursive or self sustaining, self amplifying
improvements. We are said to be at a crucial junction, and we must act with much greater
foresight, with a decidedly more holistic view, and with much stronger stewardship as we
unleash technologies that could end up having infinitely more power over us than we could ever
.
According to him, we can still find a balanced way forward that will allow us to embrace
technology but not become technology, to use it as a tool and not as a purpose. To safeguard
humanity’s future, we must invest as much energy in furthering humanity as we do in developing
technology. Let us also believe that if we want a world that remains a good place for humans,
with all our imperfections and inefficiencies, we must put significant resources (monetary and
otherwise) into defining what a new kind of humanism may actually entail. It will not be enough
to just invest into the technologies that promise to make us superhuman—as we will soon ride
on the shoulders of machines whose workings we don’t even understand any more. If we don’t
become more proactive on these issues, an exponential, unfettered, and uncontrolled
intelligence explosion in robotics, AI, bioengineering, and genetics will eventually lead to a
systematic disregard of the basic principles of human existence, because technology does not
have ethics—but a society without ethics is doomed.

You will probably agree that technology has already entered our daily lives to such a high
degree that most of us cannot live without it. Let us work hand in hand, to retain our humanity,
with all the attributes, values, virtues, and thoughts that we have while enjoying what technology
offers.

Readings: Tech’s Ethical Dilemma by Joanna Ngai January 23, 2019.

Retrieved from: https://medium.com/swlh/techs-ethical-dilemma-f6eda95faa9a
Technology Ethics: Definition, Dilemmas and Examples.
Retrieved from: https://superhumantalks.com/technology-ethics/
A Relationship between Technology and Ethics; From Society to Schools
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ816485.pdf
Gerd Leonhard’s Technology vs.Humanity book Retrieved from www.techopedia.com/definition
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zd726yc/revision/1

Robotics and Humanity

ROBOT – is an actuated mechanism programmable in two or more axes with degree of

autonomy, moving within its environment, to perform intended task

Types of Robot

1. Pre-programmed Robots – operated in a controlled environment where they do

simple, monotonous tasks. Ex. Mechanical arm on an assembly line, like to weld a door
on, to insert a certain part into the engine, etc. – and its jobis to perform that task longer,
faster and more efficiently than a human.
2. Humanoid Robots – robots that look like and /or mimic human behavior. These robots
usually perform human-like activities like walking, carrying objects, etc., and are
sometimes designed to look like us, even having human face expression. Ex. Hanson
Robotics’ Sophia and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas.
3. Autonomous Robot – operated independently of human operators, usually designed to
carry out tasks in open environments that do not require human supervision. Ex.
Roomba vacuum cleaner, which uses sensors to roam throughout a home freely
4. Teleoperated Robot - mechanical bots controlled by humans. These usually work in extreme
geographical conditions, weather, circumstances, etc. Ex. Human-controlled submarines
used to fix underwater pipe leaks, or drones used to detect landmines on a battlefield
5. Augmenting Robot – either enhance current human capabilities or replace the lost human
capabilities. Ex. Prosthetic limbs

Roles played by Robots

1. Used to ease the workload of mankind, make life more efficient and less stressful
2. Perform more complicated tasks which human beings are not capable of doing
3. Perform simplest tasks at home so their masters can perform the complex ones
4. Perform activities to entertain people
5. Made to serve as toys

Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics

Isaac Asimov in 1940s wrote a series of stories on robots, and formulated the Laws of
Robotics in his novel, which states:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to
harm
2. A robot must obey the orders given It by human beings except where such orders would
conflict with the first Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the
First and the Second Law.

Ethical Dilemmas faced by Robotics

Safety. Who should be held accountable if someone’s safety is compromised by a robot? The
agent of the robot or the maker/inventor?
Emotional component. Technology is fast progressing, and it is not possible for robots to develop
emotions.
What if the robots become sentient? Should they be granted robots rights?

Readings:
Robotics
Retrieved from: https://builtin.com/robotics

Is Google Making Us Stupid? By Nicholas Carr 2008 Retrieved from:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/
ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT:

Activity 1. Collect at least 5 packaging of foods with Nutri Facts. Accomplish the table below.
1 2 3 4 5
Name of product
Amount per pack
Serving size
Amount of sugar in
grams
Amount of sodium
in milligrams
Unknown/unfamiliar
ingredient/s

Questions:
1. Do you usually read the Nutrition facts of the food labels?
2. Did you expect that the products contain that amount of sugars?
3. Why do you think is the importance of reading the label of the food products?
4. What will happen if you eat too much salty and sugary foods?
5. What are the terms used in some food labels, use to hide the presence of sugars in
their products?
6. What are the diseases that one can acquire in consuming too sugary foods?
7. Why would manufacturers use too much sugar in their products?

You can also Watch the documentary then answer the questions below.
The Secrets of sugar the Fifth Estate CBC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxYI8QdfJ7g&t=1157s

Activity 2: Reflection Questions

1. Aside from TV’s, Cellphones and computers, identify two digital technology that we
observe to continuously improve throughout the time.
2. How can you retain all the good traits and values that you have while enjoying
technology?