What does technological progress depend on? Scientific and technological progress: essence, role and main directions

Technological progress is the emergence of new, technically more efficient types of production, which must be taken into account in the production function, and at the same time, technically inefficient types of production must be excluded from it.

Technological progress that stimulates an increase in output can be graphically represented by a downward shift in the isoquant describing a specific volume of production (Fig. 23.1).

Rice. 23.1. Isoquant shift as a result of technological progress

On fig. 23.1 isoquant Q1 * Q1 * shows the same amount of production that depicts the isoquant Q0 * Q0 *. However, now this quantity can be released using a smaller amount of factors (K and L). And the shift of the isoquant can be accompanied by a modification of its configuration, meaning a modification in the proportions of the factors of production used. In this regard, three types of technical progress are distinguished: capital-intensive (labor-saving), labor-intensive (capital-saving) and neutral, each of which has its own isoquant configuration.

The capital-intensive type of technical progress is the type when, when moving along a line with a constant K / L ratio, the marginal rate of technical substitution (MRTSLK) decreases (Fig. 23.2). This means that technological progress is accompanied by an outstripping growth of the marginal product of capital in comparison with the marginal product of labor. On fig. 23.2 it can be seen that the slope of the isoquant becomes flatter with respect to the L axis as we move towards the origin.

Rice. 23.2. Capital-intensive type of technical progress

The labor-intensive type of technical progress is the type when, when moving along the same line, MRTSL K increases (Fig. 23.3). This means that technological progress is accompanied by an increase in the marginal product of labor in comparison with the marginal product of capital. The slope of the isoquant becomes flatter with respect to the K axis as we move towards the origin.

Figure 23.3. Labor-intensive type of technological progress

The neutral type of technical progress is the type when technical progress is accompanied by a proportional increase in products K and L, so that the marginal rate of their technical substitution remains constant when moving to the origin. At the same time, the slope of the isoquant does not change, it only shifts parallel to itself under the influence of technical progress (Fig. 23.4).

Rice. 23.4. Neutral type of technological progress

G.C. Vechkanov, G.R. Bechkanova

1. Scientific and technological progress is the basis for the development and intensification of production

2. The main directions of scientific and technological progress

3. Scientific and technological progress in a market economy

Conclusion

1. Scientific and technical progress is the basis of development

and intensification of production.

Scientific and technical progress - it is a process of continuous development of science, technology, technology, improvement of objects of labor, forms and methods of organizing production and labor. It also acts as the most important means of solving social and economic problems, such as improving working conditions, increasing its content, protecting the environment, and, ultimately, improving the well-being of the people. Scientific and technological progress is also of great importance for strengthening the country's defense capability.

In its development, scientific and technical progress manifests itself in two interrelated and interdependent forms - evolutionary and revolutionary.

evolutionary the form of scientific and technical progress is characterized by a gradual, continuous improvement of traditional technical means and technologies, the accumulation of these improvements. Such a process can last quite a long time and provide, especially at its initial stages, significant economic results.

At a certain stage, there is an accumulation of technical improvements. On the one hand, they are no longer effective enough, on the other hand, they create the necessary basis for fundamental, fundamental transformations of the productive forces, which ensures the achievement of a qualitatively new social labor, higher productivity. A revolutionary situation arises. This form of development of scientific and technological progress is called revolutionary. Under the influence of the scientific and technological revolution, qualitative changes are taking place in the material and technical base of production.

Modern scientific and technological revolution based on the achievements of science and technology. It is characterized by the use of new energy sources, the widespread use of electronics, the development and application of fundamentally new technological processes, progressive materials with predetermined properties. All this, in turn, contributes to the rapid development of industries that determine the technical re-equipment of the national economy. Thus, the reverse influence of the scientific and technological revolution on the acceleration of scientific and technological progress is manifested. This is the interconnection and interdependence of scientific and technological progress and the scientific and technological revolution.

Scientific and technological progress (in any form) plays a decisive role in the development and intensification of industrial production. It covers all stages of the process, including fundamental, theoretical research, applied research, design and technological development, the creation of samples of new technology, its development and industrial production, as well as the introduction of new technology into the national economy. The material and technical base of industry is being updated, labor productivity is growing, and production efficiency is increasing. Studies show that over a number of years, the reduction in the cost of industrial production by an average of 2/3 was ensured by measures of scientific and technological progress. In the context of the transition of the country's economy to market relations, the situation has changed somewhat. However, this situation is temporary. The trend of the influence of scientific and technological progress on the level of production costs that exists in Western countries with a market economy, as we move towards a civilized market, will be carried out with us.

2. The main directions of scientific and technological progress

These are complex mechanization and automation, chemicalization, electrification of production.

One of the most important areas of scientific and technological progress at the present stage is complex mechanization and automation of production. This is the widespread introduction of interconnected and complementary systems of machines, apparatus, instruments, equipment in all areas of production, operations and types of work. It contributes to the intensification of production, the growth of labor productivity, the reduction in the share of manual labor in production, the facilitation and improvement of working conditions, and the reduction in the labor intensity of products.

Under the term mechanization is understood mainly as the displacement of manual labor and its replacement by machine labor in those links where it still remains (both in the main technological operations and in auxiliary, auxiliary, transportation, shifting and other labor operations). The prerequisites for mechanization were created in the period of manufactories, but its beginning is associated with the industrial revolution, which meant the transition to the factory system of capitalist production, based on machine technology.

In the process of development, mechanization went through several stages: from the mechanization of the main technological processes, which are characterized by the greatest labor intensity, to the mechanization of almost all basic technological processes and partially auxiliary work. At the same time, a certain disproportion has developed, which has led to the fact that only in mechanical engineering and metalworking more than half of the workers are now employed in auxiliary and auxiliary work.

The next stage of development is complex mechanization, in which manual labor is replaced by machine labor in a complex manner at all operations of the technological process, not only basic, but also auxiliary. The introduction of complexity dramatically increases the efficiency of mechanization, since even with a high level of mechanization of most operations, their high productivity can practically neutralize the presence of several non-mechanized auxiliary operations at the enterprise. Therefore, complex mechanization, to a greater extent than non-complex mechanization, contributes to the intensification of technological processes and the improvement of production. But even with complex mechanization, manual labor remains.

The level of mechanization of production is estimated by various

indicators.

