Science, Technology, and Society Flashcards

A rural community in Canada lacks reliable, high-speed internet infrastructure. As a result, students struggle with online learning, and local businesses cannot easily compete with urban e-commerce. This scenario is a clear example of which societal issue related to technology?

Answer: The digital divide

The digital divide refers to the gap between individuals or communities that have access to modern information and communication technologies, like the internet, and those that do not. This gap can lead to economic and social inequality.

Which of the following best describes a significant societal and environmental concern often raised in the debate over genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

Answer: The potential for cross-pollination with non-GMO crops and the impact on biodiversity.

A primary ethical and environmental concern is that genetically modified traits could spread to wild populations or non-GMO crops through cross-pollination. This could potentially reduce biodiversity, create herbicide-resistant 'superweeds,' and economically harm farmers of non-GMO or organic crops.

The widespread implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in manufacturing and service industries is most likely to lead to which of the following societal challenges?

Answer: A significant shift in the job market, requiring workforce retraining and new skill development.

While automation can increase efficiency, it also displaces workers from routine tasks. This creates a major societal challenge of needing to retrain and upskill the workforce for new or more complex roles that require human creativity, critical thinking, and social intelligence.

A news story about a new public health policy spreads rapidly on a social media platform. The story is accompanied by sensational headlines and lacks citations to credible scientific sources. This situation highlights which major challenge technology poses to society?

Answer: The rapid spread of misinformation and its impact on public understanding.

Social media platforms can accelerate the spread of information regardless of its accuracy. The lack of credible sources and sensationalism are hallmarks of misinformation, which can erode public trust and understanding of important issues like public health.

Which of the following is an example of using technology for climate change *mitigation*?

Answer: Developing large-scale solar and wind farms to generate electricity.

Mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases, addressing the root cause of climate change. Solar and wind farms are renewable energy sources that generate electricity without producing carbon dioxide. The other options are examples of adaptation, which involves adjusting to the current or expected effects of climate change.

The development of CRISPR gene-editing technology has raised significant societal debate. What is the primary ethical concern associated with its potential use to alter human reproductive cells (a process known as germline editing)?

Answer: The potential for making heritable changes to the human gene pool and creating 'designer babies.'

Altering reproductive cells (the germline) means making changes to DNA that can be passed down to all future generations. This raises profound ethical questions about altering human evolution, the potential for social inequality if only the wealthy can afford enhancements, and the unforeseen long-term consequences for the human species.