A History of Technoscience: Erasing the Boundaries between Science and Technology

Description

Are science and technology independent of one another? Is technology dependent upon science, and if so, how is it dependent? Is science dependent upon technology, and if so how is it dependent? Or, are science and technology becoming so interdependent that the line dividing them has become totally erased? This book charts the history of technoscience from the late nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century and shows how the military–industrial–academic complex and big science combined to create new examples of technoscience in such areas as the nuclear arms race, the space race, the digital age, and the new worlds of nanotechnology and biotechnology. Introduction 1. Relationships between Science and Technology Terminology Technology as Dependent upon Science Science and Technology as Independent Science as Dependent upon Technology Science and Technology as Interdependent Erasing the Boundaries between Science and Technology Notes Part I: The Roots of Technoscience 2. From Science-Based Industry to Industry-Based Science Chemical-Based Industries Organic Chemical Industries – Synthetic Dyes, Pharmaceuticals and Plastics Heavy Chemical Industries – Alkalis, Acids and Explosives Electrical Industrial Research Laboratories – Electric Lighting Electrical Industrial Research Laboratories – Telephone and Radio Notes 3. Setting the Stage for the Military-Industrial-Academic Complex: World War I The Military Build-Up to World War I World War I Chemical Warfare – Explosives Chemical Warfare – Gas Radio Naval Warfare Aerial Warfare Notes 4. Setting the Stage for Big Science: The Interwar Period Chemical Research and Development Aviation Research and Development Rocket Research and Development Atomic and Nuclear Research Notes 　 5. The Emergence of the Military-Industrial-Academic Complex and Big Science: World War II Uranium Research The Military-Industrial-Academic Complex Radar and Sonar Chemical and Medical Research Military Computers The Atomic Bomb -- Big Science Notes Part II: The Era of Technoscience 6. The Nuclear Arms Race The H-Bomb Nuclear Reactors High Energy Physics Notes 7. The Space Program The Missile Race The Space Race The Moon Race Astronomy Planetary Science Astrophysics Notes 8. Electronics General Purpose Computers The Transistor The Integrated Circuit Computer Science Notes 9. Material Science Lasers Superconductivity Nanotechnology Notes 　 10. Biotechnology Genetics The Double Helix The Genetic Code Genetic Engineering The Human Genome Project Notes Epilogue 11. The New World of Technoscience Works Cited