S1E8: In the footnotes Defining Technology Part 3 - the visual guide

Techumanpurpose · S1E8: In the footnotes - defining technology part III

 

So in the first two footnotes episodes I took a run through both some of the existing Christian thought on technology in brief terms. In the second episode we had a brief look at Brian Arthur's three fold view of what technology actually is. But that is still not as helpful as you might think technology is really really complex. It spins off in my directions, and here I am not talking the ideological, philosophical, moral, politics or economics. No, I am just talking what it is.

Biological systems

Start with a tree

Humans form interesting cultural attachments to both the natural world and the technological world. Listen to this on Oak Trees.

But that is very English. People from the tropics are very fond of mango trees, Although these do not seem to have the deep multi-layered associations as some tree types in Northern Latitudes.

A tree and then a ecosystem...

Bentwood box

Technology

Start with an object

1929 Movie from Russia

This is Russia in 1929 - from the perspective of someone where pro-industrialisation of a very poor country. Sit back and watch it is fascinating.

1939 General Motors Promotional Video and Model

Note the vision of technology but the language is a bit jarring - apparently - exploring and new horizons are just for men.

and now the 1964 World Fair.