Murphie, Andrew, and John Potts. Culture and Technology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. Print. ‘Theoretical Frameworks’ extract (PDF)
This reading focussed largely on the idea of technological determinism, a concept which has recently been covered in Communication Histories and Technologies and hence tied in well with my pre-existing knowledge. Technological determinism assumes technology to be an independent factor which develops and changes on its own accord. The discussion includes the idea that culture can be affected by the technology available (or that becomes available) and expresses the view of “the present, projected on to the future” (pp.11). There is also a lot of emphasis put on to the power of technology, and how this technology has control over its content through its capability to communicate, rather than the demand for content impacting the development of the technology. Of course, it is recognised that technology does not simply evolve on its own and that there would be specific circumstances which allow for particular developments, such as developing social conditions and growing demands and needs.
