April 30, 2008

Book Review - Human-Built World

Human-Built World: How to Think about Technology and Culture
Thomas P. Hughes
T 14.5 .H84 2004

To most people, technology revolves around computers, cellular phones, and the everyday gadgets that make their lives easier or more fun. Hughes, a scholar of the history of science, takes a longer view when defining technology. Going back to the philosopher-scientists of the 16th century, Hughes discusses the role that scientific thinking and innovations have played in Western society. He illustrates how discovery and invention have offered new possibilities for people, but at the same time had often unintended negative consequences. He simultaneously traces the way human thought about science and technology has shifted over time. This thought-provoking book examines the way people relate to their own creations.