Technology and the Humanities Essay

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Technology

There are a slew of Hollywood movies that directly or indirectly address the role of technology and its impact on human society and individual psychology. From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Wall-E, films about technology cause viewers to think about their own relationship with machines. One such movie is the 1997 film Contact, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, and James Woods. Based on a book written by renowned scientist Carl Sagan, Contact is about the partially government-funded Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project. Rooted in real life scientific endeavors, Contact is about the men and women dedicated to using technology to foster a greater human understanding of the Earth's and humanity's place within the universe. The film shows that technology is often mistrusted as a means by which to expand human consciousness; and that the masses of humanity too often fear technology because of the radical changes it would bring to our lifestyle and ways of thinking.

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Contact is about the withdrawal of funding to projects that would investigate extraterrestrial intelligence. Because of the lack of results rendered by the SETI project, scientists like Ellie (Jodie Foster) in the film are left feeling undervalued. Using what is essentially old technology: radio signals and receivers, the SETI employees like Ellie (Jodie Foster) are committed to making a breakthrough in communicating with extraterrestrial beings.

The film makes a radical statement about technology: that seemingly old and primitive techniques and technologies can be used to create major breakthroughs. It is not the type of technology but how it is used that determines its effectiveness. Therefore, the main message of Contact is that technology is only as powerful as human beings allow it to be. The film also….....

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