The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:
This book presents an evolutionary theory of technological change based upon recent scholarship in the history of technology and upon relevant material drawn from economic history and anthropology. It challenges the popular notion that technology advances by the efforts of a few heroic individuals who produce a series of revolutionary inventions owing little or nothing to the technological past. Therefore, the book's argument is shaped by analogies taken selectively from the theory of organic evolution, and not from the theory and practice of political revolution. Three themes appear, and reappear with variations, throughout the study. The first is diversity: an acknowledgment of the vast numbers of different kinds of made things (artifacts) that have long been available to humanity; the second is necessity: the belief that humans are driven to invent new artifacts in order to meet basic biological requirements such as food, shelter, and defense; and the third is technological evolution: an organic analogy that explains both the emergence of novel artifacts and their subsequent selection by society for incorporation into its material life without invoking either biological necessity or technological progress. Although the book is not intended to provide a strict chronological account of the development of technology, historical examples - including many of the major achievements of Western technology: the waterwheel, the printing press, the steam engine, automobiles and trucks, and the transistor - are used extensively to support its theoretical framework. The Evolution of Techology will be of interest to all readers seeking to learn how and why technology changes, including both students and specialists in the history of technology and science.

The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) by George Basalla

From reader reviews:

Terri Rouse:

Do you have favorite book? For those who have, what is your favorite's book? Reserve is very important thing for us to be aware of everything in the world. Each publication has different aim or perhaps goal; it means that guide has different type. Some people feel enjoy to spend their a chance to read a book. They may be reading whatever they take because their hobby will be reading a book. What about the person who don't like reading through a book? Sometime, individual feel need book when they found difficult problem or maybe exercise. Well, probably you'll have this The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science).

Alice Wilkerson:

The ability that you get from The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) could be the more deep you digging the information that hide within the words the more you get interested in reading it. It doesn't mean that this book is hard to be aware of but The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) giving you enjoyment feeling of reading. The writer conveys their point in a number of way that can be understood by means of anyone who read the item because the author of this book is well-known enough. This book also makes your own vocabulary increase well. So it is easy to understand then can go to you, both in printed or e-book style are available. We recommend you for having this kind of The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) instantly.

Seth Sutherland:

Spent a free the perfect time to be fun activity to perform! A lot of people spent their spare time with their family, or their particular friends. Usually they doing activity like watching television, gonna beach, or picnic inside park. They actually doing same every week. Do you feel it? Do you wish to something different to fill your personal free time/ holiday? Could be reading a book could be option to fill your free of charge time/ holiday. The first thing that you ask may be what kinds of book that you should read. If you want to try look for book, may be the e-book untitled The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) can be very good book to read. May be it may be best activity to you.

Gay Swiderski:

Reading a book being new life style in this yr; every people loves to go through a book. When you learn a book you can get a large amount of benefit. When you read guides, you can improve your knowledge, due to the fact book has a lot of information onto it. The information that you will get depend on what kinds of book that you have read. If you would like get information about your review, you can read education books, but if you act like you want to entertain yourself read a fiction books, these us novel, comics, along with soon. The The Evolution of Technology (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) offer you a new experience in reading a book.