1. In the Neolithic Revolution, the growth of communities was a result ofÂ
the use of steam as an energy source.
farming and the domestication of animals.
conquest and settlement.
new trade routes to the East.
2. Francis Bacon argued that scientific method differed from logic and mathematics in that
science begins with general theory then moves to phenomena.
logic begins with phenomena then moves to general conclusions.
mathematics moves from the specific to the theory.
scientific inquiry starts with the phenomena and ends in theory.
3. Edgerton counters the theory of distinct successive technological revolutions by explaining that
the expansion of agricultural production has coincided with the growth of modern services.
the revolutionary nature of each leap forward was rooted in political instability.
the information highway has replaced shipping in importance in the Chinese economy.
the decrease in agricultural production has coincided with a decrease in industry.
4. The introduction of four uniform time zones in the United States was a direct result of
the widespread introduction of mechanical clocks from China.
the loss of influence of the Catholic church.
the impact of a fully integrated railroad system.
the growth of commercialized farming in the 20th century.
5. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Wiki art?Â
It is dynamic and ever-changing.
It is collaborative.
It can involve music, poetry, video, and stories.
It relies on the talents of trained professional artists.
6. According to Winner, the use of computer technologies to supervise workers is
an inevitable consequence of technical changes.
a reflection of a political relationship.
necessary in a modern world.
preferred by workers over a human supervisor.
7. The term Luddite refers toÂ
investors in industrial society.
church leaders who supported child labor.
workers who rejected new technologies.
politicians who resisted factory reforms.
8. Which of the following is considered a scholarly resource?Â
Chicago Tribune
Journal of the American Medical Association
Dr. Phil
www.nbc.com
9. The three technologies that Bill Joy states are the greatest threat in the 21st century are
nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
nuclear power, genetic engineering. and weapons of mass destruction.
genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics.
Luddites, cyborgs, and robotics.
10. The unintended effects of e-mail are
social isolation.
blurring of our public and private lives.
increased threats to privacy.
All of the above
11. The intended reader of a scholarly resource would be
A. students.
B. academics.
C. professionals.
D. All of the above
12. During the Protestant Reformation, the printing press created a new desire for books.
A. became popular in Muslim countries.
B. was used by the Catholic church to fight heresy.
C. helped to satisfy a growing demand for vernacular books.
13. Winner argues that some technologies have become so fully integrated in our society that they have actually taken on social roles. An example of this would be
A. a telephone answering machine.
B. a computerized surveillance system.
C. 'el cortito'.
D. All of the above.
Essay questions
Why does Cowan believe it is important to examine technologies in the context of technological systems? What advantage does this broader perspective give to planners? Give a specific current technological example (not it the reading) in support of your answer.
Ruth Schwartz Cowan examines technologies in the context of technological systems. As per him, Large-scale technological systems are linked with one another, often in relationships of mutual interdependence; for instance, if we look at today's urban transportation systems, they heavily depend on the power generating company, steel industry, Infrastructure sector for roads and bridges. If we just look at internet, we find there are vast numbers of computer networks creating a sort of matrix where the data is being transmitted through this complex network. These are all can be termed as technological systems in the words of Cowan. Technological systems can best be understood by understanding its several distinguishable but interacting aspects: (1) skills, techniques, human activity-forms, or sociotechnical practices; (2) resources, tools, and materials; (3) technological products, or artifacts; (4) ends, intentions, or functions; (5) background knowledge; and (6) the social contexts in which the technology is designed, developed, used, and disposed of. These six aspects are present in every technology.
Human activity-form - Today, there are complex ensembles of techniques for doing just about everything from planting and harvesting crops to figuring out the orbit of a moon of Jupiter, from designing a house to conducting a leveraged hostile takeover, from cooking lasagna to programming a computer to sort sales data. Such complex techniques represent what is called procedural knowledge, or more commonly "know-how," and is contrasted with propositional knowledge, or "know-that."
Resources, tools, and materials - One of the main consequences of technology is to increase our capacity to do things. Technologies, techniques, and tools extend, enhance, and sometimes even replace our natural powers such as sight, hearing, muscle, and even memory and thought.
Ends, intentions, or functions - The fourth aspect concerns the ends or functions of an artifact or technique. Most artifacts have typical or intended uses, but artifacts can in fact be embedded in multiple contexts of use or can serve multiple ends, a property that Richard Sclove calls polypotency.
Background knowledge - The fifth aspect of technological systems is knowledge or factual knowledge about what the universe consists of and how it operates. To employ our technologies, we need background knowledge of various kinds: what resources to use and where to find them, what techniques to employ to fabricate various artifacts, the ends and purposes that are typically served by various techniques and objects, and how all these elements fit together in a systematic way.
Social contexts in which the technology is designed, developed, used, and disposed - The sixth aspect of technology is the social context or organization in which technologies are developed, distributed, and employed. A division of labor in which different individuals perform different tasks or occupy different roles to accomplish common or coordinated ends characterizes technological societies. The schemes that we use for organizing human labor represent a kind of technology that can be applied to the most important resource of all-ourselves. Complex schemes for organizing human activities that have become more or less institutionalized can be called social artifacts.
The social and psychological aspects of technological systems are the most important. Technology is a human social construction. This is true in an obvious and straightforward sense when we speak of large technological structures such as bridges, buildings, or dams, which obviously came into existence only by the coordination of the activities of numerous individuals.
If we look at today's Construction and infrastructure technologies and the technologies used in building structures for building, industries and societies, we find that there are multiple interacting aspects that create this technological system such as:
(1) skills, techniques, human activity-forms - Construction workers, project managers and Corporate/industrial builders
(2) resources, tools, and materials - Construction tools, Earth-movers and Excavators, Building materials such as cement, stones and sand.
(3) Technological products, or artifacts - Transportation involved, Power/energy required for construction
(4) Ends, intentions, or functions - This is supposed to create building where individuals can live or businesses can be run
(5) Background knowledge - Construction material knowledge, Construction knowledge, Project Management Knowledge
(6) Social contexts in which the technology is designed, developed, used, and disposed of - Labor/Human Resources used in the construction, Project managers and Top management, Infrastructure experts, Organization and creation of roles/responsibilities to complete the construction project on time.
Explain in your own words your understanding of Wajcman's critique of technological determinism. How does her reasoning compare with Winner's argument that technologies can actually reflect political relationships? Provide examples.