What Does Heilbroner Mean in Advocating a ‘Soft’ Form of Technological Determinism?

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Technological determinism is a theory that assumes that technology drives the cultural and social development in society. Heilbroner believed that the interactions between technology and the sociopolitical status of a society are passive. He held that technology affects how societal evolution takes place. However, the society still has a chance to adjust the effects of technology in the evolutionary history (Heilbroner, 1994).

Technological development assumes a certain sequence. This sequence is ordered in such a way that a more advanced form of technology precedes a simpler version of the same technology (Heilbroner, 1994).

The hand mill had to be invented and used before advancing to the steam mill. Therefore, technological advancements are usually propelled by societal advancements and increased pressure that require enhanced efficiency in order to sustain humanity.

Technological discoveries often follow a systematic accumulation of knowledge (Heilbroner, 1994). It is not an accidental or abrupt process. Furthermore, all available technological discoveries are based on the advancement of previous crude forms of the technology. There is no new technology that has arisen without continued scientific understanding of a given phenomenon.

Moreover, technological advancements have always been predictable. Technology will never exceed the social conditions that exist in society. There is no way massive production of goods and services can exist without a large consumer market for the finished products (Heilbroner, 1994).

Therefore, technology is a display of the knowledge and the understanding of scientific phenomenon in society. Technological advancements depend on the natural evolutionary forces.

As human beings become more intelligent, their ability to develop sophisticated machinery increases. Hence, technological development is a historical process that is controlled by capacity and knowledge (Heilbroner, 1994). It is therefore a predictable historical process.

Technology does not impose a determinate model of social affairs in society. In terms of labor, different technologies require various levels of labor forces. As technology advances, labor also experiences the same effect that eventually results into specialization. Hierarchical systems of organizations came into being as technology continued to advance.

Several orders of coordination and supervision were required for effective management of machines. This resulted into the development of more powerful individuals who were placed at the top management positions (Heilbroner, 1994). These are normal economic processes that are sometimes confused with the development of capitalism.

Technology was also available in the communism society as well. Naturally, human beings are developers of monopoly. Therefore, the technology never resulted into capitalism. It largely fueled the process (Heilbroner, 1994). Social political changes witnessed in the evolutionary history were not triggered by technology.

In fact, capitalism was one of the ways in which technological advancements were fueled. Competition between nations led to increase investments in technological advancements.

Technological advancement is primarily one of the major activities undertaken in society (Heilbroner, 1994). The society controls how technology is advancing.

Some African societies have managed to maintain what they achieved in the prehistoric times to present day. If technology was a determinant in the evolutionary process, then all the locations across the world could be at the same level. Therefore, the society controls the direction of technological changes (Heilbroner, 1994).

The fact that technology has shaped up the society cannot be ruled out. It is obvious that the current lifestyles are depended on technological advancements. However, from the above illustrations, it is true to say that technology is part of the evolutionary history of man and not the major determinant of the social, economical, and political changes in humanity.

Reference

Heilbroner, R.L. (1994). Do Machines Make History? (Eds). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

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What Does Heilbroner Mean in Advocating a ‘Soft’ Form of Technological Determinism?

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