Chapter 17: Technology and the Environment Learning Objectives

After reading Chapter 17, students should be be able to:

1. understand the text's notion of technology as a two-edged sword: beneficial progress versus a social problem.

2. define technology using Winner's description.

3. understand technological dualism, including the positive and negative impacts of technology in terms of jobs, telecommunications and the global village, and automobility.

4. detail the text's discussion of controlling technology, including the controversy over autonomous technology, automation, whistle-blowers, and bureaucracy and morality.

5. understand the relationship between technology and institutions and how Ogburn's cultural lag is relevant to any consideration of modernization and technological advancement.

6. understand the relationship between technology and the natural environment.

7. appreciate how accelerated technological/scientific change and rapid population growth are causing damage to our environment.

8. define environmental stress. 9. explain the effects of air pollution: on human health, on the economy, on the ecology, in terms of the controversy over global-warming, and in reference to radioactivity. 10. explain the effects of water pollution and solid-waste disposal, including the phenomenon of "environmental racism," toxic wastes and radioactive wastes, land degradation, noise pollution, chemicals, and large-scale engineering projects. 11. understand the relationship between the United States and the world environment. 12. explain the social policy implications of technology, including futures studies, appropriate technology, technology assessment, and environmental action.

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