Write a 4 page essay on Evaluating Technology.Download file to see previous pages... We do recognize that we live in a consumer society and still feel pleased at our options, at new offers of new tech

Write a 4 page essay on Evaluating Technology.

We do recognize that we live in a consumer society and still feel pleased at our options, at new offers of new technologies, at our psychology based on desire to satisfy basic physical needs. One will be surprised to find out that whatever we think is naturally a part of our consciousness and our lifestyle has been meticulously planned and put into action. Through the use of technology, people have become the objects of state control, which is well illustrated in the works of Skinner, Huxley, and Brzezinski who explore the problem from different perspectives. Skinner, a well-known American psychologist, published his seminal book “Beyond Freedom and Dignity” back in 1971. The basic idea was to promote cultural engineering, which is modeling the people’s behavior, population, even pollution rates with the help of philosophy of science and the domination of technology in shaping human behavior. To Skinner, a happier society may be built through behavior modification by scientific approaches. This view is rooted in his denial of the relevance of the free will concept and the concept of dignity as human autonomy. Skinner defies the classical theories of human freedom and dignity as the one that are outdated for the “modern scientific understanding of Man” (Skinner). ...

Specifically, the laws of stimulus and response play an important role here, which were discovered on experiments with rats. Skinner raises the question of humans belonging to the animal class to such extent that he argues that “human mind”, “inner personality” as well as any sorts of responsibility do not really exist but just “seem” to. In the issue of behavior control, Skinner deemed punishment to be ineffective, instead boosting motivation and using reinforcement are effective approaches. Having significantly reduced the problem interpretation to behaviorist agenda, Skinner sees culture as a collection of human behaviors plus practices. Hence, the evolution of culture is viewed as “a gigantic effort of self-control” (Skinner), which may be realized through mechanical models of behavior. Huxley’s “Brave New World”, which he published in 1932, also focuses on the role of science and technology in exerting control over human behavior. Similarly to Skinner’s work, the book focuses on how human society is modified through the extensive use of technology which is perfected through science. However, Huxley’s view in “Brave New World” is critical of technologies use. Specifically, his major implication seems to be the danger of empowering the state with new technologies since the state is likely to use them for modifying human lives so that humans are easy to control. This is done through leaving humans deprived of truth and supplied with a fake, technologically modified notion of happiness. To illustrate how state ruthlessly controls the society one may pick up an example from the book when rigid control via medical intervention and with the help of latest technology is done of the human reproductive function.