Limitations of Technology: Natural, Economic, and Ethical

Economic Limitations of Technology

Economic limitations include the financial aspects affecting technology. Economic factors sometimes limit technology, such as technology that is too expensive to pursue. For example, terraforming Mars has been the subject of recent discussions. However, Mars does not possess similar living conditions to Earth, so scientists would need to create a new atmosphere that produces more carbon dioxide to support life. Additionally, scientists would need to work around the gravity levels and the low light levels from the planet. Such adjustments for an entire human population will cost more than the economy can provide, making this an issue of economic limitation.

The research and development of medicine is another area that frequently shows economic limitations. While not all medications pose an economic limitation, some, such as antibiotics and medicines for infectious diseases, are extremely expensive. For example, antibiotics may be more costly due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is when fungi, bacteria, parasites, and viruses constantly change, so they are nonresponsive to previous medications. Thus, scientists must continuously research and produce a new drug that works for the new disease version.

Ethical Limitations of Technology

Technology also encounters some ethical limitations. Ethical limitations are the issues that surround what is right and wrong. Ethics vary globally from one geographic region to another. Religious beliefs, customs, and laws are some issues that bring about ethical concerns. Genetic engineering and cloning are some of the recent ethical issues in technology. Cloning is the replication of an organism or the production of organisms with identical DNA to another.

These technological advancements have been highly resourceful for in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation. However, scientists worry that people may soon use this knowledge for non-therapeutic functions. Ethical concerns surrounding such technology are primarily religious and moral objections. A good example is the use of human embryos for genome-editing research. Research that destroys embryos goes against many ethical and religious beliefs.

Lesson Summary

Technology is the use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. It has existed since the Stone Age, an early era in human history when humans made technology from stone. Some examples of technology include computers, spears, air conditioning, and building shelters using trees. Technology is mostly advantageous but also has limitations and disadvantages. Some of the limits that technology encounters are natural, economic, and ethical limits. Natural limitations are things technology cannot physically accomplish. They are called hard limits because these limits are hard to surpass, such as a technology faster than light.

Economic limitations are some of technology's most common limitations. Economic limits include advancements that are too expensive, such as terraforming Mars. Another example is the research and production of medicine, especially antibiotics that are very expensive due to antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is the constant change of viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria that renders the previous version of the medicine ineffective, thus requiring more funding for continued research and production. Lastly, technology may face ethical limitations. Ethical limitations affect beliefs and what is considered good or bad. An example is cloning, the replication of organisms, which has been morally and religiously opposed.