Significance of Computers in Modern Civilization
Computers play a huge role in the modern world. It is the outcome of many consecutive inventions by a number of scientists. We can get an idea of how huge a role this is if we examine some of the things in the modern world that we rely on and mostly take for granted. The fact that computers have considerably changed the lives of human beings can hardly be denied. The modern-day computer has become an important part of our daily life. They are used in many fields like agriculture, designing, machinery making, defense and many more.
Telecommunication, transport, banking, and finance are the most important features of the modern world and we are heavily dependent on computers in order to function. A computer failure in any of these areas can incapacitate it, and perhaps the other areas too. The consequences can be anything from an inconvenience to disaster. You may have to experience the inconvenience of being unable to withdraw money from a bank because its computer is ‘down’. What happens if the downtime should last several days? The inconvenience could turn to indignation for you and disaster for some businesses.
Computers also ensure more accuracy. Examples of such cases include ticket booking, payment of bills, insurance and shopping. Can you imagine what can happen if crucial computers fail in the transport systems, for example, the airlines? Flight schedules can be severely interrupted, passengers can miss flights or board the wrong ones, or worst of all, accidents can happen. Air-traffic controllers rely on computers to direct aircraft landing and taking off.
Another area in which computers are very important is telecommunication. Today we communicate with one another via the telephone, fax machine, and the Internet. Physical distance matters little. Satellites, fiber optics, and other devices make sure that we can communicate from the comfort of our homes, anywhere in the world as long we have the equipment to do it.
Computers are also used for medical education and clinical care. Medical imaging is a special method used to generate images of the human physique. It is also used for examining and diagnosing diseases. This also leads to a better diagnosing pattern and makes health care faster and more efficiently.
Certainly this is all fantastic, but what can happen if the computers stop working, even if it were to be for a short while. Have you ever felt the exasperation of being unable to ring your friend or retrieve an email? We are literally plunged straight back to the days of our forefathers when messages took days and weeks to reach their destination.
Computers are here to stay and their importance is undeniable. In fact, they are indispensable. More and more they become part of our lives. For us in this modern world, that would be unimaginable. Keeping all the above-mentioned things in mind, we must accept that if used the right way, computers are a gift of science to mankind. Above all, they have revolutionized the whole world.
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