Chapter 1 Review Questions

Short Answer Questions

1. Explain Ellul’s concept of “technological society.”

2. Explain the three major scandals that have demonstrated the ethical problems associated with global social media sites like Facebook.

3. Explain the difference between scientific knowledge and technological knowledge.

4. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of Layton’s model of technology.

5. Explain how driverless cars operate. What are the technologies that come together to allow for automation?

6. Explain how a cellphone can be considered a wearable computing device.

7. What industries are most likely to be disrupted by automation and what are the social consequences of employing disruptive technologies in the workplace?

Essay Questions

1. Technology, as defined in the textbook, is “an assemblage of material objects, embodying and reflecting societal elements, such as knowledge, norms, and attitudes, that have been shaped and structured to serve social, political, cultural, and existential purposes.” Discuss the advantages of this approach to defining technology. (Note: Try to explain how this definition overcomes the weaknesses of previous definitions).

2. We have witnessed many developments in automation in the past century and automation is becoming a part of many domains of life. An area in which automation has come to play a key role is in manufacturing. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of automation in the workplace. Also consider if it is realistic to think that in the near future we will have fully automated workplaces?