The coefficient of mechanization of production- a value measured by the ratio of the volume of products produced by machines to the total volume of products.

Work mechanization coefficient- a value measured by the ratio of the amount of labor (in man- or standard-hours) performed in a mechanized way to the total amount of labor costs for the production of a given volume of output.

Labor mechanization coefficient- a value measured by the ratio of the number of workers employed in mechanized work to the total number of workers in a given area, enterprise. When conducting a deeper analysis, it is possible to determine the level of mechanization of individual jobs and various types of work both for the entire enterprise as a whole and for a separate structural unit.

In modern conditions, the task is to complete comprehensive mechanization in all branches of the production and non-production spheres, to take a major step in the automation of production with the transition to automated workshops and enterprises, to automated control and design systems.

Production automation means the use of technical means with the aim of completely or partially replacing human participation in the processes of obtaining, transforming, transmitting and using energy, materials or information. Distinguish between partial automation, covering individual operations and processes, and complex, automating the entire cycle of work. In the case when an automated process is implemented without the direct participation of a person, they speak of full automation.

this process.

Historically industrial automation. The first arose in the 50s and was associated with the emergence of automatic machines and automatic lines for machining, while the performance of individual homogeneous operations or the manufacture of large batches of identical products was automated. As part of this equipment developed, it acquired a limited ability to change over to the production of the same type of products.

The second direction (from the beginning of the 60s) covered such industries as the chemical industry, metallurgy, i.e. those where continuous non-mechanical technology is implemented. Here, automated process control systems (ACS 111) began to be created, which at first performed only information processing functions, but as they developed, control functions began to be implemented on them.

The transfer of automation to the basis of modern electronic computing technology contributed to the functional convergence of both directions. Mechanical engineering began to master machine tools and automatic lines with numerical control (CNC), capable of processing a wide range of parts, then industrial robots and flexible production systems controlled by process control systems appeared.

Organizational and technical prerequisites for automation | production are:

The need to improve production and its organization, the need to move from discrete to continuous technology;

The need to improve the nature and working conditions of the worker;

The emergence of technological systems, the control of which is impossible without the use of automation tools due to the high speed of the processes implemented in them or their complexity;

The need to combine automation with other areas of scientific and technological progress;

Optimization of complex production processes only with the introduction of automation tools.

Level of automation characterized by the same indicators as the level of mechanization: the coefficient of automation of production, the coefficient of automation of work and the coefficient of labor automation. Their calculation is similar, but is performed by automated work.

Science and scientific and technological progress

Questions

1. Relationship between science and technology.

2. Scientific and technological revolution: technological and social consequences.

3. Social and ethical problems of scientific and technological progress.

Lecture

1. At present, the development of science is the main condition for the development of technology. There are three main points of view on the problem of the relationship between science and technology in society.

The first one points to the decisive role of science, and interprets technology precisely as an applied science. This is such a model of the relationship between science and technology, when science is seen as the production of knowledge, and technology as its practical application, embodiment.

Another model emphasizes the mutual influence of science and technology as independent phenomena interacting at certain stages of their development. It is argued that knowledge is driven by the pursuit of truth, while technology is developed to solve practical problems. Technology uses scientific results for its own purposes, and science uses technical means/devices to solve its problems.

The third model points to the leading role of technology: science developed under the influence of the needs of technology. The creation of technology was determined by the needs of production, while science arises and develops as an attempt to understand, comprehend the process of functioning of technical devices. So, a mill, a clock, a pump, a steam engine, etc. were created by master practitioners, and the corresponding sections of science appear later and represent a theoretical understanding of the operation of technical devices. For example, first the steam engine was invented, then thermodynamics appeared.

To understand this difficult problem of the relationship between science and technology, it is necessary to consider it historically.

The term "technology" has two main meanings: 1) that outside human - technical means, tools, etc.; 2) what inside person, i.e. his skills and abilities. Both are necessary conditions for the process of labor activity, without which labor and its productivity are impossible. At different stages of the development of society, their proportion is different.

In the pre-capitalist (traditional, agrarian) society, simple tools of labor prevailed, so the end result depended entirely on the experience, skills and abilities of the master, as well as on many other reasons unknown and beyond human control. Even in ancient times, man learned to smelt metal, without having an adequate idea of what happens, what physical and chemical processes determine the final result. Knowledge was transmitted in the form of a recipe, had a prescription character: to take something..., to do something. This unchanging traditional knowledge was inherited from the ancestors, who, in turn, received it "from above". It was sacred, it was a sacrament.

The production activity of a person in the socio-historical process is replaced by the action of a mechanical device, a mechanical device initiates the science of mechanics - the first of the natural sciences.

Modern science arises largely as a desire to understand the operation of technical devices. It explores those natural laws on the basis of which technology functions. Later in science there is a division into technical sciences, investigating the problems of technology, and natural sciences about nature, investigating natural processes.

Modern technology was created not only by scientists, but also by practical inventors. Watchmaker Watt invented the steam engine, barber Arkwright invented the spinning machine, jeweler Fulton invented the steamboat. The first steam engines were built by manufacturing and handicraft methods, albeit in accordance with scientific knowledge and the requirements of a scientific approach.

Since the end of the 19th century, entire industries: electrical, chemical, various types of mechanical engineering, etc. created on the basis of the discoveries of science. The history of the study of electricity and magnetism provided the first example when, on the basis of a complex of scientific works, an industry of large scale was created, and scientific research turned into a systems engineering practice.

This was especially significant in the activities of the American inventor T. Edison. In 1876, he organized the first research laboratory in the United States, which was tasked with creating the scientific developments necessary for practice. In this laboratory, which produced dozens of different inventions every year, theoretical research was brought to the stage of industrial development and operation. Following Edison, the largest US industrial companies began to create their own research laboratories.

At present, the creation of new types of technical devices cannot but be based on scientific research and development. In modern science, there are branches directly related to the development of new technology and branches focused on fundamental research. This single area of activity is referred to in statistical handbooks as "Research and Development" (R&D).

It should be emphasized that in modern conditions, technical innovations are based on the development of scientific and theoretical knowledge, and the development of modern technology depends on the development of science in the first place. Technique, in turn, poses new challenges for science, and can be considered in the context of social practice, to which knowledge is oriented.

