A Comparison of Three Perspectives on the Evolution of Technology

A Comparison of Three Perspectives on the evolution of Technology
Name
Affiliation
Course
Tutor
A Comparison of Three Perspectives on the evolution of Technology
Lenski, White, and Toffler give different perspectives on the evolution of technology. Although people enjoy various benefits like the improvement in agriculture and assurance of food security, they experience difficulties in adapting to the incoming changes. On the other hand, the challenges cannot match the anticipated benefits, and most people in the global demographics have adopted the inventions in technological progress.
According to Gerhard Lenski, in 1924-2015, the significant improvement in technological advancement has triggered continuous evolution in civilization. The meaningful relationship between the two aspects enables people to move from a particular way of living in a modernized way. Technological progress helps in convincing people that civilization is better than what has been in existence. Although changing might pose various challenges, the anticipated benefits pave the way for culture and almost everyone lives in the desire to adopting new ideas. "In fact, the key to human progress is information.” Hence the knowledge acquired from the information provided through technological progress helps human society in understanding the appropriate ways of using the natural resources available to improve themselves. Lenski defines communication in four stages. The first stage is biological communication, and it entails the inheritance of genes from one generation to the other. The second stage is sentience. This phase covers the ability to feel or perceive various experiences in life with an iteration of adapting to the earth, being able to live and share the experiences with other people. In the third stage, people become logical, and they gain the capability to observe something and draw realistic analysis from what they can see. Finally, stage four involves the step of mastering language, the skills in writing, and drawing of symbols. The scene of acquiring skills becomes the necessary foundation for civilization. Also, technological development occurs in four distinct levels. In the first level, people work to reduce food insecurity and achieve substantial lives. The second level involves acquiring some part of the food supply from growing various plants like fruits and vegetables. Also, people organize agricultural practices to ensure the provision of surplus products to enhance stability in social and economic factors of growth. Lastly, the industrial revolution changes the economy by introducing other means of production.
On the other hand, Leslie White concentrated on producing and controlling energy in 1900-1975. The anthropologist believed that managing energy is the duty of every culture irrespective of the cost involved to access the resource. Although some people may have easy access to various sources of energy, they must conserve the acquired energy to ensure sustainability. In her focus on energy, White identified five stages in human development. In phase one, she states that energy comes from social power, meaning that the people realizing and producing energy can eventually control its disposal. In the second stage, ...