Technology is amazing and it has evolved tremendously throughout the years. There have been many scholars, anthropologists, and sociologists to offer different perspectives on how technology developed and the impact it has on our society. Three well known theories have come from Gerhard Lenski, Leslie White, and Alvin Toffler. Although their perspectives may have been different, there were also many similarities. Understanding the differences and similarities of these theories will give you new insights on the importance of the evolution of technology.
Gerhard Lenski is an American sociologist who advanced the theory that technology is the most basic driving force in the evolution of human civilization. His theory basically describes how society has evolved over the years, emphasizing how technology played a vital role
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Alvin Toffler, an American writer and futurist is best known for the concept of future shock. Future shock is the inability to adapt psychologically with rapid changes. To survive future shock, an individual must be able to to adapt and overcome. While Leslie White thought that controlling energy is the primary purpose and function of any culture, Alvin Toffler provided compelling arguments that human societies are undergoing social, technological, and structural change that is quite mind boggling. Alvin Toffler 's three stages in the development of society closely resembles the stages of technological development of Gerhard Lenski and Leslie White 's stages of human development. Alvin Toffler 's three stages of development are:
Stage 1- Neolithic Era, when people invented agriculture, advancing from barbarity to a civilization.
Stage 2- Began in England with the Industrial Revolution during which people invented machine tools and the steam engine.
Stage 3- Began in the second half of the 20th century in the West when people invented automatic production, robotics, and the computer. The use of intellect increased and the manual labor