The level of development of modern technogenic society is determined by the development of science and technology as an indicator of the growth of productive forces, their historical maturity. The current stage of scientific and technological progress is scientific and technological revolution from a functional production point of view, it can be characterized as follows: science is turning into the leading sphere of social production; there is a qualitative transformation of all elements of the productive forces - the producer, the tool, the object of labor; the intensification of production is carried out in terms of the use of new, more efficient types of raw materials and their processing, the reduction of labor intensity due to automation and computerization, the increase in the social role of information through the development of mass media, etc.

It can be concluded that the relationship between science and technology has changed. In pre-capitalist (traditional) society, hand tools prevailed. Scientists did not address the solution of practical problems. During the formation and development of capitalism, production begins to develop on a scientific and technical basis. Machines and mechanisms are being created that replace the labor of the worker. Modern science arises from the desire to understand how mechanical devices work. In the future, the technical sciences and natural sciences are separated, but their close interconnection and mutual influence remain. Modern science and technology are also in the process of constant fruitful interaction. Technical problems stimulate the development of science, and scientific discoveries, in turn, become the basis for the creation of new types of technology.

2. Scientific and technological revolution (STR) is a concept used to refer to those qualitative transformations that took place in science and technology in the second half of the 20th century. The beginning of scientific and technical progress as an intensification of scientific and technological progress dates back to the mid-40s. XX century. In the course of it, the process of turning science into a direct productive force of society is completed. Scientific and technological revolution changes the conditions, nature and content of labor, the structure of productive forces, the social division of labor, the sectoral and professional structure of society, leads to a rapid increase in labor productivity, affects all aspects of society, including culture, life, people's psychology, the relationship of society with nature .

The scientific and technological revolution is a long process that has two main prerequisites - scientific and technological and social. The most important role in the preparation of the scientific and technological revolution was played by the successes of natural science in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as a result of which there was a radical change in the views on matter, and a new picture of the world was formed. The electron, the phenomenon of radioactivity, X-rays were discovered, the theory of relativity and quantum theory were created. Science has made a breakthrough into the microworld and high speeds.

A revolutionary shift also occurred in technology, primarily under the influence of the use of electricity in industry and transport. Radio was invented. Aviation was born. In the 40s. XX century science solved the problem of splitting the atomic nucleus. Mankind has mastered atomic energy. The emergence of cybernetics was of paramount importance. For the first time, research into the creation of atomic reactors and the atomic bomb forced the capitalist states to organize interaction between science and industry within the framework of a major national scientific and technical project. This served as a school for nationwide scientific and technical research programs.

A sharp increase in allocations for science and the number of research institutions began. In the early 90s. In the 20th century, the total number of people employed in science and scientific services in the United States approached 7 million people. For comparison, by the beginning of the 90s. The USSR ranked second in the world after the USA in terms of scientific and technical potential. The total number of scientific workers at the beginning of 1991 was approximately 2 million people.

In the second half of the 50s. In the 20th century, under the influence of the successes of the USSR in the study of space and the Soviet experience in organizing and planning science, in most countries the creation of national bodies for planning and managing scientific activities began. Ties between scientific and technical developments have intensified, and the use of scientific achievements in production has accelerated. In the 50s. electronic computers (computers) are being created and widely used in scientific research, production, and then management, which have become a symbol of scientific and technological revolution. Their appearance marks the beginning of the gradual transfer to the machine of performing the elementary logical functions of a person. The development of informatics, computer technology, microprocessors and robotics created the conditions for the transition to integrated automation of production and control. A computer is a fundamentally new type of technology that changes the position of a person in the production process.

At the present stage of its development, the scientific and technological revolution is characterized by the following main features.

1) There was a transformation of science into the productive force of society as a result of the merger of revolutionary changes in science, technology and production, the strengthening of interaction between them and the reduction of the time from the birth of a new scientific idea to its production implementation.

2) A new stage in the social division of labor arose, connected with the transformation of science into the leading sphere of development of modern society.

3) All elements of the productive forces underwent qualitative transformations - the object of labor, the instruments of production and the worker himself. The intensification of the entire production process has increased due to its scientific organization and rationalization, constant updating of technology, energy conservation, reduction of material consumption, capital intensity and labor intensity of products. The new knowledge acquired by the society makes it possible to reduce the cost of raw materials, equipment and labor, recouping the costs of research and development many times over.

4) The nature and content of labor have changed, the role of creative elements has increased in it; production was transformed from a simple labor process into a scientific, more precisely, science-intensive process.

5) On this basis, the material and technical prerequisites for reducing manual labor and replacing it with mechanized labor arose. Subsequently, the automation of production was developed on the basis of the use of electronic computers.

6) New energy sources and artificial materials with predetermined properties are being created.

7) The gigantic development of mass media is accompanied by a huge increase in the social and economic significance of information activities.

8) There is an increase in the level of general and special education and culture of the population.

9) The interaction of sciences, complex studies of complex problems is increasing, the role of the social sciences is also increasing.

10) There is a sharp acceleration of all social processes, further internationalization of all human activity on a planetary scale, the emergence of so-called global problems.

Along with the main features of the scientific and technological revolution, certain stages of its development and the main scientific, technical and technological directions characteristic of these stages can be distinguished.

Achievements in the field of atomic physics (the implementation of a nuclear chain reaction that opened the way to the creation of atomic weapons), the successes of molecular biology (expressed in the disclosure of the genetic role of nucleic acids, the decoding of the DNA molecule and its subsequent biosynthesis), as well as the emergence of cybernetics (which established a certain analogy between living organisms and some technical devices that are information converters) gave rise to the scientific and technological revolution and determined the main natural science directions of its first stage. This stage, which began in the 1940s and 1950s XX century, lasted almost until the end of the 70s. The main technical areas of the first stage of the scientific and technological revolution were nuclear power engineering, electronic computers (which became the technical basis of cybernetics), and rocket and space technology.

Since the end of the 70s. In the 20th century, the second stage of the scientific and technological revolution began, which continues to this day. The most important characteristic of this stage of the scientific and technological revolution was the latest technologies, which did not exist in the middle of the 20th century, which is why the second stage of the scientific and technological revolution was called the "scientific and technological revolution". These latest technologies include flexible automated production, laser technology, biotechnologies, etc. At the same time, the new stage of scientific and technological revolution not only did not discard many traditional technologies, but made it possible to modernize them and significantly increase their efficiency.

