Modern Technologies and you

Question 1

What did Samuel Florman write? What did this argue?

Answer 1

“The existential pleasures of engineering”

• Argues against critics of technology
• Argues engineers are independent from external factors, have internal drive to create technology

Question 2

What is technological determinism? Where was this argued for?

Answer 2

Technology is joy, and life is better with more technology.

Argued for in Samuel Florman’s book.

Question 3

What did Lewis Mumford write? What did this argue? What is another term for this?

Answer 3

“The Myth of the Machine”

• Argued that unlimited technological progress will eliminate humanity
• Called it a myth that machines would take over people’s jobs/ability to thing
• Biological progression, biological determinism

Question 4

What two technological systems clash?

Answer 4

a. Factory system profits

b. Putting-out system, social/cultural change

Question 5

Why were Luddites hateful of machines?

Answer 5

They were opposing social changes that came alongside new technology, their way of making a living.

Question 6

What happened with Luddites in 1812?

Answer 6

200 of them went to the streets to protest new machinery. 14000 troops were sent to deal with them and they were completely wiped out.

Question 7

What new law was passed as a result of the arrival of Luddites? What is significant about this law?

Answer 7

Destruction of machines was punishable by death.

First time in history that machines were treated like humans, by law.

Question 8

Who was Jacques Ellul and what did he write?

Answer 8

Brilliant scholar and philosopher.

Wrote “The technological society”

Question 9

What were some of Jacques Ellul’s points that he made in his book?

Answer 9

• we are controlled by technology
• technology used for political/economical ends
• coined ‘sleepers’, those who cannot see what’s going on, people left in the dark, like the allegory of the cave

Question 10

Who was Neil Postman and what did he write?

Answer 10

A historian of technology.

Wrote “Technopoly”

Question 11

What were Neil Postman’s three main points?

Answer 11

1. Technology is a trade off, we gain but also lose, NOT one-way relation
2. Technology transforms societies, it ALWAYS has an impact
3. We are obedient to technology