Is technology good or bad?

[ChristineM]

Transportation and industrial technologies that pollute the environment for example. Basically anything that produces carcinogens by definition causes cancer.

Ok, i see where you are going now. I mentioned Norman Borlaug in my post to @Revoltingest perhaps i should mention Thomas Midgley. He came up with the idea of lead in petrol to reduce knocking. A boon to motorists until quite recently. He is respinsible for millions of deaths and people are still dying from his work. Incidentally he was the guy who also came up with the idea of cfc's as a refidgerent.

It depends on what perspective you look at it from. In terms of quality of life for the average human today then you are certainly right.

It's been pretty terrible for non-human animals though.

Also depends on the degree to which you factor systemic ruin into the equation (nuclear war, massive environmental collapse, etc.). If everyone dies then that's a pretty big disadvantage. Millions of small improvements are more than negated by infinite harm.

From the perspective of 'is it better for me as of today?' pros very much beat the cons. From the perspective of 'has the likelihood of human extinction in the next 10,000 years increased or decreased', it has likely increased significantly.

Can't put the genie back in the bottle anyway, so it doesn't really matter one way or the other: it's just for fun.

Agreed that we are screwing the environment.

Humanity, life itself, is only fleeting in the timescale of the universe. Entropy will see to that, no technology required. If technology is used for the benefit of life it can continue longer than if technology is abused.

And possibly not in a good way

It will need to be a good way

 

[Thief]

Technology is a double edged sword

ah yes.....weapons and their consequences...….

Cain killed Abel …..with a rock
David and Goliath
Romans....generally speaking

all the way to the A-bomb

 

[viole]

Studies show the more we advance in technology, the lazier and dumber people get because they have to do less and think less. Since cell phones have became the next big thing, teenagers needing eye glasses has increased by 43%.
We have technology to mow lawns, paralell park our cars, give us directions, clean our houses, do our studies, do our work, raise our kids, baby sit our kids(give them a game and keep them occupied), etc.
Is it a good thing or bad thing?

Bad thing. I suggest next time you ask this question you use smoke signals.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Wu Wei]

Studies show the more we advance in technology, the lazier and dumber people get because they have to do less and think less. Since cell phones have became the next big thing, teenagers needing eye glasses has increased by 43%.
We have technology to mow lawns, paralell park our cars, give us directions, clean our houses, do our studies, do our work, raise our kids, baby sit our kids(give them a game and keep them occupied), etc.
Is it a good thing or bad thing?

Speaking as a Professional IT person....it depends on the day.... for the past 3 days it was bad......today.....so far...not so bad.

And there a good and bad bits to all technology; I hate what texting, twitter and web forums too have done to actually, live, face to face conversation and interaction. But I like the fact that if my kids have a problem they can get a hold of me when needed from just about anywhere. And I have had interactions with some folks on web forums that I would not have been able to have without technology...some of those great....some of those bloody awful.

Also love medical technology, because without it, I am pretty sure I'd be blind.

So good and bad

 

[Revoltingest]

There was (died 10 years ago) a guy called Norman Borlaug. An agromonist who uses genetic engineering to increase wheat yeild n drought prone countries.

He is credited with saving over a billion (yes billion) people from starvation.

A brilliant act until you realise that he has caused a 14% increase in the worlds population.

Technology is a double edged sword

Updating your metaphor....

 

[ChristineM]

Also love medical technology, because without it, I am pretty sure I'd be blind.

I know several people living good, productive lives who, without modern medical technology, would be dead by now... Including my husband.

 

[ChristineM]

Updating your metaphor....

Damn technology!!!

 

[Revoltingest]

Damn technology!!!

Of course, it would mitigate population growth.

 

[ChristineM]

Of course, it would mitigate population growth.

Only by 1

 

[Revoltingest]

Only by 1

It depends upon how many have sold.

 

[ChristineM]

It depends upon how many have sold.

I reckon that after the first, sales would plumet. Buy i am from the UK, maybe they do things differently on your side of the atlantic puddle.

Talking of UK, another problem, it is illegal to sell or own a hand gun. It would have to be mad in rifle format.

 

[Revoltingest]

I reckon that after the first, sales would plumet. Buy i am from the UK, maybe they do things differently on your side of the atlantic puddle.

Talking of UK, another problem, it is illegal to sell or own a hand gun. It would have to be mad in rifle format.

Be sure to hold it correctly.
Not like Obama...

 

[ChristineM]

Be sure to hold it correctly.
Not like Obama...

Methinks he was aiming at trump standing off the right of the picture

 

[Revoltingest]

Methinks he was aiming at trump standing off the right of the picture

I foresee difficulties with recoil & accuracy.

 

[ChristineM]

I foresee difficulties with recoil & accuracy.

Wouldnt know about recoil but accuracy is terrible, he missed

 

[We Never Know]

Since nobody has directly asked yet....

... citation/reference please?



Neither. It is (mis)use of technology that is good or bad, depending on one's personal/cultural values.

Here's a starting point for you

Do Cell Phones and Laptops Cause Nearsightedness?

 

[Wu Wei]

Only by 1

It depends upon how many have sold.

There different models too