Introduction
Technology has been advancing rapidly and revolutionizing the way people operate. New technology emerges every day, outdoing the existing one. There have been many positive impacts of technology that have improved people’s lives. However, the overreliance on technology has brought several negative consequences that threaten every aspect of human life. This paper discusses how accidents caused by errors in operating technology objects and the threat of cyberwarfare have negatively impacted technology users by exposing them to potential danger that undermines their safety.
Accidents from technological objects have caused immense destruction of property and thousands of human lives. Technology has led to the development of various sophisticated objects that range from space shuttles to rockets and aircraft that require utmost perfection to operate effectively (Mason 2004). However, these objects have been subject to accidents due to system failure ad human error. As a result, several lives have been claimed by the accidents caused by aircraft, rockets, and other industrial machines. This makes most technological objects and machines dangerous because the impact of their accidents is often devastating if the system fails. For instance, the 2003 NASA space shuttle blew up midair heading to Florida, killing everyone onboard. This is just one of the cases where technology has failed to operate, causing significant damage (Mason 2004). Many other technology elements expose the users to unforeseen danger if they fail to operate accordingly.
Secondly, technological advancement has negatively impacted national and global security by making nations vulnerable to cyber or nuclear attacks. Many developed nations have been using technology to develop powerful weapons, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), capable of causing mass destruction (MacDonald 2008). Geopolitics has been a significant factor that has caused strained international relations. Nations have therefore developed their military capabilities by developing nuclear warheads and rocket launchers as a deterrent to threats from hostile countries.
Apart from nuclear, cyber warfare has also been on the rise. A cyber-attack targets vital government sectors, including the military, health, communication, and transport, causing significant damage to a country by paralyzing all government operations. According to several security experts, cyber security has been equated to nuclear warfare, where the damage may be unbearable (MacDonald 2008). Criminals and hostile nations have constantly been developing their abilities to initiate cyberwarfare by developing software that can counteract and bypass the security measures of significant government platforms. This puts global security under the constant threat of cyberwarfare, causing tensions and breaching global peace.
In conclusion, technology brought several unexpected consequences that pose a threat to the future of humanity. The breach of privacy exposes technology users to various dangers that undermine their security. Lack of privacy has led to increased cases of defamation and impersonation, which have contributed to increased crime. Additionally, people’s lives are threatened by the development of nuclear and cyber-attacks that can cause catastrophic damage to humanity.
Impact of Funding Engineering Projects
Governments and private institutions have been at the forefront of funding engineering projects. Engineering has been an essential field in the contemporary world. The developed infrastructure and architectural designs that define the modern world have been successful because of the funding and patronage of engineering. The recognition of the significant role that engineering plays in society by the political class and investors has impacted society positively. This paper discusses the positive impact of funding engineers, which has led to the development of the engineering profession through technical excellence and the implementation of engineering projects.
Technical excellence involves mastering technical subjects that contribute to engineering. The vital technical subjects that play a significant role in engineering development are sciences and mathematics (Harris 2008). The patronage of engineering and its funding from the government and private institutions has enabled engineers and engineering students to explore in-depth technical subjects to acquire the relevant skills necessary for designing new engineering projects and improving the existing ones (Harris 2008). This has seen the creation of various institutes of science and mathematics that primarily engage in research to produce competent engineers with the ability to understand contemporary issues and generate solutions. Through improved research, upcoming engineers and engineering students have understood the social dimensions of engineering. This has been one of the difficult aspects of engineering that engineers have struggled to integrate into their professions (Harris 2008). The social dimension of engineering involves designing the engineering project based on how it will impact society in the present and the future. Engineers can now see the implications of their projects in society and how they will change people’s way of life.
The patronage of engineering has seen the world develop into a modern society with a new form of infrastructure and architectural development. Most of the problems that the ancient world was experiencing have been significantly reduced because of engineering. For instance, engineering has facilitated the development of buildings that can withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The development of advanced aircraft with sophisticated features has been a courtesy of engineering to revolutionize the transport sector. Additionally, space agents such as NASA rely on engineering significantly to improve space exploration (Mason 2004). Therefore, engineering and patronage have been the core of the development of engineering projects that continue to revolutionize the contemporary world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, funding and patronage of engineers by governments and private institutions have positively impacted the field of engineering and society. Funding has led to the development of research that has enabled engineers to develop the technical skills necessary for their profession. Furthermore, funding has led to the execution of engineering projects addressing modern problems. This has improved people’s lives and laid a future for the field of engineering.
References
Harris, C.E., 2008. “The Good Engineer: Giving Virtue its due in Engineering Ethics.” Science and Engineering Ethics, 14(2), pp.153-164.
MacDonald, F., 2008. “Space and the atom: On the popular geopolitics of Cold War rocketry.” Geopolitics, 13(4), pp.611-634.
Mason, R.O., 2004. “Lessons in Organizational Ethics from the Columbia Disaster: Can a Culture be Lethal?” Organizational Dynamics, 33(2), pp.128-142.