The essence of the second stage of the scientific and technological revolution, defined as the "scientific and technological revolution", is an objectively natural transition from various kinds of external, mainly mechanical, influences on objects of labor to high-tech (submicron) influences at the level of the microstructure of inanimate and living matter. The role played by genetic engineering and nanotechnology at this stage of scientific and technological revolution is not accidental.

Over the past decades, the range of research in the field of genetic engineering has significantly expanded: from obtaining new microorganisms with predetermined properties to cloning higher animals (as well as humans themselves). The end of the 20th century was marked by success in deciphering the genetic basis of man. So, in 1990, the international project "Human Genome" was launched, which aims to obtain a complete genetic map of Homo sapiens.

The sphere of nanotechnology - one of the directions in the field of the latest technologies - has become the processes and phenomena occurring in the microcosm, measured in nanometers, i.e. billionths of a meter (one nanometer is about 10 atoms located close one after the other).

Subsequently, research in the field of physics of semiconductor nanoheterostructures laid the foundations for new information and communication technologies. The progress achieved in these studies was of great importance for the development of optoelectronics and high-speed electronics.

Rapid growth in the 80s - 90s. XX century information technology industry were the result of the universal nature of the use of information technology, their widespread use in almost all sectors of the economy. In the course of economic development, the efficiency of material production has become increasingly determined by the scale of use and the qualitative level of development of the spiritual sphere of production. This means that a new resource is involved in the production system - information (scientific, technological, economic, organizational and managerial), which, integrating with the production process, precedes it in many ways, determines its compliance with changing living conditions, completes the transformation of production processes into scientific processes. - production.

The second stage of scientific and technical revolution turned out to be largely associated with such a technological breakthrough as the emergence and rapid spread of microprocessors on large integrated circuits (the so-called “microprocessor revolution”). This largely led to the formation of a powerful information-industrial complex, including electronic computer engineering, microelectronic industry, the production of electronic means of communication and a variety of office and household equipment. This large complex of industries and services is focused on information services for both social production and personal consumption.

The decisive invasion of microelectronics is changing the composition of fixed assets in non-material production, primarily in the credit and financial sphere, trade, and healthcare. But this does not exhaust the influence of microelectronics on the sphere of non-material production. New industries are being created, the scale of which is comparable to the branches of material production. For example, in the United States, the sale of software tools and services related to computer maintenance already in the 80s of the 20th century exceeded in monetary terms the production volumes of such large sectors of the American economy as aviation, shipbuilding or machine tool building.

On the agenda of modern science is the creation of a quantum computer (QC). There are several currently intensively developed areas: solid-state QC on semiconductor structures, liquid computers, QC on "quantum filaments", on high-temperature semiconductors, etc. In fact, all branches of modern physics are presented in attempts to solve this problem.

So far, we can only talk about the achievement of some preliminary results. Quantum computers are still being designed. But when they leave the confines of laboratories, the world will be different in many ways. The expected technological breakthrough should surpass the achievements of the so-called "semiconductor revolution", as a result of which vacuum vacuum tubes gave way to silicon crystals.

Thus, arising on the basis of scientific and technological progress as a continuous process of discovery of new knowledge and its technical and technological application in the system of social production, which initially unfolded in Europe in the New Age, the scientific and technological revolution of the middle of the 20th century led to a radical restructuring of the entire technical basis, the technological method of social production. At the same time, it caused serious changes in the social structure of society, influenced the spheres of education, everyday life, leisure, mass culture, etc.

In the 70s. XX century in the Western countries began an absolute reduction in employment in material production, and in the first place - in the material-intensive industries of mass production. At the same time, the volume of material goods produced and consumed by society in the context of the expansion of the service economy does not decrease, but grows. The production base of the modern economy remains and will remain the basis on which the development of new economic and social processes takes place, and its importance should not be underestimated. The growth in the volume of material goods is increasingly ensured by an increase in the productivity of the workers employed in their creation.

Thus, modern society is not characterized by an obvious fall in the share of material production. At the same time, an increasing share of social wealth is knowledge and information, which are becoming the main resource of current production in any of its forms.

The formation of modern society as a system based on the production and consumption of information and knowledge began in the 1950s. XX century. Knowledge (scientific knowledge) as a direct productive force is becoming the most important factor in the modern (knowledge-intensive) economy, and the sector that creates it turns out to be the most important production resource. There is a transition from expanding the use of material resources to reducing the need for them. At the same time, the cost of the most science-intensive products is rapidly depreciating, which contributes to their wide distribution in all spheres of the economy. As a result, an economy of “unlimited resources” arises, the limitlessness of which is due not to the scale of production, but to a reduction in the need for them.

As the information sector of the economy develops, it becomes more and more obvious that knowledge is the most important strategic asset of any production, enterprise, a source of creativity and innovation, the basis of modern values and social progress - i.e. a truly unlimited resource.

Thus, the development of modern society in the era of scientific and technological revolution leads not so much to the replacement of the production of material goods by the production of services, but to the displacement of the material components of the finished product by information components. The consequence of this is a decrease in the role of raw materials and labor as basic production factors, which is a prerequisite for moving away from the mass creation of reproducible goods as the basis of social welfare.

Scientific and technological development leads to a global transformation of society. Society is entering a new phase of its development, which scientists and sociologists qualify as an "information society".

And of course, from a social/cultural point of view, modern scientific and technological development gives rise to a need for a high level of general education, a high level of special education, and the need to coordinate scientific efforts at the international level.

3. Unprecedented in its pace and scope, scientific and technological progress / STD is one of the most obvious realities of our time. Science colossally increases the productivity of social production. She achieved incomparable results in mastering the forces of nature. It is on science that the complex mechanism of modern development relies. A country that is not able to ensure sufficiently high rates of scientific and technological progress and the use of its results in various spheres of public life dooms itself to a state of backwardness and a dependent, subordinate position in the world.

Even in the recent past, it was customary to uncritically praise scientific and technological progress as almost the only pillar of the universal progress of mankind. Such is the point of view of scientism, that is, the idea of science, especially natural science, as the highest, even absolute social value. At the same time, the rapid pace of development of science and technology gives rise to many new problems and alternatives.

Today, many people ignore the humanistic direction of the development of science. The belief has spread that the goals of science and society in our time reveal a contradiction, that the ethical norms of modern science are almost opposite to universal social, ethical and humanistic norms, values and principles, and scientific research has long gone out of moral control and the well-known Socratic postulate " knowledge and virtue are inseparable” has already been written off to the historical archive.

