The Nature of Technology Kap 2 Flashcards
2: Combination and structure (10 cards)
According to Arthur, what are the three distinct meanings of “technology”?
Arthur distinguishes (1) technology‑singular—a specific device, method, or process that fulfills a human purpose;
(2) technology‑plural—an assemblage or toolbox of related practices and components (e.g., electronics); and
(3) technology‑general—the entire collection of devices, methods, and engineering practices available to a culture, sometimes called the “technium.”
What does Arthur mean when he calls a technology an “executable”?
He treats every technology as something that does work: it carries out a task when activated (or, for a bridge or dam, when in continuous operation). If it successfully performs its task—whether moving traffic, storing water, or amplifying a signal—it is “executing” its purpose, just like a computer program.
How does Arthur argue that devices and processes are not fundamentally different categories?
A device always processes something (a radio transforms signals, a hammer drives a nail), while a process always requires physical equipment—effectively a device—to run its sequence of operations. Thus both contain “software” (the sequence of operations) and “hardware” (the physical means), differing only in which aspect we emphasize.
In Arthur’s terminology, how is a technology’s “functionality” different from its “purpose”?
Functionality is the generic capability the technology supplies—e.g., GPS locates—whereas purpose is the specific context in which that capability is applied (aircraft navigation, surveying, etc.). A single technology can have many purposes but only one core functionality.
What is the “combination principle,” and what structural pattern does it create inside every technology?
The combination principle states that every technology is a combination of component parts organized around a main assembly that executes its base principle, supported by subsidiary assemblies that feed, regulate, or protect it. This yields a common “backbone + support” architecture across technologies.
What role does a “principle” play in the design of a technology, and how is it implemented physically?
The principle is the core idea or method that makes the technology work (e.g., “burn pressurised fuel–air and expel the gases” in a jet engine). To realise it, engineers build a primary assembly embodying that principle and surround it with supporting subsystems, translating an abstract idea into a working physical arrangement.
Summarise Herbert Simon’s watchmaker parable and explain why Arthur uses it to justify modularity in technologies.
Simon contrasts Tempus, who assembles 1 000‑part watches piece‑by‑piece and must restart after interruptions, with Hora, who builds from nested modules; Hora loses only a small subassembly when disturbed. Arthur cites this to show that modularity protects against shocks, simplifies construction, testing, repair, improvement, and rapid reconfiguration—hence real technologies are grouped into functional assemblies.
Define the “recursive” nature of technology and describe its hierarchical implications.
Technologies are recursive because every assembly, subassembly, or part that performs a task is itself a technology. This creates a tree‑like hierarchy—technologies made of technologies—extending from overarching systems down to elemental components, each level mirroring the same logic of main and supporting modules.
What two major consequences does Arthur draw from the recursive hierarchy of technologies?
First, technology has no characteristic scale: everything from a transistor to an aircraft carrier group qualifies as a technology. Second, hierarchies are fluid and reconfigurable: higher‑level systems “program” lower‑level components, while innovations below force reorganisations above, making technologies continually adaptable rather than fixed
How does Arthur relate modularity to market size, and how do modules evolve over time?
Like division of labour, modularity grows with the extent of the market—only high usage justifies the mental cost of partitioning work into assemblies. As volume increases, loosely linked parts “congeal” into standardised, self‑contained units, making modules easier to swap, reuse, and improve across many technologies.
