Technological deternism means (in a very brief description) - Where technology is believed to be the force which shapes society. However society does not shape technology!
Theorists (i.e Marshall Mchluhan - 1962) believe that technology has taught us how to feel, act, etc. They believe that from mediums we have learnt essential skills that have helped us live, and our lifes change and develop from these. For example - radio, we learn to listen and our hearing supposedly improves from this, from TV - we learn to listen and watch TV, engaging both our visual and hearing senses together. These senes that we use to engage with technology we then start to put into our own life everyday, for using technology and for other aspects of our life.
People who believe in technological deternism believe strongly that technology will put together our future! Do you agree with this? I think it's a bit extreme but I think that technology if it continues to improve will undoubtedly shape our lifes. For example if they make robots that can speak for us! etc etc.
I had never heard of this term before so had to do a bit of research, these websites I found useful in conducting my own definition of the term that I understand...
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schcom/rojc/mdic/define.html
http://www.nae.edu/nae/techlithome.nsf/weblinks/KGRG-55ZQYK?OpenDocument
http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/capstone/mass/determinism.htm
Hopefully they can help some of you too.
That's if I have even got what it stands for right! Anyone find any other definitions/ways of explaining the term?
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2 comments:
RINCY
I equally struggled slightly with this term, altho just quickly glancing at the websites you used they helped a bit, so thanks! I like the bit where you talked about what technology was first used for, hadn't thought of that in my own post for this topic so you threw yet another light on the subject! I've put my own post up about this containing my thoughts on whether technology will shape us or visa versa, I think it works both ways really!
Anyway, good post! :) x
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