Opponents of scientism appeal to the experience of the present. They point out that it is difficult to talk about the social and moral role of science, since its achievements are used to create monstrous means of mass destruction, while many people die of starvation every year. It is difficult to talk about the morality of a scientist, because the deeper he penetrates into the secrets of nature, the more honestly he treats his activity, the greater the threat to humanity is fraught with its results. It is difficult to talk about the benefit of science for mankind, since its achievements are often used to create such means and technologies that lead to alienation, suppression, stupidity of the human personality, destruction of the natural human habitat. This is the position of antiscientism.

Scientific and technological progress/revolution not only exacerbates many of the existing contradictions of modern social development, but also gives rise to new ones. Moreover, its negative manifestations can lead to catastrophic consequences for the destinies of all mankind. Today, not only the works of science fiction writers, authors of dystopias, but also many real events warn of what a terrible future awaits people in a society for which rapid scientific and technological development is an end in itself, deprived of the "human dimension".

Over the past decades, the results of scientific and technological development and their impact on human life began to expand and grow at such a speed that they left far behind any other forms and types of cultural development. A person is no longer able to control these processes, and even just realize their consequences. Even if it is possible to find ways to put scientific and technological development under reliable control, it will still produce large-scale changes in it. Modern technology, created on a scientific basis by man, has become the main factor in the ongoing changes on our planet.

Human development has entered a new era. At the beginning of the 20th century, the pace of development began to increase sharply. Particularly exciting discoveries have been made by man in the field of space exploration. Our contemporaries, using nothing but their own mind, were able to formulate the general theory of relativity and the theory of the expanding universe. At the other end of the spectrum of knowledge, we have penetrated the mysteries of infinitesimal objects. The splitting of the atom, the determination of the structure of the nucleus and the discovery of many elementary particles, as well as the deciphering of the genetic code, the synthesis of ribonucleic acid and many other discoveries - all this contributed to the inexorable disclosure of the secrets of matter and life itself.

This phenomenal expansion of the boundaries of theoretical knowledge led to the discovery of such things and phenomena as laser, holography, cryogenics, superconductivity. No less revolutionary achievements were noted in parallel with this in the applied sphere. They are known by the names of vitamins, penicillin, insecticides, television, radar, jet engines, transistors, dwarf wheat, birth control pills, and many other names. This exponential accumulation of scientific knowledge and technical means, new machines and new types of products has allowed man to bring the realm of fantasy closer to the boundaries of reality and look forward to an even more brilliant future.

A person can now overcome many diseases, double (compared to previous generations) life expectancy, significantly improve his life and diet. He has perfected the methods of producing goods, and now produces them on an incredibly massive scale; he invented technical means that can quickly transport himself and his property across continents and oceans; he can instantly contact anyone, no matter where he is on the planet. He set up roads everywhere, erected dams, created cities, dug mines, literally conquering and subjugating the entire planet.

Man has invented a computer - his "electronic servant", memory, computing capabilities and speed of operations which are thousands of times greater than those that he himself has. Finally, he decided to enter into a contest with Nature. Now he is trying to master the energy of matter by discovering nuclear energy; he is trying to expand his possessions beyond the Earth - he has already taken the first steps in this direction by stepping on the surface of the moon and sending instruments into space for a detailed study of the solar system; he seeks to change himself with the help of genetic engineering - by manipulating the genetic material of a person.

Having learned many secrets and having learned to subdue the course of events, man has now found himself endowed with an unprecedented, enormous responsibility and is doomed to play a completely new role of arbitrator, regulating life on the planet - including his own life.

This new role of man is sublime. He will have to make those decisions and perform those functions that he previously attributed to the wisdom of Nature. His role now is to be the leader of the evolutionary process on Earth, and he will have to take charge of this process in order to orient it in a favorable direction.

As the power of modern man increased, the need for a sense of responsibility in him, consonant with his new position in the world, became more and more tangible. Power without wisdom has made man a modern barbarian, possessing tremendous strength, but having no idea how to use it for good.

The global problems of our time, which were the reverse side of the globalization of anthropogenic influence in the era of the transformation of scientific and technical progress into scientific and technological revolution (and especially the ecological crisis), are a direct consequence of the inability of a person to rise to a level corresponding to his world ordering role, to realize his new duties and responsibilities to the world.

The problem is in the person himself, and not “outside of him”, therefore, its possible solution is connected with him. This can be expressed as an axiom: the most important, on which the fate of mankind depends, are human qualities, and it is precisely the “average” human qualities of billions of inhabitants of the planet.

The problem that has arisen at a critical stage in the modern development of mankind is inside, and not outside, the human being, taken at the individual and collective level of development, and its solution must come from within the person. In order to curb the negative consequences of the scientific and technological revolution and in order to direct humanity to a future worthy of it, one should, first of all, think about changing the person himself, about the revolution in the person himself. We are talking about changing the (social) value orientations of the individual and society, reorienting from the ideology of consumerism to spiritual perfection.

So, the most important thing on which the fate of mankind depends is human qualities, and in their moral aspect - not the qualities of individual elite groups, but the "average" qualities of billions of inhabitants of our planet. In the context of globalization, the knowledge and will of millions of people must determine the direction of social development.

Scientific and technological progress creates a lot of problems. Like any historical development, it is irreversible. But this in no way means that people can only meekly submit to the progress of science and technology, adapting as much as possible to its negative consequences.

Specific areas of scientific and technological progress, scientific and technical projects and decisions that affect the interests of both living and future generations - this is what requires a broad, open, democratic and at the same time competent discussion, this is what people can accept, or override with your free will.

This determines today the social responsibility of a scientist. The experience of history convinces us that knowledge is power, that science reveals to man the sources of unprecedented power and power over nature. The consequences of STP/NTR are very serious and not always favorable for people. Therefore, acting with the consciousness of his social responsibility, the scientist should strive to anticipate the possible negative consequences potentially inherent in the results of his research. After all, thanks to his professional knowledge, he is better prepared for such a foresight, and is able to do it earlier than anyone else.

Along with this, the socially responsible position of a scientist implies that he informs the public as widely and in accessible forms about possible undesirable effects associated with ongoing research, about how they can be avoided, eliminated or minimized. Only those scientific and technical decisions that are made on the basis of sufficiently complete information can be considered socially and morally justified in our time.

