Introduction
1 Introduction
John Gressette
Introduction
What are science and technology? How do they change? How do they relate to each other? These questions seem straightforward; however, to answer these three questions, one would essentially need to tell the story of human history. It is impossible to generalize with these terms because, as Oberdan states in Science, Technology, and the Texture of our Lives,“ the terms ‘science’ and ‘technology’ are used to mean different things in different contexts” (2011, 23). Over time, science and technology have always been changing, but their role in society has remained mostly the same; they shape the direction of society and play a crucial role in virtually every aspect of it. As history has progressed, innovation has been vast and widespread across many different categories. Some of the main areas of innovation that will be covered in this book include communication, travel, medicine, the study of science itself, weaponry/military technology, and manufacturing advances. Although the list of innovations, discoveries, and developments is extremely long, it is important to focus on the visible themes or trends—both short-run and long-run—that exist.
Theories of Science, Technology, & Society
This textbook deals with the study of Science, Technology, & Society (STS) – an interdisciplinary area of research that seeks to examine how scientific discoveries and technological innovations shape society and vice versa. There are several theories associated with STS to include modernization theory, social constructivism, and path dependence. It is helpful to look at the development of science and technology via a theoretical lens as it allows researchers to understand more about patterns and predictors for future development. Other theories discussed in this book include Tragedy of the Commons and Social Control. Concepts like race and gender are also explored as they relate to STS.
early science
“…the terms ‘science’ and ‘technology’ are used to mean different things in different contexts…” (Oberdan, 2011)
Galen’s work on early anatomy relates to both science and technology because he created the first understanding of organ location throughout the human body. Even though his work was built upon by Andreas Vesalius, which gave us the basis for our modern anatomical understanding (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2021). This lead to his creation of the surgical procedure of vivisection, both of which are now used as a basis of understanding for all medicine and medical operations. Additionally, after studying events like the black death, which killed more than 25 million people, scientists and city planners alike put more research into sanitation, clean running water availability, and other (now common) amenities.
urbanizatioN
Modern urbanization requires accounting for the impact that an easily spread illness outbreak can have, like the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918, which was “the most severe pandemic in recen