Technology and violence

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Technology and Violence
Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for purposes that are practical for example applied sciences and engineering. Violence is a behavior that involves a force that is an intention to hurt someone emotionally, damage someone physically or kill someone or something (Shaw 245). Technology can be a tool to bring violence and war example through cluster bombs and guided missiles. Besides, the early forms of technologies used for violence included swords and clubs. There have been rampant advancements in the sector, especially in the military among nations across the world. Nevertheless, technology plays a part in creating and maintaining peaceful coexistence among in the society and across the world. On the other hand, it can be a tool for peace and development such as for construction, transport and communication development. The discussion expounds on how technology has advanced on tools that have been used to bring conflict and war among countries.
Technology in context
Technologies are pieces of hardware used for various functions in the society. The most common hardware used in warfare are cars and ammunition. All the technologies used are social since they apply the interaction of people and environment. It is therefore correct to refer technology as a concept involving artifacts and social aspects. Artifacts include cars, ammunitions while common notions include the military and other armed groups who distort world’s peace.

Exploring technology and violence calls for cross interaction with social contexts which include violence itself as well as peace and conflict (O’Hanlon 46). There exist much diversity in which technology can be related to violence, the most basic form is through emails. Emails can be easily ignored as insignificant in war, but they play a great role in violence and peace. Emails are used by armies and peace groups to convey important information. Technological weapons are used for defense which inflicts violence. Although many weapons are initially designed for war. Besides, they can be used for other purposes. For instance, a grenade used as a paper-weight can be a piece of art. In an extreme case, a barrel of a rifle can be used to caress someone for luxury and pleasure.
Many theories explore the relationship between technology and violence. There as those that are become more significant than others. The notion of associating technologies with the good or bad initiative is not as helpful as it could be seen since technologies can be used for multiple functions. In general, technologies are neutral in their functions which are dependent on the uses that users want to make. For instance, technologies in compact disks and cruise missiles are used for different uses. One of the approaches gives a standard notion of the specific functions of technologies, but they are used for purposes that are best suited and designed for (O’Hanlon 46). Therefore, users can choose what they can put into use with the technologies, but they are constrained by the artifact and social systems phenomena.
Technology and history of war
People are known to use tools which can be referred to as technologies in the modern day context of classifying any artifact. Other species are known to use tools, but for human species, they cannot do without tools thus the development of weapons through the application of extensive technology. The earliest forms of tools used to inflict violence in the early days include rocks and sticks which were used in warfare and hunting. There is no complexity of a weapon, as long as it can be used to inflict violence that that is what technology has led to violence across the world. Even in the interior of African countries, some people still fight using machetes where many people lose their lives (O’Hanlon 46). In early days, battles were mainly caused by ritual or community-based violence; one community was guarding its territories without necessarily seeking to attack others for no concrete reason.
Nevertheless, the current state of warfare has revolutionized with countries or other organized armies attacking others for superiority and pride. It has therefore led to significant advancements in use of various technologies with each group attempting to outdo the other in the form of weapons and warfare abilities they have (Onorato, Gaetano, Scheve, and Stasavage 452). For instance, in the First World War, the development of the machine gun brought an advantage to the British army. The Germans, on the other hand, developed an armored tank which also gave them an advantage over the enemies during combat. With the few examples, it is evident that technology has evolved in its usage in welfare since even roads and other transport channels have contributed to violence.
The various types of technologies used for violence
There are various classifications of technologies used for violence depending on the nature of the violence inflicted and volume of its course. By nature of the violence, military inflicted violence is known to include the navy, army and the air force. Each category mentioned has its specific weapons designed using the latest technology. The army for instance mainly use jeeps and earth cannons as well as tanks; the air force use bombs, and finally, the Navy usually use battleships and submarines among other technologies. Another classification is of weapons designed using the latest technology is based on the means that they cause violence (Onorato, Gaetano, Scheve, and Stasavage 452). It is important to mention them since they play a great role in inflicting violence by the means they impact of people or other countries. Violence erupts when these countries organize repatriation attacks to counteract the initial ones from the enemy. There are four categories of such weapons.
