SOCA02H3 Lecture Notes - Acid Rain
Document Summary
O normal accidents are accidents that occur inevitably though unpredictably because of the very complexity of modern technologies: technology is the practical application of scientific \principles. Technological determinism is the belief that technology is the main factor shaping human history: a risk society is a society in which technology distributes danger among all categories of the population. Some categories, however, are more exposed to technological danger than others are. Moreover, in a risk society, danger does not result from technological accidents alone. In addition, increased risk is due to mounting environmental threats. Environmental threats are more widespread, chronic, and ambiguous than technological accidents. Neil postman (1992) refers to the united states as a: technopoly. He argues that the united states is the first country in which technology has taken control of culture. Economic lures, increasingly provided by the military and big corporations, have generated moral and political qualms among some researchers.
