ToliveintheUnitedStatestodayistogainanappreciationforDahrendorf′sassertionthatsocialchangeexistseverywhere.Technology,theapplicationofknowledgeforpracticalends,isamajorsourceofsocialchange. Yetwewoulddowelltoremindourselvesthattechnologyisahumancreation;itdoesnotexistnaturally.Aspearorarobotisasmuchaculturalasaphysicalobject.Untilhumansuseaspeartohuntgameorarobottoproducemachineparts,neitherismuchmorethanasolidmassofmatter.Forabirdlookingforanobjectonwhichtorest,aspearorrobotservesthepurposeequallywell.TheexplosionoftheChallengerspaceshuttleandtheRussiannuclearaccidentatChernobyldrivehomethehumanqualityoftechnology;theyprovidecasesinwhichwell-plannedsystemssuddenlywenthaywireandtherewasnoreadyhandtosetthemright.Sincetechnologyisahumancreation,weareresponsibleforwhatisdonewithit.Pessimistsworrythatwewilluseourtechnologyeventuallytoblowourworldandourselvestopieces.Buttheyhavebeensayingthisfordecades,andsofarwehavemanagedtosurviveandevenflourish.Whetherwewillcontinuetodosointheyearsaheadremainsuncertain.Clearly,theimpactoftechnologyonourlivesdeservesacloserexamination. Fewtechnologicaldevelopmentshavehadagreaterimpactonourlivesthanthecomputerrevolution.Scientistsandengineershavedesignedspecializedmachinesthatcandothetasksthatonceonlypeoplecoulddo.Therearethosewhoassertthattheswitchtoaninformation-basedeconomyisinthesamecampasothergreathistoricalmilestones,particularlytheIndustrialRevolution.YetwhenweaskwhytheIndustrialRevolutionwasarevolution,wefindthatitwasnotthemachines.Theprimaryreasonwhyitwasrevolutionaryisthatitledtogreatsocialchange.Itgaverisetomassproductionand,throughmassproduction,toasocietyinwhichwealthwasnotconfinedtothefew. Insomewhatsimilarfashion,computerspromisetorevolutionizethestructureofAmericanlife,particularlyastheyfreethehumanmindandopennewpossibilitiesinknowledgeandcommunication.TheIndustrialRevolutionsupplementedandreplacedthemusclesofhumansandanimalsbymechanicalmethods.Thecomputerextendsthisdevelopmenttosupplementandreplacesomeaspectsofthemindofhumanbeingsbyelectronicmethods.Andit′sthecapacityofthecomputerforsolvingproblemsandmakingdecisionsthatrepresentsitsgreatestpotentialandthatposesthegreatestdifficultiesinpredictingtheimpactonsociety. Accordingtothepassage,whenwillaspearorarobothasthequalityoftechnology?
A.When it is utilized by human beings. B.When it is used to produce new products. C.When it has some culture meanings as physical object. D.when it is useful for both man and animal.正确答案A
