Dependence on Technology Within The Concepts of Technical and Social Determinism

Introduction

Social determinism clarifies that innovation is controlled by cultural needs or the general public. On the other hand, technical determinism posits that technical logic determines technological artefacts, and in turn, these artefacts change or shape society. In short, technical determinism claims a machine has power over humans, while social determinism claims human beings have power over machines. Additionally, social determinism credits people with control over technology; that is, we have the hands that control the PC and the knowledge behind its innovation.

Dependence on Technology Within The Concepts of Technical and Social Determinism

The term "slave" is defined by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary as a person who is strongly influenced by something to the point that they cannot make individual decisions. To say human beings are slaves to technology is far-fetched because humans can make decisions on their own. For example, the first electric car was invented around 1890-91 by William Morrison. Combustion engine cars were still popular at that time, and even though this new technological concept had been developed with better characteristics compared to combustion engine cars, society stuck to the latter. Recently, electric cars have gained popularity because society has started to accommodate them; the need for them arose. This shows that human beings have a choice: to follow each new technology or not. Today, electric cars are the new trend, but not everyone buys or uses them, which demonstrates that humans have the final say on who uses technology.

Long-distance communication used to be difficult, but today it can be listed as one of the easiest things. Communication used to be via telegrams, and the number of words determined the amount one had to pay to have the message delivered. Over time, phones were invented, allowing messages to be sent and calls to be placed if both the recipient and sender were covered by the same cellphone towers. Communication outside cellphone towers resulted in extra charges, thus limiting our freedom to talk to our loved ones. The internet era began; nowadays, not only can one call, but they can also video call someone from a different continent without the duration determining the charge. Did this drastic change alter the way we live? Yes, it did, because we now have the freedom to contact our people. As people realized the power of the internet, the traditional 9-5 jobs could be done over the internet, usually referred to as "working from home," instead of showing up at the workplace. This proves that technology does have a significant role in the way we live.

Both technical and social determinists have one thing in common: they both address human needs. For example, a refrigerator evolved from the concept of electricity, and its purpose was to keep things cool. On the other hand, mankind wanted to preserve, using methods like drying, but the refrigerator did the same job of preserving, thus addressing a need and simultaneously changing a preservation method. This interplay showcases the mutual influence between humans and technology, where societal needs drive technological advancements and vice versa.

Conclusion

In conclusion, technicality and society will always have an interplay. We create tools, and tools make us who we are, but we still have a choice; just like today, some people still dry meat as a way of preserving it while having refrigerators. This illustrates that human beings are not slaves to machines; we made machines, we control them, and we acknowledge their role in our lives as they make our daily routines easier. At the end of the day, human consciousness will not worry about the latest technology but about who we love and trust.

References

• Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. (n.d.). Slave. In Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
• Kirsch, D. A. (2000). The Electric Vehicle and the Burden of History. Rutgers University Press.
• Standage, T. (1998). The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-line Pioneers. Walker & Company.