Summary of Key Terms from Potts and Murphie

Technology: In ancient Greek technology translates to “art system”. Murphie and Potts describe how to the term evolved in modern era to mean application of science to production. The fact that both of the above mentioned definitions fit our understanding of the term testifies to the point that ‘technology’ has been generalised to the point of abstraction.

Technique: Mauss defines technique as something that is effective and traditional. It is stressed that techniques are something that we use in every aspect of our lives.

Culture: A dynamic term subject to change. I like the definition of culture as cultivation of the mind or body. As the reading demonstrates this is but one strand of definition for the term. Brian Eno’s definition of culture “as everything we do not have to do” is also satisfyingly succinct.