The Concept of Technology
Technology is a system of tools and skills that allows humans to interact with their environment in a controlled way. It includes both tangible tools like utensils and machines, as well as intangible technologies such as software. It has greatly influenced the course of human history, from food production to the ways we communicate with one another.
The concept of Technology involves a wide range of disciplines, including the arts, science, engineering, and mathematics. It is also about how people use their tools to achieve goals and solve problems. Technology is a vital part of every society, as it provides the means to achieve important and often complex goals. It has shaped and reflected culture in the same way that language, ritual, values, commerce and art have.
It is also about the way people organize and prioritize information. For example, when digital cameras became available, many people switched to them, deprioritizing the analogue photography pathway with its inefficient but gratifying workflows and painstaking culture of physically retouching images in darkrooms for hours.
Lastly, Technology is about a way of thinking that allows us to use tools and resources in innovative ways to create new opportunities for ourselves, our communities, and our businesses. It is about how we can take advantage of the enormous amount of information that flows around us, enabling fine computerized decisions at minimal costs. It is about how we can use our technological tools to build the best possible futures for ourselves and our descendants.