From: Bryan Moss (bryan.moss@dial.pipex.com)
Date: Mon Jan 10 2000 - 12:48:20 MST
Anders Sandberg wrote:
> [...]
>
> The problem with technological determinism is simply that
> it is wrong - it is an oversimplified view of history,
> ignoring the complex interplay between technology and
> society, economics, individuals, serependipity and other
> influences.
If I'm looking at a specific event in history then I agree,
technological determinism is overly simplistic. But if I'm
looking at history itself then it makes (some) sense to look
at technology as an independent force. Anything on a lesser
scale is bounded by the limits of the technology at the time
and can have very little overall effect.
> Certainly there are feedback loops that drive certain
> technologies (think Moore's law and how much people are
> expecting it to be true) but technology is not an
> independent force from everything else.
Perhaps we can speed up or slow down progress (or even stop
it). How would we do this? If by supression then we imply
that technology is an independent force.
BM
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