The role of scientists in the modern world of the era of the scientific and technological revolution is great, and in the foreseeable future it will increase. Scientists have the intellectual qualities, knowledge and qualifications that are necessary not only to ensure scientific and technological progress, but also to direct it for the benefit of man, society and nature, to optimize the global system of relations "man - society - nature".

In this regard, issues of humanism come to the fore. The term "scientific humanism" is being actively developed, expressing the need for a radical change in activities that make scientific and technological revolution directly dependent on the moral qualities of an individual and humanity. In relation to modern conditions, we are talking about the "new humanism" as the approval of such norms that would reflect the vital interests of all the people of the planet and therefore would be perceived as universal, universal values.

Literature

1. Golubintsev V.O. Philosophy for technical universities. Textbook / V.O. Golubintsev, A.A. Dantsev, V.S. Lyubchenko. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2004. - S. 399-414.

2. Philosophy: Textbook for universities; resp. ed. prof. V.P. Kokhanovsky. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2000. - S. 504-514.

3. Philosophy (full course): Textbook for university students / Ed. prof. A.N. Erygin. - M .: ICC "Mart", Rostov n / D: Publishing Center "Mart", 2004. - S. 649-665.

4. Philosophy / Under the general editorship of acad. V.G. Kremenya, prof. N.I. Gorlacha. - Kharkov: Prapor, 2004. - S. 468-472.

5. Philosophy: Heading guide / L.V. Gubersky, I.F. Nadolny, V.P. Andrushchenko and others; For red. I.F. Nadolny. - K.: Vikar, 2005. - S. 401-405.

The scientific and technological process of the New Age (hereinafter referred to as STP) is a rapid development of technology that began in the 18th century and continues to this day. The importance of technological innovations can hardly be overestimated in their impact on European civilization. Yes, all over the planet.

Industrial Revolution

The first stage of scientific and technical progress is the so-called, which began in England in the middle of the 18th century and continued until the beginning of the 20th century. This stage of scientific and technological progress was characterized mainly by the mechanization of labor, which was previously manual.

Pioneers from the British Isle

It is traditionally believed that the NTP is the brainchild of this particular country. It is here that, since the 1760s, the most important changes have been achieved in some areas of both light and heavy industry. For example, the invention of the yarn loom led to England's dominance of the European as well as the American textile markets. The appearance of the first in this country led to the replacement of the English fleet with ships of a new type - high-speed and ergonomic. This further consolidated the already traditional advantage of the English fleet over the rest of the Europeans.

The achievements of the NTP were also manifested in

infrastructure development. An example is the appearance of steam locomotives, as a result of which the country was very soon entangled in a whole network of railways, which facilitated communication between different regions of the country, trade between them, and so on. Important transformations also took place in heavy industry. For example, the invention led to a significant leap in the development of mechanical engineering.

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Introduction

1. The essence of the concept of scientific and technical progress

1.1 Main forms of scientific and technical progress

1.2 Main directions of scientific and technical progress

4. State of scientific and technical progress in Ukraine

Conclusion

Introduction

introduction of technical economic

The subject of this work is scientific and technical progress as the main factor of economic growth.

The purpose of this work is to highlight and analyze the most important features, forms and types of scientific and technical progress, as well as the state of scientific and technological progress in Ukraine.

Based on the goal, the following work tasks can be distinguished:

To study the factors influencing the emergence and acceleration of STP,

Consider the general concepts of NTP,

The essence of NTP

Its types

The state of scientific and technical progress in Ukraine at a given point in time.

In my comprehensive work, I will focus on the disclosure of such a topic as the level of scientific and technical progress in Ukraine.

Scientific and technological progress is one of the factors determining economic growth in the state. Scientific and technical progress is a continuous process of introducing new equipment and technology, organizing production and labor based on the achievements and implementation of scientific knowledge. The basis of the effectiveness of the national economy of any modern country is, along with natural and labor resources, the scientific and technical potential of the country. Economic growth is achieved through the introduction of new equipment and technology into production, as well as the use of improved technologies for the use of resources, which in fact is the basis of scientific and technical progress. As a result of scientific and technological progress, all elements of the productive forces develop and improve: means and objects of labor, labor, technology, organization and management of production.

The relevance of this topic is determined by the emergence of new external and internal factors affecting the state of the economic system.

Also, the relevance of the research topic led to the emergence of numerous works devoted to the problems of maintaining and developing scientific and technical potential. A great contribution to the development of this direction was made by domestic theorists, among them the following can be distinguished: Goncharova V.V., Zavlina P.N., Kazantseva L.E., Kortova V.S., Andreyanov V.D., Abramov, Malkova I.V. , Basovsky L.E. and others, whose works are widely represented in the literature.

1. The essence of the concept of scientific and technical progress

Scientific and technological progress (STP) is a continuous process of discovering new knowledge and applying it in social production, allowing you to combine and combine available resources in a new way in order to increase the production of high-quality end products at the lowest cost. It also acts as the most important means of solving socio-economic problems - improving working conditions and increasing its content, protecting the environment, and improving the well-being of the people. Scientific and technological progress is also of great importance for strengthening the country's defense capability.

In a broad sense, at any level - from the firm to the national economy - STP means the creation and implementation of new equipment, technology, materials, the use of new types of energy, as well as the emergence of previously unknown methods of organizing and managing production.

Scientific and technical progress is a gradual improvement and dissemination in the production of equipment and technological processes within the framework of existing scientific and technical principles.

It is characterized by the following features:

Development and widespread use of fundamentally new machines and systems of machines operating in automatic mode;

Creation and development of qualitatively new production technologies;

Discovery and use of new types and sources of energy;

Creation and widespread use of new types of materials with predetermined properties;

Wide development of automation of production processes based on the use of machine tools with numerical control, automatic lines, industrial robots, flexible production systems;

Introduction of new forms of organization of labor and production.

At the present stage, the following features of STP are observed.

There is an increase in the technological orientation of scientific and technical progress, its technological component. Progressive technologies are now the main link in scientific and technical progress both in terms of the scale of implementation and in terms of results. There is an intensification of scientific and technical progress: the volume of scientific knowledge is growing, the qualitative composition of scientific personnel is improving, the cost effectiveness of its implementation is growing, and the effectiveness of scientific and technological progress is increasing.

