4. It
can be harmful for them. /It is an “anti-social act”.
Technology is the application of knowledge to production. Thanks
to modern technology, we have been able to increase greatly the efficiency of
our work force. New machines and new methods have helped cut down time and
expense while increasing overall output. This has meant more production and a
higher standard of living. For most of us in America, modern technology is
thought of as the reason why we can have cars and television sets. However,
technology has also increased the amount of food available to us, by means of
modern farming machinery and animal breeding techniques, and has extended our
life span via medical technology.
Will mankind continue to live longer and have a higher quality of
life? In large measure the answer depends on technology and our ability to use
it widely. If we keep making progress as we have over the past fifty years, the
answer is definitely yes. The advancement of technology depends upon research
and development, and the latest statistics (统计) show
that the united States is continuing to pump billions of dollars annually into
such efforts. So while we are running out of some scarce resources, we may well
find technological substitutes for many of them through our research programs.
Therefore, in the final analysis
the three major factors of production (land, labor and capital) are all
influenced by technology. When we need new skills on techniques in medicine,
people will start developing new technology to meet those needs. As equipment
proves to be slow or inefficient, new machines will be invented. Technology
responds to our needs in helping us maintain our standard of living.