Science, Engineering, Technology, and Society

Posted: October 17th, 2013

Science, Engineering, Technology, and Society

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Science, Engineering, Technology, and Society

Science

With regard to this type of knowledge activity, the field of study involves the human attempt to establish an informed understanding of the natural world. The natural world in this case may involve for example volcanoes, plants, atoms, or gravity. The attempt to establish this understanding may or may not be driven with the intent of practically applying the knowledge attained. The main idea behind this field of study involves discovering facts and relationships and thereafter formulating theories to support those facts and relationships.

Technology

            My understanding on this faculty declares that technology involves the human attempt to make the world a better place for the entire society. Primarily, this involves the creation of products designed with the capability of easing the burden of executing certain tasks for people (McGinn, 2001). A good example of technology is machinery or electronics. Technology is composed of tools for creating the intended product, the technique to create that product, and the procedures incorporated with the knowledge from scientific facts and relationships.

Science and Technology Relationship

Through science, humans explore with an objective of establishing facts and relationships to develop knowledge. Technology on the other hand, humans engage in explorative endeavors with a view of creating a useful product. The relationship between these two schools of thought is that science formulates facts and relationships that are in turn implemented by technology for the creation of useful products. Therefore, science facilitates technology. Take for example medicine and biology, which is a form of science. According to McGinn (2001), medicine and biology aim at investigating on the behavior of various causes of sicknesses and establishes facts and relationships of these sicknesses. Technology then steps in to implement these facts and relationships to create ways of relieving those sicknesses.

Science can be viewed as the driving force behind technology. To support this statement, it is through scientific breakthroughs that new technology is made possible. Through another supporting example, engineers wholly rely on science when they produce or manufacture new products. Take for example construction workers who erect buildings or bridges to better our lives. Engineers implement the use of the scientific rule on center of gravity of an object in the construction field. To ensure that the erected construction remains stable, science determines the best position to construct support devices to the construction through the concept of center of gravity (McGinn, 2001). Additionally, through scientific chemistry, the constituents required to construct roads with tarmac. Engineers in turn implement this knowledge when constructing roads.

However, technology also plays an important role in facilitating scientific breakthroughs. For example, scientific research in the lab cannot be performed without certain tools and equipment. It is through technology that these tools and equipment are produced. Chemicals and others solutions for research are manufactured through machinery produced by technology. In biology for example, technology came up with the microscope to facilitate scientific research on matter not visible to the human eye. Restivo (2005), states that our society has seen scientists travel beyond the moon and other planets in search for a better understanding of the universe. However, for the humans who volunteer to go on these voyages, the implications dictate a very risky experience. However, it is through technology that NASA was recently able to make a humanoid robot to go on these voyages.

In the above example, human life is not compromised because the robot is capable of thriving in environments that would prove dangerous and risky to human voyagers. The humanoid robot is designed to make these outer space voyages and carry out the intended research on the respective destination planet. In the above example, technology can be said to have facilitated scientific research for further gaining of knowledge.

Science and technology are unique from each mainly in terms of their nature. The main idea behind this field of study involves discovering facts and relationships and thereafter formulating theories to support those facts and relationships. The knowledge gained from this research represents answers to existing questions of the natural world. This knowledge will either facilitate practical application or satisfy man’s curiosity. In comparison, technology is unique from science from science in a different way. Technology entails the creation of new products designed with the capability of easing the burden of executing certain tasks for people to (McGinn, 2001)

Conclusion

We live in a world that is under constant change and progress. Man is an insatiable being who will continuously strive to make his limited life on earth a better experience. It is through science and research that he is able to investigate various fields to valuable knowledge on how the processes in nature work and relate to each other. Thereafter, he applies the knowledge he has gained through technology to finally create products to either act as solutions to existing problems or facilitate scientific research. Therefore, information gained from science is a driving force to technology and similarly, technology in other ways acts as a driving force to science. Simply put sciences drives technology and technology drives science through a form of mutual existence (Restivo, 2005).

Reference

McGinn, R. E. (2001). Science, technology, and society. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall.

Restivo, S. P. (2005). Science, technology, and society: An encyclopedia. Oxford: Oxford University Press.