I think the idea that technology develops its own path is an interesting one, and I think that the ideas behind the ‘Technological Determinism’ theory hold a fair amount of merit. Looking at the past and present of technological advancement, we can see how technology (in many ways) may bring about its own development. For instance, when existing technologies fail or prove themselves to be unreliable, the human race (as creators and inventors) will generally work on improving upon and fixing the technology so that it works more effectively. This can be seen in all aspects of technological life – a good example of this can be seen in the development of the car. As the dangers of these vehicles became apparent, we naturally began to seek ways to improve their safety and reliability (seat-belts, airbags, active braking systems, etc). While it is the human who physically makes these changes, one could see technology as being the force behind these changes.
I think that the development of technologies often does reflect a somewhat natural evolution; the old is replaced by the new, and the more efficient and reliable systems prevail. Consider the history of the mobile phone and you can see how this specific piece of technology has evolved to become more and more powerful – while the designers and engineers at companies like Apple have facilitated this evolution – in many ways I think that the technology’s presence in our lives actively brought about/influenced these creations. The original iPhone’s potential fuelled the development of further models and the popularity of the smartphone led to more and more brands competing to create the ultimate pocket-computer.
I think it would be interesting to consider a point in which the development of the mobile phone halts, perhaps slowing in evolution – having reached a powerful and dominant place in society (much like the human race has secured its place on Earth). This point may never be reached, with changes seeming to continuously be made to smartphones; however I think it could be possible.
I do think that this theory has its limitations however, and the human ‘creators’ certainly have a very significant role in the production and development of new technologies AS WELL AS the research that goes into allowing for advancements in technology to occur. I think this human role will be one that lasts for a long time (unless the events of the latest Avengers movie become a reality and AI begins to create technologies by itself).