The first one is the nuclear weapons which are used to emit atomic nuclei to cause heat, radiations as well as blast which are harmful to any form of life be it humans, animals or aqua life. Chemical weapons are also used through direct contact delivered by missiles to targeted people. Besides, there are biological weapons used to set disease to outrange enemies. The weapons emit disease organisms through missiles. Anthrax disease organisms are the commonly used in such weapons. Last but not the least, conventional weapons are used to inflict violence. They include traditional forms of weapons such as explosives and rifles (Sagan 6). Such weapons are used to cause physical harm to people through direct contact and in more active combat.
As much as weapons are a significant part of the technology that inflicts violence, there are other forms of technologies that supplement them. The most basic supplement to the development of weapons used in violence is the industrial system that is used in manufacture and production of the weapons. There are superpowers of the world have developed the most advanced industries to produce all types of weapons which has brought security debates all over. Each superpower is attempting to defeat its opponents by designing the fatal weapons of war. Such developments have inflicted tension, and in other places, violence has erupted. Another technological system that supplements weapons are the transport and communication systems.
Traits of technologies used for violence
The insight of characterizing technology based on their uses is got from the ability to classify them according to their potential uses. The criteria used can be based on their destructive power. Technologies for violence are typically designed to cause damage to enemies thus the development of weapons which are best suited for the destruction of human life and property (Sagan 6). For instance, bullets are designed to destroy human flesh while missiles are bombs are used to destroy both lives and property at large. Another characteristic of technologies based on how they are controlled. Governments are the major control systems of these technologies to prevent them getting into wrong hands of terrorists and other petty criminals.
Technology for non-violence
As much as technology plays a major role in inflicting violence today, it has also made several developments in instigating peace in the society. It is impossible to override the advancements in technology that are aimed at maintaining peace. Similarly, the weapons are used to curb insecurity in places where there are high crime rates. In extreme cases of terrorists’ activities, highly advanced technologies are used to counteract their activities. For instance, the fight against terror groups such as al-Qaida and Boko Haram have seen the involvement of technology. Such endeavors are aimed at maintaining peace in the regions succumbed to the terror groups.
There are vast technologies used to maintain peace with the common one including technology for arms control. If arms would be left to be designed without regulations, enemies could launch attacks that can be fatal even to untargeted people. There are technologies designed for monitoring other armies’ production of dangerous weapons. For instance, surveillance satellites have been in use to monitor and limit testing of weapons by other countries. Furthermore, technology plays a great role in nonviolent actions such as conflict resolutions. Many peace conferences are being held in search of solutions to the wars across parts of the world. Such initiatives of mediation and arbitration are made successful through the use of technology through the use of pens, charts as well video conferencing equipment.
In conclusion, technology and violence are intertwined concepts which have a clear relationship. Technological advancements have been used to inflict violence in the society. On the other hand, violence has also made armies and countries to design and seek more abilities in technology. They have invested much in research on how to produce high tech weapons to outdo their enemies. The history of technology and violence can be dated back to the early days where people used rocks and sticks to defend themselves. Today, more sophisticated technological appliances have been produced to inflict violence in the society. The most recent and fatal being the nuclear weapons. With the existence of the many types of weapons such as nuclear, chemical, conventional as well as biological, technology has drastically contributed to violence in society. Characterizing each technology with its impact on violence leads to criteria that are determined by their destructive power and centralized control. Despite all technological advancements inflicting violence, they can be used to call up for peace. The society should realize that violence causes more harm than good, people should refrain from using technology for violence but instead use it to call for peace.
Works Cited
O’Hanlon, Michael. “Technology and War.” Security Studies: A Reader (2014).
Onorato, Massimiliano Gaetano, Kenneth Scheve, and David Stasavage. “Technology and the Era of the Mass Army.” The Journal of Economic History 74.2 (2014): 449-481.
Sagan, Scott D. “The Changing Rules of War.” Dædalus 146.1 (2017): 6-10.
Shaw, Jeffrey M. “Technology and War.” The Means to Kill: Essays on the Interdependence of War and Technology from Ancient Rome to the Age of Drones (2015): 245.