Technology is a concept that is widely used in our society, yet its precise meaning remains somewhat elusive. Many people equate it with gadgetry and others think of technology in terms of scientific advancements, but its true meaning is much more complex than that.
In a broad sense, Technology refers to the tools, methods and systems that we use in our daily lives. Technology can be either useful or harmful and it is a critical aspect of human civilization. The development of technology involves an ongoing attempt to bring the world closer to how one wishes it to be. That process necessarily involves prioritizing certain paths while neglecting other ones.
It is also important to recognize that the act of making technology is not the same as problem-solving. In fact, most technological processes involve the deliberation of what counts as a satisfactory outcome to a particular “problem”. This decision-making is prior to and more fundamental than the calculation of different means to an end.
The most obvious benefit of technology is that it allows us to access a wealth of unlimited information and data in a matter of seconds from anywhere, irrespective of our location. This can help us satisfy our heightened curiosity and also enhance our knowledge base. It can also help us solve our day-to-day problems through online tools like e-commerce websites, calendar tools that let businesses take appointments with customers from their website and text-to-speech software that helps the visually impaired to follow along with written documents or emails.