Technological momentum
Encyclopedia
Technological momentum is a theory about the relationship between technology
and society
over time. The term was originally developed by the historian of technology
Thomas P. Hughes
.
Hughes's thesis is a synthesis of two separate models for how technology and society interact. One, technological determinism
, claims that society itself is modified by the introduction of a new technology in an irreversible and irreparable way—for example, the introduction of the automobile
has influenced the manner in which American cities are designed, a change that can clearly be seen when comparing the pre-automobile cities on the East Coast to the post-automobile cities on the West Coast. Technology, under this model, self-propagates as well—there is no turning back once adoption has taken place, and the very existence of the technology means that it will continue to exist in the future.
The other model, social determinism
, claims that society itself controls how a technology is used and developed—for example, the rejection of nuclear power
technology in the USA amid the public fears after the Three Mile Island incident.
Technological momentum takes the two models and adds time as the unifying factor. In Hughes's theory, when a technology is young, deliberate control over its use and scope is possible and enacted by society. However as a technology matures, and becomes increasingly enmeshed in the society where it was created, its own deterministic force takes hold. In other words, Hughes's says that the relationship between technology and society always starts with a social determinism model, but evolves into a form of technological determinism over time and as its use becomes more prevalent and important.
Since its introduction by Hughes, the technological momentum concept has been applied by a number of other historians of technology.
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
and society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
over time. The term was originally developed by the historian of technology
History of technology
The history of technology is the history of the invention of tools and techniques, and is similar in many ways to the history of humanity. Background knowledge has enabled people to create new things, and conversely, many scientific endeavors have become possible through technologies which assist...
Thomas P. Hughes
Thomas P. Hughes
Thomas Parke Hughes is an American Historian of Technology. He is an emeritus professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania and is a visiting professor at MIT and Stanford.He received his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in 1953....
.
Hughes's thesis is a synthesis of two separate models for how technology and society interact. One, technological determinism
Technological determinism
Technological determinism is a reductionist theory that presumes that a society's technology drives the development of its social structure and cultural values. The term is believed to have been coined by Thorstein Veblen , an American sociologist...
, claims that society itself is modified by the introduction of a new technology in an irreversible and irreparable way—for example, the introduction of the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
has influenced the manner in which American cities are designed, a change that can clearly be seen when comparing the pre-automobile cities on the East Coast to the post-automobile cities on the West Coast. Technology, under this model, self-propagates as well—there is no turning back once adoption has taken place, and the very existence of the technology means that it will continue to exist in the future.
The other model, social determinism
Social determinism
Social determinism is the hypothesis that social interactions and constructs alone determine individual behavior ....
, claims that society itself controls how a technology is used and developed—for example, the rejection of nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
technology in the USA amid the public fears after the Three Mile Island incident.
Technological momentum takes the two models and adds time as the unifying factor. In Hughes's theory, when a technology is young, deliberate control over its use and scope is possible and enacted by society. However as a technology matures, and becomes increasingly enmeshed in the society where it was created, its own deterministic force takes hold. In other words, Hughes's says that the relationship between technology and society always starts with a social determinism model, but evolves into a form of technological determinism over time and as its use becomes more prevalent and important.
Since its introduction by Hughes, the technological momentum concept has been applied by a number of other historians of technology.