The Role of Education in Dealing with Technology: Both Negative and Positive Impacts

Abstract

             At present, technology has rapidly advanced. Its influence does not merely affect the field of information and communication, but even a human’s daily life falls under control of the Powerful Technology. The situation is becoming much worse when a technology-made AI, or in other words, a robot or iron-human, will take real human’s place in working in office, factory, field and so on.  A human is forced to change his paradigm and life-style to abide by technology, otherwise his life will be in dismay and he will be left behind as disparate and valueless, or even useless. Amidst the advancement of technology, there arise critical concerns, ‘Whether or not the advanced technology partially contributes to declining morality’ and ‘How education in terms of both institutions and persons will deal with such unavoidable situation.’ The article Is an attempt to answer the question via both educational administration and Buddhist approaches. In the former standpoint, the 21^st century skills are brought into discussion side-by-side with the five separated generations of world population, as well as the E-learning system. As regards the Buddhist standpoint, Buddhism holds that the application of technology will generate either advantages or disadvantages, depending upon the ‘QUALITY’ of its users themselves, i.e. human beings. Humans are both the inventors and users of the technology. Naturally, technology is neutral, neither good nor bad, by itself. Should the technology users be good, it is sure that it will be used for the benefits of human beings, and if they are different, it will be harmful to all humans and all other living, or even non-living, beings. Buddhism is, of course, the great solution to the problem since its education or training system focuses on the Three Training Principles, namely, Precept or Sila, Meditation or Samãdhi and Wisdom or Paññã. Sila controls men’s physical and verbal behaviors, Samadhi controls their mental behaviors and Paññã, which is perfectly treated and trained by both Sila and Samãdhi, will realize the truth of all things, thus leading to the absolutely appropriate or beneficial use of the technology. The more humans are trained under these three Buddhist doctrines of training, the more useful the application of technology will become.