Showing papers in "Technology in Society in 1984"

TL;DR: The field of engineering ethics emerged in the mid 1970s, when humanists and social scientists joined engineers in addressing issues of moral and social responsibility in engineering as discussed by the authors. But the institutionalization of engineering Ethics in the engineering curriculum proceeds very slowly.

TL;DR: In the past, technology primarily displaced unskilled physical labor in some sectors of the economy, while economic growth created more than enough jobs to offset those displaced by technology as mentioned in this paper. But, in the future, technologies based on microelectronics threaten to displace skilled mental labor in all sectors.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors address the new ethical and conceptual uncertainties posed by the application of gene-splicing techniques to human beings, an application of technology that raises complex ethical and social public policy issues.

TL;DR: In this article, a framework for evaluating management prudence based on the author's 20 years of research and personal experience with large, complex projects is presented, and he concludes that any finding of management imprudence must meet the eight criteria described in the framework.

TL;DR: This paper examines the contributions of four kinds of information technology — perception extenders (microscopes, telescopes); cognitive processing enhancers (computers); disseminators of information via high levels of abstraction (written languages); and disseminatorsof information viahigh levels of realism (photographs and televisions.)

TL;DR: The American synfuels experience exhibits a pattern of implementation failure that can take place when such a convergence does not exist as discussed by the authors, which is a common phenomenon in large-scale macro-project management.

TL;DR: In this article, a particularly promising mode of high-speed ground transportation (MAGLEV) is discussed in some detail, and an average speed for HSGT service, 400 kilometers per hour, seems to be attainable for reasons that will be set forth.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors sort out the body of literature by political theorists on science, technology and society, picking out some of the principal types and urge scientists and engineeers not to ignore it.

TL;DR: The author provides a perspective on three key areas of biotechnology: the public debate over hazards, the commercialization of the technology, and ethical issues that are arising in terms of application of genetic therapy to humans.

TL;DR: In both agricultural and industrial production, however, science and technology often do not seem to be linked effectively with the needs of the productive organizations as discussed by the authors, and the principal choices turn on designing and managing R&D programs, building the crucial communications channels among technical staffs in R&Ds, establishing incentives in the country's overall economic pattern, and analyzing the roles of the public and private sectors.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors trace the historical path of human ambivalence to the present day and conclude that contemporary macro-engineers are not in the light of the immensity of scale and numbers of large-scale projects on the drawing boards.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate the state of macro-engineering in the United States by reviewing three key areas that affect the progress of the field: strategic implications of the changing economy, large-scale technology venturing and its emerging institutional responses; and the next steps in collaborative technology venture.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present new procedures and techniques to analyze the many factors bearing upon macro project developments, as well as a reexamination and enhancement of management tools which can span the vast variety of functions to be coordinated and can respond to the political, social, economic, financial, technical, and construction aspects of macro projects under volatile and changing circumstances.

TL;DR: In this article, a critical examination of the concept of economic efficiency and economies of scale is made as these are challenged by ideas of technology assessment and alternative technology, arguing that only as efficiency and scale are recognized as socially influenced rather than strictly objective criteria for technological decision-making will the discussion of technology be allowed to include the full range of concerns appropriate to it.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the activities, communication patterns, and ideologies of members of public interest groups with individuals in traditional research sectors, and found that public interest organizations tend to be smaller, less bureaucratic, and less specialized than traditional research contexts, but their members spend a good deal of time on research-related activities.

TL;DR: This paper includes as an appendix the outline of a major study along these lines which has not been pubhshed because of opposition arising from a narrow comprehension of self-interest in the medical profession.

TL;DR: In this paper, it is suggested that the international environment during the next few decades or more will be characterized by rapid change, and that this will inevitably lead to instabilities in both developing and developed nations.

TL;DR: The Global Infrastructure Fund (GIF) as mentioned in this paper is a concept of international responsibility for macro-projects affecting the economic and social conditions of mankind in all parts of the world, which has been called the Global New Deal.

TL;DR: The former chairperson of the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Group (GMAG) described the development of the United Kingdom's set of standards and practices for recombinant DNA research as mentioned in this paper.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on the divergence between the technical and the political perspectives in large macroengineering projects and propose a coalition of interests that satisfies both the political and the technical requirements.

TL;DR: This paper explored the relationship between modern science and technology and Liberal Democratic theory, as expressed in the writings of Canadian political philosopher, C.B. MacPherson, and concluded that contemporary Liberal Democracy may well be so permeated with essentially instrumentalist technological values that it may be impossible to accomplish the goal of reestablishing the moral basis of Mill's vision of Liberal Democratic thought.

TL;DR: Avery's work on how pneumococcal strains could be continuously transformed between the virulent (causing pneumonia) stage to the avirulent stage led him to discover genes and their composition.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the complexity barrier faced by the computer industry and made recommendations for enhancements to engineering and science curricula to provide the next generation of product developers with skills relevant to managing product development at the complexity frontier.

TL;DR: In the wake of Orwell's 1984, the predictive power of science fiction comes to predicting socio-technical fact as mentioned in this paper, which raises the ethical issue of how scientists can identify the future consequences of their technologies and how they can be exonerated from these consequences.