Troublesome Evaluation of Technological Innovations. Balancing Between a Blessing and a Bane of the Technological Progress

Wiesław Sztumski


Silesian University, Katowice, Poland (Poland)


Abstract

Technological innovations are the driving force of the technological progress. They must be multiplied and accelerated so that people could live, the humanity be preserved, to survive in a world full of threats, to develop people, to improve the standards of living and to satisfy ever growing needs. For this reason, we assess them favorably. On the other hand, however, there are certain disadvantages because they generate different and serious threats to people and the natural and social environments. This includes nuclear, chemical, biological, psychological and information weapons, as well as robotics, use of pesticides, genetic engineering, and interference of techniques in the consciousness and the sub-consciousness of men. Certain threats manifest immediately and others – after a long time, like ticking time bombs. Therefore, the evaluation of innovation is very troublesome. It is also problematic and ambivalent because of the huge diversity of people who make the assessment.


Keywords:

technology, civilization, progress, evaluation, mankind

BLOCH E., 1954, Das Prinzip der Hoffnung, Suhrkamp, Berlin.
  Google Scholar

DOMINICZAK M., 2017, Księga mądrości, http://booklikes.com/ksiega-madrosci-maciej-dominiczak/book (11.01.2017).
  Google Scholar

HUBBARD E., HUBBARD B., 1946, The Philosophy of Elbert Hubbard, H. Wise & Co., New York.
  Google Scholar

LADOU J. et al., 2010, The Case of Global Ban on Asbestos, in: Environmental Health Perspectives July.
  Google Scholar

NOWACKI W., 1983, Civilization and Logic: the Law of Inversely Proportional Stupidity, Forest Hills, NOW Mail Order Books, New York.
  Google Scholar

POSTREL V., 1998, The Future and Its Enemies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprise and Progress, Free Press, New York.
  Google Scholar

STEELE B., 2005, Researchers build a robot that can reproduce, in: Cornell Chronicle, May.
  Google Scholar

SZTUMSKI W., 2011, Jeszcze jeden kodeks etyczny? Rzecz o kulturze zakazów, in: Sprawy Nauki No 11.
  Google Scholar

SZTUMSKI W., 2009, The Mythology of Sustainable Development, in: Problemy Ekorozwoju/ Problems of Sustainable Development, vol. 4, no 2.
  Google Scholar

UNGER S.H., 2014, Is Progress in Technology Always Beneficial?, http://www.opednews.com (11.01.2017).
  Google Scholar

WILSON B., 2008, Traffic Accidents Top Cause Of Fatal Child Injuries, in: NPR Science 10.12.2008.
  Google Scholar

YOUNKINS E., 2010, Technology, Progress, and Freedom, in: Foundation for Economic Education, January.
  Google Scholar

ZAMYSLENIE.PL, 2017, Komputery nie mają duszy, w rękach ludzi bezdusznych mogą być niebezpieczne, htps://www.zamyslenie.pl/aforyzm/komputery-nie-maja-duszy-w-rekach-ludzi-bezdusznych-moga-byc-niebezpieczne-3235274 (14.02.2017).
  Google Scholar

Download


Published
2017-07-03

Cited by

Sztumski, W. (2017). Troublesome Evaluation of Technological Innovations. Balancing Between a Blessing and a Bane of the Technological Progress. Problemy Ekorozwoju, 12(2), 7–13. Retrieved from https://ph.pollub.pl/index.php/preko/article/view/4974

Authors

Wiesław Sztumski 

Silesian University, Katowice, Poland Poland

Statistics

Abstract views: 4
PDF downloads: 2