Technological progress was great during the Roman empire and the Middle Ages, but philosophical reflections on technology did not increase at the same pace. Despite this, comprehensive works were produced about the practical and philosophical aspects of technology. The importance of values in technological development was also highlighted. Technology was viewed through the lenses of ethics, politics, and culture.
Design science
Design science is the study of the artificial. It has been around for over fifty years, but is not widely understood. There are differences between the theories and methods used by design researchers and their application in practice. Design research methods have been developed to provide a common framework for integrating findings from diverse disciplines. This article explores design research methods and how they differ from traditional science.
Design science involves the study of how products and systems are designed, and how they are used. It also focuses on the process of designing, and how this process is organized. This knowledge is based on a combination of engineering domains and human behavior.
Artifacts
Artifacts are items which are not natural in their form. They are produced by human beings or animal beings and perform a cultural function. Spider webs, for example, are not natural, but they do have a purpose. Though it may be difficult to attribute human intent to spiders, we can attribute it to beavers when they construct a dam to create a pond.
A technological artifact, on the other hand, is the result of an isolation activity, which aims to isolate the causal properties of things and combine them in ways that extend human capabilities. Such an action undermines the importance of positioning. The classification of objects as artifacts is dependent on their history and use.
Values
Technology has become an integral part of our society, and is used to solve many problems both social and economic. It comes in various forms, from machines to devices and related services, and it continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Companies and organizations are eager to use new technologies to boost productivity and increase competitiveness.
In recent years, a growing body of literature has explored the values inherent in digital technologies. Values are fundamental to the way technology is used and marketed. Developers make value judgments as part of their role and incorporate their visions of the world into their work. They also make decisions about how to best utilize technologies, and how they can be misused.
Context of discovery
There is little philosophical work on the context of technology discovery. We are confined by severe constraints on time and money, making it imperative to examine what constitutes a good process. Fortunately, Kroes, Franssen, and Bucciarelli (2009) offer an introduction to these questions. They also discuss the importance of a critical analysis of technology development.
Ethics
Ethics in technology has become increasingly important, especially as technology has become such a part of our lives. From being time-saving and simplifying tools to expressing our behaviors and identities, technology has changed human behavior in many ways. With the rapid speed of innovation, technology’s impact on society continues to grow. But ethics can be a difficult subject for many people to address. Although most people do reflect on the moral consequences of their actions, they rarely talk about them in the workplace.
Since computers have become a part of our everyday lives, debates on ethics in technology have grown. Ben Green, the editor of a special issue of the Journal of Social Computing, examines the issue in his article, “The Contestation of Tech Ethics: An Introduction.” Recent controversies relating to algorithmic bias and misinformation have prompted more public scrutiny of digital technologies. Meanwhile, technology companies and governments have been increasingly paying attention to these concerns.