Legalizing Marijuana

The Impact of Technological Advances on Society

Leroy Burgess II

COM/150

6/2/2012

Misha Rogers

From the beginning of man’s existence, the desire to improve his way of life has been the driving force behind several innovative inventions. The adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention” can be applied to most if not all of the creative advances made by man. From the invention of the wheel to the discovery of electricity and beyond, man’s desire to improve life has been unwavering. This fact has never been more evident than it has in the past 50 years. The impact of the technological advances in today’s world is far reaching and can be felt in many areas such as medicine, manufacturing, business and communication.

The medical field has benefited from advances in technology in several areas, from appointment scheduling and medical records retention, to diagnostics and surgical procedures. The use of computers and proprietary software to store medical records has streamlined the process of record keeping and maintaining up-to-date patient information. Now, a patients’ medical history is easily accessible for doctors and health care providers to evaluate, which allows them to be more efficient.

Technology has also created new methods in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and other ailments. One of the most significant advancements was the development of the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine for use in radiology. (The Impact of Computers on Medical Practice, 2012) The use of these machines gives doctors and surgeons the ability to get non-invasive, detailed images of internal organs and distinguish between the different soft tissues within the body. (The Impact of Computers on Medical Practice, 2012) As a result, the use of harmful CT and X-rays has diminished. The operating room has also changed, with new revolutionary methods implemented as a result of...