Announcements

I will put announcements about the class in this space. Please check here periodically as the term progresses.

Apr 9: From Apr 16, we will meet in room 11-1416.

May 6: For weeks 4-8, we will meet with Prof. Sterenberg’s zemi in room 11-815.

MI501
Seminar on Matter and
Information: Science Studies

Technology and History

Course Description

Science studies covers a broad range of topics in the history, philosophy and sociology of the sciences wherever and whenever they have been practiced. Because of this scope, there is great diversity in the styles of scholarship practiced and the views about science put forward by scholars in the field. For these reasons, this seminar will be based around a particular theme each term.

This term, we will focus on the history of technology in the 20th century, considering modern technology as a social process. We will be interested both in how technology is shaped by society and also in how technology, in turn, modifies society. Another important goal of this term will be developing an understanding of the complicated relationship between technoscience and politics, or, more sharply, between knowledge and power.

We will start by examining some topics in the philosophy of technology. We will then look at a special topic in the history of philosophy of technology, namely the US project to build an atomic bomb, the Manhattan Project. Finally, we will study the relationship between global technology, politics and economics in the 20th century.

Students taking this class will be introduced to the core theories of philosophy of technology and develop new ways of thinking about the relationship between science, technology and society. Students are expected to do all of the readings, participate actively in classroom discussions, and write a final paper.

Required Texts

A number of papers will be available for download from this site.

Hughes, J., 2003. The Manhattan Project: Big Science and the Atom Bomb. Icon Books: London. (Please order a copy of this book from a local bookstore or online bookseller.)

Edgerton, D., 2006. The Shock of the Old. Profile Books: London. (Please order a copy of this book from a local bookstore or online bookseller.)

Grading:

Participation	50%
Final paper	50%

General Format

The class meets once a week for a seminar discussion. Attendance and participation in class are mandatory and graded. Each week, we will discuss a chapter or two from the text, and other topics of interest. Students are expected to do all the readings, participate actively in the discussions, submit a final paper and give an in class presentation on its contents.

Final Paper

Writing Project, 3,000-5,000 words.

The writing project will be done in two phases: (1) a topic proposal and bibliography, and (2) a final paper. You should come up with your own idea for a final project that is based on the works we are studying. The best kind of project will be on a subject in which you are personally interested.

Once you have selected a topic, you should write up a short description of your project (100-300 words), which should be followed by a bibliography (5-10 items). The topic proposal is due at least two weeks before the final paper. Once this has been submitted and approved, you can begin work on your final paper.

Please also read the general guidelines for written assignments.

Discussion Topics, Readings and Assignments

As you read through the readings, you should ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the overall point that the author is trying to make?

2. What is the author’s argument? What evidence does the author use? What are the strong points of the argument, the weak points?

3. Is the argument convincing? Why, or why not?

4. Why would the author make this kind of argument? What is the broader context in which this is interesting?

Debate Topics and Groups (Weeks 4-8)

For Weeks 4-8, when we meet with Prof. Sterenberg&srquo;s class, everyone will be divided into two groups for the purposes of the final debate.

Group 1 will defend the two following positions:

1a. Science drives technology. That is, technology is the application through engineering and economics of scientific knowledge and principles, etc.

2b. History drives technology. That is, historical actors (politicians, engineers, users) produce and use objects in order to achieve their desired political, military and economic outcomes, etc.

Group 2 will defend the two following positions:

1b. Technology drives science. That is, science is the controlled application of technological devices in the production of novel facts about the world, etc.

2a. Technology drives history. That is, political, military, economic, etc., decisions are made on the basis of the application of rational principles to the available technological means. etc.