UDC

32

Authors

Mayorov Arseny Valeryevich
Postgraduate Student, Faculty of Political Science, Saint Petersburg State University (St. Petersburg, Russia)
e-mail: polebear@yandex.ru

Abstract

This paper analyses the positive and negative impact of the current global technological revolution on various aspects of society. Further, the article looks at the latest scientific breakthroughs and highlights key trends in the technological development. Among these trends we can name the following: intensified globalization processes, accelerated technological development, growing number of multidisciplinary research and technology, higher worldwide life expectancy and standard of living as a result of technological development. Moreover, the paper addresses the problems posed by the technological revolution. They include: clearer social differentiation; destruction of national cultures; further intrusion on privacy; interstate competition for the benefits of the technological revolution; transformation of social relations; cybercrime, and ethical issues in connection with scientific experiments. In general terms, technology is not just a set of tools or a bulk of knowledge about ways and means but a system of knowledge and action following a certain ordered methodology. If we assume that it is knowledge that becomes the main resource for the development of modern society, a factor restructuring all spheres of public life, we then have to consider the ability of all social actors to generate knowledge aimed to change and form social reality according to the internal needs of individuals and social groups. We need to better understand the role of knowledge itself, which has always been important in the communication process but is now becoming one of the factors determining either success or failure of new social projects, programs and technologies. In general, this paper demonstrates the controversial nature of the changes brought about by the technological revolution while recognizing the possibility of using these changes for the wellbeing of society.

Keywords

technological revolution, globalization, nanotechnology, biotechnology, multidisciplinary technology

References

1. Ivanchenko M.N., Sedov D.S., Makhina V.I. Transgennye kul’tury: shag v propast’ ili put’ k izobiliyu [Transgenic Crops: A Step into the Abyss or the Path to Abundance]. Byulleten’ meditsinskikh internet-konferentsiy, 2012, vol. 2, no. 11, pp. 923–925.
   
2. Mikhneva S.G., Ryzhkova Yu.A. Zakonomernosti global’nykh sdvigov tekhnologicheskikh ukladov i genotipov rabochey sily [Patterns of Global Changes in Technological Structures and Workforce Genotypes]. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnyh zavedeniy. Povolzhskiy region. Ser.: Obshchestvennye nauki, 2011, no. 3, pp. 105–106.
   
3. Polyakov V.V., Strachenko I.B., Dzhuplina G.Yu. Perspektivy primeneniya nanotekhnologiy v biomeditsinskoy inzhenerii [Prospects of Nanotechnologies in Biomedical Engeneering]. Izvestiya Yuzhnogo federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Tekhnicheskie nauki, 2008, vol. 82, no. 5, pp. 216–218.
   
4. Legostaev V.P., Markov A.V., Sorokin I.V. Tselevoe ispol’zovanie rossiyskogo segmenta MKS: znachimye nauchnye rezul’taty i perspektivy [Intended Use of the Russian Orbital Segment: Important Scientific Results and Prospects]. Korolev, 2013.
   
5. Eletskiy A.V. Uglerodnye nanotrubki [Carbon Nanotubes]. Uspekhi fizicheskikh nauk, 1997, vol. 167, no. 9, pp. 965–967.
   
6. Ratkin L. Sintez dostizheniy fundamental’noy i prikladnoy nauki i integratsiya innovatsionnykh obrazovatel’nykh metodologiy dlya resheniya prioritetnykh mul’tidistsiplinarnykh zadach [The Synthesis of Achievements of the Fundamental and Applied Science and Integration of Innovative Education Methodologies for Solving Key Multidisciplinary Problems]. Investitsii v Rossii, 2010, no. 8, pp. 45–49.
   
7. Figovskiy O.L. Nanotekhnologii dlya novykh materialov [Nanotechnology for New Materials]. Inzhenernyy vestnik Dona, 2012, no. 3, pp. 2–9.
   
8. Toffler A. The Third Wave. Bantam Books, 1980 (Russ. ed.: Toffler E. Tret’ya volna. Moscow. 2004).
   
9. Parakhonskiy A.P. Mul’tidistsiplinarnost’ nauchnykh issledovaniy [Multidisciplinary Character of Scientific Research]. Uspekhi sovremennogo estestvoznaniya, 2009, no. 9, pp. 121–122.
   
10. Kolmykova O.N., Kudryavtseva T.V. Nauchno-tekhnicheskiy progress kak faktor povysheniya urovnya zhizni naseleniya [Scientific and Technical Progress as a Factor of Higher Standard of Living]. Sotsial’no-ekonomicheskie yavleniya i protsessy, 2011, no. 5–6, pp. 127–129.
    
11. Benoist A. de. Litsom k globalizatsii [Facing the Globalization]. Universum: Vestnik Gertsenovskogo universiteta, 2012, no. 2, pp. 151–152.
    
12. McLuhan M., Fiore Q. War and Peace in the Global Village. 1997 (Russ. ed.: Maklyuen M., Fiore K. Voyna i mir v global’noy derevne. Moscow, 2012).
    
13. Antón P.S., Silberglitt R., Schneider J. The Global Technology Revolution. National Defense Research Institute. 2001.
    
14. Martynov K. Selfi: mezhdu demokratizatsiey media i self-kommodifikatsiey [Selfie: Between Democratization of Media and Self-Commodification]. Logos, 2014, no. 4, pp. 74–86.
    
15. Sem’yaninov P.V., Sem’yaninov V.P. O tendentsiyakh globalizatsii [Globalization Trends]. Sotsial’no-ekonomicheskie yavleniya i protsessy, 2012, no. 1, pp. 152–161.
    
16. Bunker R.J. Fifth Dimensional Battlespace: Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Implications. Available at: http:// trendsinstitution.org/?p=1004 (accessed 20 June 2015).
    
17. Schmidt M.S., Sanger D.E., Perlroth N. Chinese Hackers Pursue Key Data U.S. Workers. Available at: http:// www.nytimes.com/2014/07/10/world/asia/chinese-hackers-pursue-key-data-on-us-workers.html?emc=edit_th... 10&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=69523792&_r=2 (accessed 20 June 2015).
    
18. Langer R. To Kill a Centrifuge: A Technical Analysis of What Stuxnet’s Creators Tried to Achieve. Munich. 2013, p. 4.
    
19. Paget F. Hacking Summit Names Nations with Cyberwarfare Capabilities. Available at: https://blogs.mcafee. com/mcafee-labs/hacking-summit-names-nations-with-cyberwarfare-capabilities (accessed 20 June 2015).
    
20. Fukuyama F. The Great Disruption: Human Nature and the Reconstitution of Social Order. Free Press, 1999 (Russ. ed.: Fukuyama F. Velikiy razryv. Moscow, 2004).