Held: Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Back to Outline 01 - An Introduction to the Course. On to Outline 03 - More Foundational Perspectives.

Summary

We begin to explore some basic approaches to thinking about technology.

Related Pages

• Questions on the readings
• EBoard (Source) (HTML) (PDF)

Overview

• Defining "Technology", revisited.
• Weinberg: Can Technology Replace Social Engineering?
• Berry: Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer.
• Florman: Technology and the Tragic View.

Administrivia

• The course Web remains in a bit of a state of flux. Expect it to change a bit over the next week.
• I will continue to take attendance this week.
  • Please say "Yes" or "Here" when I call your name.
  • Please preface any comment you make in class with your name.
• I got over 200 email messages from students on Tuesday.
  
  • (Yes, it's my fault for having students submit homework via email.)
  • So that I can navigate my inbox, It's very important to me that you take the time to title your email messages correctly.
• Apologies for distributing photocopies of one wrong reading. I'm not quite sure what happened. If you didn't read Weinberg, just listen to the discussion.
• For Friday, read
  • Marx, Leo (1987). Does Improved Technology Mean Progress? [Teich 10th, ch 1, pp. 1-12]
  • Pool, Robert (1997). How Society Shapes Technology. [Teich 10th, ch 2, pp. 13-21]
  • Winner, Langdon (1980). Do Artifacts Have Politics? [Teich 10th, ch 7, pp. 50-66]
  • I brought a few copies to class today.
• Note takers:
  • No need to re-summarize the administrivia, unless you hear something other than what I have posted.
  • Please make a summary of the main points of the day's class.
• Extra credit: CS Table, Friday, noon, Day PDR: 3D printing (including body parts).
• Extra credit: Theatre Gigante, Friday night

Defining Technology

• What, if anything, do our authors contribute to our understanding of what technology is?
• Do they define the term, directly or indirectly?
• Are we just left with the assumption that everyone knows what we mean by "technology"?

Weinberg

Weinberg, Alvin M. (1996). Can Technology Replace Social Engineering?

• What is Weinberg's thesis/primary claim?
• Where in the essay can we find this thesis stated?
• Does he stake any subsidiary claims?
• What is the structure of his argument to support that claim?
• How might Weinberg's approach be used to evaluate a technology?

Berry

Berry, Wendell (1990). Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer.

• What is Berry's thesis/primary claim?
• Where in the essay can we find this thesis stated?
• Does he stake any subsidiary claims?
• What is the structure of his argument to support that claim?
• How might Berry's approach be used to evaluate a technology?

Florman

Florman, Samuel C. (1981). Technology and the Tragic View.

• What is Florman's thesis/primary claim?
• Where in the essay can we find this thesis stated?
• Does he stake any subsidiary claims?
• What is the structure of his argument to support that claim?
• How might Florman's approach be used to evaluate a technology?