- Fundamental principles:
"Technology is not created in a vacuum."
"Engineering is a human activity."
Understanding the historical context is crucial to knowing history of technology.
Need to look beneath surface to see social/political/economic imperatives behind technological change.
Study how technology affects society
But also the reverse:
Study how society affects technology.
Social ideas, priorities, assumptions about technology.
Popular myths about the history of technology:
- Image of the "lone inventor" (Edison) NOT!
(team effort corporatization)
- "Technology is neutral" NOT!
(artifacts have politics)
- "Necessity is the mother of invention" NOT!
- "Technological determinism" NOT!
- Technology = progress NOT always!