RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

SESSION 1-3/WEEK NO. 6

MODULE NO.6: WHY DOES THE FUTURE NOT

NEED US?

The following are the topics content of this module:

1. Brief History of Technology
2. Technology-Driven Extinction and Displacement

Overview

The existence of human race and its role in this evolving world has been
questioned as year progress and as human become more aggressive in developing
technologies. These developments have caused an adverse effect in the environment
which could lead our own species in the brink of extinction. Too much desire of having
a technological world and automation may remove the roles of human in society,
making men useless and dispensable.
At present, the rate in the improvement of technology was accelerating. Almost
every day, some kind of technological or scientific advancement had been developed.
Technologies like genetic engineering and nanotechnology were giving us the power
to remake the world.
Can it be possible of have an intelligent life through the use of intelligent
machines? There are two possible scenarios in the future:
First, machines are permitted to make their own decisions. Intelligent robots,
do all the work and make their own decisions. Though we are not giving assumptions
that machine would willfully seized power, it is evident that the fate of human race
would be in their hands because they are doing all the labor. It is also possible to guess
the behavior of the machine -possibility of seizing power is nearly real. If machine do
decide to act a threatening power to human race, there will be no defense against the
attack making a certain doom to human race.
Second, human race retain power over the machine. Elite people take control
over the large system while the average people has a private machine-like car. Since
machines are doing all the work, human have to be less burden of the system, thus
leaving the elite man with few choices on what to do to humanity. However, elite are
ruthless, which many of them can choose to exterminate humanity with the intelligent
robots. If the elite are humane, they can lower the reproduction rate until mass of
humanity goes instinct. But if the elite people are liberal, they can take care of the
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masses but only in order to domesticate them.

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Science, Technology and Society

 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Study Guide

This module was designed to provide the students with meaningful opportunities for
guided and independent pace of learning. Students will be able to process the learning
context in their own flexible time.

This module has the following parts:

a. Learning outcomes
b. Topic presentation
c. Learning activities
d. Assessment
e. Assignment
f. References

Students are required to finished every module by finishing learning activities,

answering the assessment and complying with the given assignment.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the learning episode, the students are expected to:

1. Trace the stages of technological history on Earth.

2. Discuss human displacement possibilities due to technological advancement.
3. Explain how technology leads human beings to extinction.

Topic Presentation

Brief history of Technology

According to Shultz (2016), there are four stages of technology:
1. Proto-technology. This focuses in the time when early tools were developed before
civilization.
2. Classical technology. This was the rise of agricultural technologies and
establishment of communities and cities that enabled the survival of civilization. It is
also considered an act of supplying means for some pre-existing ends.
3. Modern technology. This is fueled by science concepts and principles which date
back about 500 years ago.
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Science, Technology and Society

 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

4. Postmodern technology. This replaces naturally occurring products with

technologically developed ones. Some are evenly highly toxic, most especially
petroleum and its derivatives. Some are post modern technologies which include
gasoline powered automobile including jet engines, synthetic fertilizers, plastics
(bakelite), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PCB (polychlorobiphenyl, banned 1979) CFC
(chlorofluorocarbon), sysnthetic detergents, nylon, insecticides and plastics
(polystyrene and polyester)

Technology-driven Extinction and Displacement

Now adays, there are few species come to an extinction. Human is not an
exemption. There are two scenarios that contribute to the extinction of humanity. First
is the usual course of life as individual age and replace species that is more adaptable
to the changing world. Second is the loss of ecological niche due to the destruction/
abrupt change of ecosystem. The continuous industrialization and development of
nations lead to the accumulation of green house gasses in the atmosphere which
gradually affect the weather and climate pattern across the earth.
Modern technology has almost neglected the role of ecosystem in human
survival. Having a deep understanding with the implementation and usage of
technology may help people to survive. The following are modern technological
advancement, impact of its implementation and the possible threats to humanity:
1. Ozone layer depletion through chlorofluorocarbons
Link:
https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/current-state-ozone-layer

2. Usage of fossil fuel leading to global warming and climate change.

Link:
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts

3. Nuclear war and nuclear contamination

Link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK219160/

4. Plastics
Link:
https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=729

5. Petroleum-based fertilizer
Link:
https://context.capp.ca/articles/2020/pirl-fertilizers

6. Habitat destruction
Link:
https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2019/09/25/the-global-impacts-of-habitat-
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destruction/
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Science, Technology and Society

 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Guided Exercises / Learning Activities

(see separate activity sheets)

References

Ilagan, Y. et al (2018) Science Technology and Society. Panday Lahi Publishing

House, Muntinlupa City, Philippines

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Science, Technology and Society