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STS EXAM STUDY SET LATEST UPDATED
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STS EXAM STUDY SET LATESTUPDATED
1. Sociotechnical system - ANSWER This is an approach that
recognizes the interaction between people and technology. The term
refers to the interaction between society's complex infrastructures and
human behaviour. In this sense, society itself, and most of its
substructures, are complex sociotechnical systems. The term
sociotechnical systems was coined by Eric Trist, Ken Bamforth and Fred
Emery, the World War II era, based on their work with workers in English
coal mines at Tavistock Institute in London. A socio-technical system is
a synthesis of society and technology—technology cannot be thought of
as independent from society.
2. Momentum - ANSWER This is the strength or force that allows
something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes. Also,
the strength or force that something has when it is moving.
Technological momentum is a theory about the relationship between
technology and society over time—(developed by Thomas P. Hughes)
as technology matures, it becomes autonomous. The theory is that the
relationship between technology and society always starts with a social
determinism model, but evolves into a form of technological determinism
over time and as its use becomes more prevalent and important.
3. Technological determinism - ANSWER technological determinism,
claims that society itself is modified by the introduction of a new
technology in an irreversible and irreparable way—for example, the
introduction of the automobile has influenced the manner in
whichAmerican cities are designed, a change that can clearly be seen
when comparing the pre-automobile cities on the East Coast to the post-
automobile cities on the West Coast. Technology, under this model, self-
propagates as well—there is no turning back once adoption has taken
place, and the very existence of the technology means that it will
continue to exist in the future.
,4. Social construction of technology - ANSWER A theory that argues
that technology does not determine human action, but that rather,
human action shapes technology. They also argue that the ways a
technology is used cannot be understood without understanding how
that technology is embedded in its social context. SCOT is a response to
technological determinism and is sometimes known as technological
constructivism.
5. Technological fix - ANSWER refers to the attempt of usingengineering
or technology to solve a problem,[1][2][3][4][5] whether it be an important
one affecting many people or a minor inconvenience. Designing
automobiles and highways to protect fallible drivers provides one
example of such a solution to the former type of problem. The term
technological fix is most appropriately applied when considering certain
types of problems—ones involving both technology and a human
societal dimension. It can then be used to distinguish this family of
solutions from a distinctly different family of solutions: those involving an
attitudinal fix.
6. End-of-pipe technologies - ANSWER Opposite of cleaner production;
Cleaner production fits within pollution preventions broader commitment
towards the prevention rather than the control of pollution. Pollution
prevention is an approach which can be adopted within all sectors,
whether it be a household or a large industrial complex. Cleaner
production, on the other hand, directs activities towards production
aspects, particularly within the manufacturing sector.
7. Appropriate technology - ANSWER Suggested 60's and 70's—tried to
include social, economic, political side in to designs. i.e. accounted for
climate, economic state and such in to water filter/pumps for developing
countries. Didn't really try to address how to change society, still—better,
but not good. Well applied and introduced but if current social structure
doesn't change than its difficult for technology to reach its full potential
and help as much as it can—society itself stops it from being successful
8. Paradigm - ANSWER A paradigm is a model or pattern for something
that may be copied. Also a theory or a group of ideas about how
something should be done, made, or thought about. Difficult to change
, current setting—how we generate and distribute electricity; built
infrastructure for automobiles—electric and hybrid cars were not easily
introduced. We live under paradigm of buying, using personal cars.
9. Europeans in North America - ANSWER Hetchy when it became a
national spotlight—conservationist vs preservationist split became more
apparent. When Europeans first settled in new world.
10. Technology-nature relationship - ANSWER Everything affects
everything else. Multiple cause, multiple effect. Further shows limitation
of a technological fix: can sometimes completely address/solve one
social and/or technological problem but oftentimes generates a
completely new problem or, at the very least, does not address all the
causes; Snyder addresses this in his book.
11. Landscape of human and the natural world - ANSWER Cronon:
Wilderness is not natural—it's also defined by humans. Not productive
tothink of environment as void of humans.
12. Wilderness as the sublime - ANSWER Cronon. Wilderness is no
longer a place of satanic temptation and become instead a sacred
temple, much as it continues to be for those who love it today. Urge to
return to simpler, more primitive living.
13. Pastoral ideal - ANSWER Leo Marx. People in highly industrialised
societies often think that life was better when everybody lived on a farm
and grew their own food. They focus on the absence of complex social
issues and the 'close to nature' lifestyle. Looks at culture that creates the
pastoral ideal. Pastoral was a liminal space between the wilds and the
repression of urban life. Describes two types of pastoralism: one that is
popular and sentimental, the other imagative and complex. Sentimental
can be found in expressions for a more natural life over urban.
Sentimental pastoralism is turning away from the present world with its
dilemmas and returning to something simpler. Marx sees this
problematic escapism conceals "the real problems of an industrial
civilization." Instead, he wishes to look to a more activist approach to
pastoralism, one that looks to imagining and then shaping the
environment.
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