Changes in the Technological Landscape
Essays in the History of Science and Technology
Svante Lindqvist
“…Historians and curators of science and technology will thoroughly enjoy—and learn much from—this collection of gems by an acclaimed scholar.”—Chemical Heritage, Fall 2011/Winter 2012
“Understanding the history of science allows you to draw on the lessons of the past. ‘Changes in the Technological Landscape: Essays in the History of Science and Technology’ is a collection of essays and discussion on these topics, as Svante Lindqvist puts a scholarly eye on it all. From the spectacle, the purpose of studying this history, particular events in history that offer much credence to the need of scientific history, the purpose of the Nobel prize and much more, ‘Changes in the Technological Landscape’ is studious with plenty of thoughts for historians, scientists, and non-specialist general readers.”—The Midwest Book Review
“...With subjects such as the history and science of capital punishment to labs in the woods around the world, this offers a fine survey blending philosophy, science, and historical inquiry suitable for any scholarly holding.”—Internet Bookwatch
Contents
Preface
Historiography
Changes in the Technological Landscape: The Temporal Dimension in the Growth and Decline of Large Technological Systems
Are There Good Reasons for the Existence of Separate Disciplines of History of Science and Technology?
The Spectacle of Science: An Experiment in 1744 Concerning the Aurora Borealis
The Hedgehog’s Memories of the Future: Conjunctures and the Narratives of History
What Difference Does It All Make? Untimely Scruples in an Age of Enthusiasm
Lucky Jim Won a Fair Lady on Gaudy Night: Notes on How to Establish an Academic Discipline
Case Studies
The Legacy of Dr. Guillotin: A Technological History of Capital Punishment
Charwoman Descending a Staircase, Nos. 1 & 2: A Case Study in Technological Stagnation
Labs in the Woods: The Quantification of Technology During the Late Enlightenment
Spatial Networks of Technological Change: Social Mobility between Industry and University
Social and Cultural Factors in Technology Transfer
A Wagnerian Theme in the History of Science: Scientific Glassblowing and the Role of Instrumentation
Of Love and War and Money: The Historical Role of Communications Technology
Nobeliana
But Why? The Actor in the Network
The Nobel Prize as a Mirror of 20th-Century Science and Culture
Cultures of Creativity: Individuals and Milieus
The R & D Production Model: A Brueg(h)elesque Alternative
March 2011, 320 pp., illustrated, clothbound and jacketed, 978-0-88135-400-3, $55.00
Press Release: Lindqvist receives 2010 Leonardo da Vinci Medal
© 2012 Watson Publishing International LLC