Technology and Society

The accomplishments of the 20th century are revolutionizing science and technology in the 21st century. In the last decade alone the global society has experienced an explosion of knowledge in science, engineering, medicine, and technology. As a result, the world seems to be reinventing itself faster than ever. It took the Industrial Revolution two hundred years to make the world, but it took the Electronic Revolution only seventy years to remake it. With the speed of technological change seen so far in the 21st century, from biotechnology to nanotechnology, the reinvention process may even be faster still. The changes brought about by technology will lead to a significant impact on society. The stakeholders, policy shapers, and decision makers of the future need to be educated about the social implications of technology so that they can guide society to the appropriate uses of technology, alert society to technological failures, and provide a vision to society in helping to solve societal problems in a wise and humane manner.