At the present stage, scientific and technical progress is becoming more and more complex, systemic. This is expressed, first of all, in the fact that scientific and technical progress now covers all sectors of the economy, including the service sector, penetrates into all elements of social production: the material and technical base, the process of organizing production, the process of training personnel and the organization of management. In quantitative terms, complexity is also manifested in the mass introduction of scientific and technological achievements. An important regularity of scientific and technical progress is the strengthening of its resource-saving orientation. As a result of the introduction of scientific and technological achievements, material, technical and labor resources are saved, and this is an important criterion for the effectiveness of scientific and technological progress. There is an increase in the social orientation of STP, which is manifested in the increasing impact of STP on the social factors of human life: the conditions of work, study, life.

There is an increasing trend in the development of science and technology to preserve the environment - the greening of scientific and technological progress. This is the development and application of low-waste and waste-free technologies, the introduction of effective methods for the integrated use and processing of natural resources, and a more complete involvement in the economic circulation of production and consumption waste.

1.1 Main forms of scientific and technical progress

Scientific and technological progress, in other words, the progress of science and technology, is accompanied by many factors that affect social development to one degree or another. The combination of these factors has led to two forms of scientific and technological progress: evolutionary and revolutionary.

The evolutionary form of scientific and technological progress is a relatively slow improvement of the traditional scientific and technical foundations of production. We are not talking about speed, but about the rate of growth of production: they can be low in a revolutionary form and high in an evolutionary one. For example, if we consider the growth rate of labor productivity, then, as history shows, rapid development can be observed in the evolutionary form of scientific and technological progress and slow development at the beginning of the revolutionary stage. At present, the revolutionary form prevails, providing a higher effect, large scale and accelerated reproduction rates. This form of scientific and technological progress is embodied in the scientific and technological revolution, or STR.

1.2 Main directions of scientific and technical progress

In the modern period of rapid development of scientific and technological progress, the realities of life complement its traditional directions with many significant things, both in general and in the sectoral context. However, traditional ones are constantly operating, remaining the basis for the development of the industry and increasing its efficiency.

The main areas of scientific and technological progress include:

1. The advanced development of science itself, as the basis of the technical revolution and technical progress.

2. Electrosaturation of production.

3. Electronization of production.

4. Large-scale use of computers and information technology.

5. Mechanization and automation of all production processes.

6. Rational chemicalization, supplemented by biological means and methods.

7. Modern and ultra-modern areas related to the use of the laser effect, space instruments, microbiology, bionics, bioengineering, genetic engineering, etc.

8. Creation of advanced technologies, taking into account the achievements of all the named areas of scientific and technological progress.

9. Improving the organization of production, labor and management is adequate to the introduction of new technology and other areas of scientific and technological progress.

All these areas of scientific and technological progress are very important. However, in real life, an adjustment for priority and opportunity is needed. In this regard, the most priority areas are new technologies, mechanization and automation of production processes. It is also necessary to reorient imports of products to the acquisition of technology.

2. Scientific and technological revolution and its consequences

Economists emphasize the "scientific and technological revolution" (NTR) - a qualitative leap in the development of the productive forces of society, a revolution in technology and production technology.

The scientific and technological revolution is a qualitative transformation of the productive forces, the transformation of science into a productive force, and a corresponding radical change in the material and technical base of social production, its form and content, the nature of labor, and the social division of labor.

Thus, scientific and technical progress and scientific and technological revolution are interconnected and mutually conditioned, correlated as evolutionary and revolutionary forms of development of the material and technical base of society. The revolutionary form of scientific and technical progress means a transition to the use of qualitatively new scientific and production principles in production (and not only in its material sphere, but also in the service sector). Scientific and technological revolution transforms the entire technological mode of production, all its aspects and components.

The main features of the scientific and technological revolution:

Universality - covers almost all branches of the national economy and affects all spheres of human activity;

The rapid development of science and technology;

Changing the role of man in the production process - in the process of the scientific and technological revolution, the requirements for the level of qualification of labor resources are increasing, the share of mental labor is increasing.

The modern scientific and technological revolution is characterized by the following changes in the sphere of production:

First, the conditions, nature and content of labor are changing due to the introduction of the achievements of science into production. Machine-automated labor is replacing the former types of labor. The introduction of automatic machines significantly increases labor productivity, removing from production restrictions in speed, accuracy, continuity, etc., associated with the psychophysiological properties of a person. This changes the place of man in production. A new type of connection "man-technique" is emerging, which does not limit the development of either man or technology. In the conditions of automated production, machines produce machines.

Secondly, new types of energy are beginning to be used - atomic, sea ebb, earth's interior. There is a qualitative change in the use of electromagnetic and solar energy.

Thirdly, there is a replacement of natural materials with artificial ones. Plastics and PVC products are widely used.

Fourth, the production technology is changing. For example, the mechanical effect on the object of labor is replaced by a physical and chemical effect. In this case, magnetic-impulse phenomena, ultrasound, super frequencies, electro-hydraulic effect, various types of radiation, etc. are used. Modern technology is characterized by the fact that cyclic technological processes are increasingly being replaced by continuous flow processes. New technological methods also impose new requirements on the tools of labor (increased accuracy, reliability, the ability to self-regulate), on the objects of labor (exactly specified quality, a clear mode of supply, etc.), on working conditions (strictly specified requirements for illumination, temperature regime in the premises, their cleanliness, etc.).

Fifth, the nature of governance is changing. The use of automated control systems changes the place of a person in the system of management and production control.

Sixth, the system for generating, storing and transmitting information is changing. The use of computers significantly accelerates the processes associated with the development and use of information, improves the methods of making and evaluating decisions.

Seventh, the requirements for professional training of personnel are changing. The rapid change in the means of production poses the task of constant professional improvement, raising the level of skills. Professional mobility and a higher level of morality are required from a person. The number of intelligentsia is growing, the requirements for its professional training are increasing.

Eighth, there is a transition from extensive to intensive development of production.

3. Scientific and technological progress as a factor of economic growth

Economic growth is an important economic goal, as it contributes to the growth of prosperity and increase in national wealth. It allows solving socio-economic problems - implementing social programs, developing science and education, solving environmental problems, etc. Economic growth increases the production capabilities of the economy. Thanks to it, new types of resources are created, new efficient technologies of production processes that allow increasing and diversifying the production of goods and services, and improving the quality of life.

