Technological Determinism essays

Technological Determinism essays Langdon Winner calls technological determinism "nave," because the viewpoint fails to take into consideration the impact of social and political forces on the shaping of technological systems in society (63). Technology has no will of its own; it would be impossible to separate the psychological, sociological, political, and economic influences on the inventor or engineer from the products that he or she creates. For example, an architect builds buildings according to the needs of the client and in accordance with the building codes and environmental laws of the community. Moreover, the architect brings his or her own aesthetic sensibility to the design project, which in turn impacts the overall atmosphere and feel of the surrounding area. The type of design the architect chooses is equally as informed by culture: a Chinese pagoda would probably not be built among a row of track housing in a Detroit suburb, for example. Furthermore, the architect works within the budgetary parameters of his client and within a specific time frame, both of which imply the economic factors that impact the shaping of technology. Related to these economic influences on technology is also the availability of certain building materials. The design of the building will depend partly on the materials used in its construction, which in turn are chosen for specific economic, social, and political reasons. For instance, a "green home" would use recycled materials, whereas a suburban track housing development would employ the cheapest materials possible. With this example of architecture, it is easy to see how the social shaping of technology is a more plausible framework for analyzing the relationship between technology and society than the Technological determinism seeks simplicity: technology exists for its own sake. Human minds and hands might mold technology from a practical ...