prem@eagle.UUCP (P.T.Devanbu) (09/27/84)
The Culture of Technology by Arnold Pacey, MIT Press, 1983. (MH library has it) Perhaps the most thought provoking, troubling, comforting, illuminating book I have read in a long time: It is going to have its influence on the rest of my professional life. This book presents a cogent view of technology as a very HUMAN processes. Pacey starts off by calling attention to the fact that the traditional view of technology - a deterministic process that is valueless, unstoppable, truly rational, and based solely on the techniker's trained judgement - is rather naive. Technology is a result of many things: a manic desire for virtuosity, national pride (the moon shot), fear (the arms race), as a means of artistic expression, as a means of social service, etc, etc. As such many different values go into the making of technology. It has, however, traditionally been very "MALE" throughout history; it enshrines male values, and a male perspective. Pacey then explores important attitudes and experiences of techno-person in the modern world - what is progress ? How adequate are our resources ? Who is an expert and how does he/she think ? What is creativity ? Several illuminating quotations, anecdotes, field studies, statistics are presented. He makes a comparison between Sri Lanka and Kerala (a province in South India). both of which have achieved drastic reductions in infant mortality, and similar improvements in nutrition, by way of completely different approaches. Very inspiring. In one chapter, Pacey presents an exciting view of women and their potential impact on technology. Women's contributions to social well-being have always been denigrated; Women's attitudes towards technology, have therefore had little impact. Pacey presents an exciting vista of the potential contributions that women technologists (with their "traditional" bias away from individualistic virtuosity, aggressive competetiveness and more towards people/community oriented, organic, nurturing, user-driven, humanistic technology) can make to future generations. Very inspiring view indeed, but I don't see the practice of technology NOW changing as a result of talented women coming in; The institutions we work have too much inertia for the built-in male values to yield. What seems to happen is that many women adopt the institutional norms (become white-male-ized), some give up on making a difference, etc etc. I have seen strong women who really change bad things (macho displays, sexism, aggressive competition etc) but NOT ENOUGH. Its time they got paid more attention. And that responsiblity, says Pacey, is in the hands of those holding the reins. The lessons are hard to learn, and may determine our survival as a race. Pacey criticizes the narrow minded, bureaucratic, undemocratic practice of technology by such instituitions as the Atomic Energy Commission (in the UK), multinationals, (with their unrelenting pursuit of profit), and the military industrial complex. These institutions have shifted the political balance away from the democratic process, and have fostered a linear, myopic practice of technology, carefully cultivating an atmosphere of secrecy and misinformation, and making decisions away from public scrutiny. He restresses the fact that technology is a human process, and that there no right or wrong answers in most situations. He sees technology as functioning best as a <<dialectic process between entirely different view points>>. In this context, he emphasizes the need for public interest research groups, better dissemination of technical knowledge etc. This promotes a wider awareness, and therefore more informed, creative dialogue. He cites as a shining example of this kind of dialogue a study conducted by Justice Thomas Berger on the feasibility of an Oil Pipeline from the north in Canada. Berger described the wider (ecological, social political) implications of the pipeline, and carefully exposed the different value systems (economic, frontier-adventure spirit, technical excellence) and how they interacted in the progress of this project. This is a radically different view of technology from what is taught in Engineering schools; I for one, was taught to design my circuits by very clear, well defined criteria: reduce components, reduce dissipation, reduce delay times, keep duty cycles within power ratings etc etc. No body told me about designing my power amplifiers so that a barefoot mechanic in a hut near Chidambaram could fix them with nothing more than a soldering iron. The vast majority of Indians live in villages that are barely electrified (by western standards). Yet, the only values I learned as an engineering student were those of technical virtuosity, up-to-dateness, etc. Why ? Didn't know any better. No dialogue, no learning. Pacey raises many thought provoking questions for all of us poor nerds. Why are we doing what we are doing ? Would a speech pathologist or a cowherd in Punjab see what we are doing as valuable to him/her ? How much are the values and merit rating system of our technical labs influenced by empty macho values ? What is good engineering ? How can we best infuse the views of women and third worlders (such as me) into technical life ? How do we ensure that technology progresses in a direction that is democratically chosen ? Should there be an engineer's "Hyppocratic oath" ? [pacey] How do we pay off our debt to society ? How do we balance between "technically sweet" and "useful" solutions ? You tell me.