Among the intensive factors of economic growth, the most significant is scientific and technological progress (STP), based on the accumulation and expansion of knowledge, on innovations that serve as a form of implementation of scientific discoveries and inventions. It is scientific and economic progress that ensures the improvement of the quality of resources, the gradual improvement of technology and technological processes within the framework of existing scientific and technical principles and their dissemination in production. The evolutionary form of scientific and technical progress is constantly inherent in social production and involves the steady development of technology, an increase in the level of technical knowledge. The revolutionary form of scientific and technological progress - the scientific and technological revolution (STR) - is a qualitative leap in the development of science and the productive forces of society, a revolution in technology and production technology.

The beginning of the modern scientific and technological revolution is usually attributed to the mid-1950s. Its main characteristics:

Automation and computerization of production, the transformation of informatics into a new resource and element of technological progress;

Discovery and use of new types and sources of energy - nuclear, thermonuclear;

Creation and use of new types of materials, unknown to nature, with predetermined properties;

Discovery and application of new technologies (chemical, biological, laser, etc.), which come into life under the general name of "high technologies";

Formation of a new type of worker - cultured and educated, disciplined, capable of operating complex technical and information systems, thinking creatively.

Of course, the use of high technologies makes it possible to better meet the needs of society with a more gentle impact on the environment, determines the increasing efficiency of the production of final products, and contributes to the achievement of economic growth goals. However, economic growth alone cannot solve all the economic, social, environmental and other problems of human society. Recently, experts studying the problems of economic growth have come to the conclusion that the continuation of unbridled economic growth on the existing basis will lead humanity to a catastrophe that threatens its existence. This conclusion is based on a number of interrelated arguments.

First, while maintaining the existing production conditions, the resource component of production may be exhausted in the short term.

Secondly, the technologies and social relations prevailing today are capable of leading humanity to an ecological catastrophe. Ever since the beginning of the 20th century. humanity began to face a number of growing problems of a planetary nature, called global. If back in the 60s and 70s. The main problem was considered to be the prevention of a world nuclear war, but now experts put the environmental problem in the first place. Industrialization and economic growth give rise to such negative phenomena as pollution, industrial noise, emissions, deterioration of the appearance of cities, etc.

Thirdly, the growing social stratification of society poses a serious danger. The problem of income inequality and, as a consequence, the problem of poverty is becoming more and more acute. Approximately 2/3 of the world's population is constantly eking out a beggarly existence or dangerously approaching it. Today, developing countries account for almost 80% of the world's population and about 40% of world GDP.

Fourth, rapid economic growth, especially the technological upgrades that underlie it, creates anxiety and uncertainty among people about the future. Workers at every level fear that the skills and experience they have accumulated may become obsolete as technology advances rapidly.

4. State of scientific and technical progress in Ukraine

Ukraine is in the top 20 leaders of scientific and technological progress.

In the first half of November, at least three events became significant for the Ukrainian scientific community. Firstly, on November 1, Time magazine published a list of the best inventions of 2012, in which the development of the Ukrainian team "Enable Talk Gloves" took 7th place out of 25 possible. (Enable Talk is a student project, the main goal of which is the translation of sign language into speech. The presented concept of the project included two, equipped with sensors, gloves and a mobile device, where the recognition itself took place). Secondly, on November 12, the 100,000th patent for the invention was registered. According to the press announcement of the State Intellectual Property Service of Ukraine, on November 20, the applicant will be issued a title of protection for a period of 20 years for a method to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy for malignant tumors. And, finally, within the framework of the international PCT system for 2011, Ukraine ranked 7th in the TOP-15 middle-income countries in terms of the number of applications filed for patents. At the same time, according to the dynamics of the number of applications for registration of innovations, Ukraine was in the top 20 leaders of scientific and technological progress.

According to ICIS, from 1992 to 2012, 203,294 patents were registered in Ukraine. There are over 2,000 inventions per million inhabitants. With this indicator, according to the "Global Innovation Ranking-2012", Ukraine, together with China and India, was in the group of "beginners". As noted in the report, despite a weak economy with low and middle incomes of citizens, the state has seen an increase in achievements in the field of innovation. This is facilitated by the improvement of the institutional structure, the availability of qualified specialists and close integration into the global financial market. Based on statistics published on the website of the State Intellectual Property Service of Ukraine, it can be calculated that in 2012 the state earned more than 35.3 million hryvnias on the registration of inventions, utility models and industrial designs. The main part of this amount, about 33.4 million hryvnia, is made up of annual fees for maintaining patents.

Conclusion

Having studied the proposed topic, it should be concluded that the scientific and technical potential of any country is the main engine of the economies of countries and its development is one of the most relevant for the economy at the present time. In this comprehensive work, the main issues that reveal the essence of scientific and technical progress as the main factor in economic growth were considered.

Based on the results of this work, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Scientific and technological progress is one of the factors determining economic growth in the state.

Scientific and technical progress is a continuous process of introducing new equipment and technology, organizing production and labor based on the achievements and implementation of scientific knowledge.

NTP is characterized by:

Development and widespread use of fundamentally new machines and systems of machines operating in automatic mode;

Creation and development of qualitatively new production technologies;

Discovery and use of new types and sources of energy;

Creation and widespread use of new types of materials with predetermined properties;

The economic effect of scientific and technical progress is the result of scientific and technical activity. It manifests itself in the form of an increase in production, a decrease in production costs, as well as a decrease in economic damage, for example, from environmental pollution.

For Ukraine, the creative use of the experience of developed countries in implementing measures of state support for innovation processes in the economy has now acquired special significance, which will ultimately allow the formation of a domestic system for stimulating innovation. The effectiveness of innovation depends on a number of factors - this is efficiency. Any result obtained during the investment of investments and all resources (monetary, material, informational, labor) in a new product or operation (technology).

List of used literature

1. Economics of the enterprise. I.V. Sergeev. - M.: Phoenix, 2003.

2. Economics of the enterprise. Edited by Dr. E. n., prof. Karlika B.A. - M.: Nick, 2000.

3. Blyakhman L.S. Economics, organization of management and planning of scientific and technical progress. Moscow: Higher school, 2001.

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What does technological progress depend on? Scientific and technological progress: essence, role and main directions

Science and scientific and technological progress

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