LESSON 1 Flashcards
What defines the Information Age?
It’s a period where technology surrounds us, transmitting data, ideas, and knowledge via digital means like TV, internet, and smartphones.
How is ‘information’ different from noise?
Information carries meaning and purpose, while noise is unstructured or irrelevant data.
Why is language important in science and knowledge?
Language allows naming, classifying, and communicating ideas, forming communities and understanding the world.
What did ancient Greeks believe about words?
They saw words as powerful tools to unify understanding and sought a deeper reality behind nature (‘meta phusis’).
What is Plato’s principle of ‘One and the Many’?
Different things in nature share a common essence or unifying factor.
What is the role of mathematics in understanding nature?
Math expresses natural laws, enabling scientific discoveries and technological advances.
How did the printing press change society?
Invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, it enabled mass production of books, spreading literacy and ideas across classes and regions.
What technologies followed the printing press?
Inventions like the radio, TV, and digital signals evolved from earlier scientific and technological breakthroughs.
What was Alan Turing’s role in computing?
He broke the Nazi Enigma code and developed the Turing machine, laying the foundation for modern computing.
What was the impact of the 1970s computer boom?
People began using personal computers, led by pioneers like Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs of Apple Inc.
How did social media evolve?
From early chat rooms and forums to modern platforms like Facebook and YouTube, enabling real-time global information exchange.
Who invented the World Wide Web and why?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented it to aid scientists in sharing and processing massive amounts of data at CERN.
What are the risks of modern digital communication?
Disinformation, bias-reinforcing communities, online scams, and identity theft.
Why must we be responsible users of technology?
To prevent harm to ourselves and others, and to ensure technology serves positive, truthful purposes.
