Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id NAA07940 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 18 May 2000 13:33:56 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D31CEB1B2@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Technology vs. culture Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 13:31:46 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Well, Ok, but my point was about the use of technologies being culturally
shaped, if not necessarily determined.
What I meant was that, for example, that new buildings in Hong Kong, for
example, are often built with Fung Shui in mind (they also use bamboo
scaffolds when doing maintenance work- it's an incredible sight, seeing
these guys without harnesses climbing up the bamboo scaffolds on some of the
world's tallest buildings). There's also a system in Japan, although I
forget it's name, whereby houses are built in order to have certain features
at north, south, east, and west (things like water on one side and trees on
the other), I forget the details. Are the paper doors of some Japanese
houses, or chopsticks, culturally produced- or maintained- technologies?
Isn't the QWERTY keyboard now a cultural thing that has persisted although
the technological justification for its origin are now redundant? (I think
Stephen Jay Gould once wrote an essay about this with some interesting
insights).
I just think the the technology determines culture idea is too simplistic.
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Wade T.Smith
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2000 12:32 pm
> To: Memetics Discussion List
> Subject: Technology vs. culture
>
> Vincent Campbell made this comment not too long ago --
>
> >Also, does
> >technology change in relation to culture (e.g. the design of houses
> >according to Fung Shui)?
>
> As far as I know, there has never been a manufacturing or construction
> technique (aka technology) that has depended or emerged from a belief
> system, i.e. feng shui. So, making feng shui a cause of technology is
> erroneous, (and not just because of my one statement).
>
> The design of buildings is culturally determined, but the design
> constraints of the materials and overcoming them is technology, and so
> far, AFAIK, only science has found those answers.
>
> Putting a mirror on a door is not technology....
>
> - Wade
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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