Technology

Technology can be defined as the application of concept based knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way.

[1] The technology  can also be defined as the products resulting from such efforts.

[2][3] including both tangible tools such as utensils or machines  and intangible tools such as softwares.

 Technology plays a vital role in science, engineering, and everyday life.

Photo of technicians working on a steam turbine

A steam turbine with the case opened, an example of energy technology

Technological advancements have been led to significant changes in our society. The earliest known technology is the stone tool which is used during prehistoric times followed by the control of fire and it  contributed to the growth of the human brain and the development of language during the Ice Age. The invention of the wheel in the Bronze Age allowed greater travel and the creation of  complex machines. More recent technological inventions includes the printing press, telephone, and the Internet. These have lowered barriers to communication and ushered in the knowledge economy.

While technology contributes to the economic development and improves human prosperity but it can also have negative impacts including pollution and resource depletion.It can cause social harms like technological unemployment which results from automation. As a result, there are ongoing philosophical and political debates about the role and use of technology, the ethics of technology, and ways to mitigate its downsides.