Understanding Technology and Society

Todd L. Pittinsky is a Professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University (SUNY). He is the author, co-author, or editor of nine books, and his research has been profiled in leading outlets including the Economist and National Public Radio.

• Introduction; 1. Which disciplines are concerned with the intersections of science, technology, and society? What are some of their core contributions?; 2. Do science and technology shape society or does society shape science and technology?; 3. Where do scientific and technological innovation come from? Can innovation be deliberately promoted or do we just have to wait for the light bulbs to go off?; 4. When and how do new technologies spread through society? Why do some die on the vine?; 5. What can we learn by comparing the combination of science, technology, and society in different parts of the world and at different times in history?; 6. Can technology be inherently good or bad for society, or is that a matter of what we do with it?; 7. How can one be a savvy consumer of increasingly complex scientific research?; 8. Do children develop differently in a digitally saturated world? Is digital technology helping children thrive-or stunting them?; 9. What is 'big data' and why does it make such a big difference?; 10. Do algorithms make wise and fair decisions?; 11. Are new technologies beneficial to liberal democracy and good governance-or wreaking havoc on them?; 12. Does technological progress make people happier?; 13. What has the relationship between sex and gender and science and technology been-and what might it be?; 14. What are digital divides and why do they matter?; 15. How do science and technology impact international development, and how might they lead to a more sustainable global community?; 16. Will AI be conscious?; 17. Will the AI robot economy be a golden age or a dystopian era?; 18. Will AI create great art? Appendix: A note on format.