Western Technoscience offers an engaging and witty introduction to science and technology studies, seamlessly integrating history, philosophy, and sociology. Nathan Kowalsky encourages readers to question standard narratives about the objectivity of science and the inevitability of technological progress without falling into skepticism and distrust of these important pillars of the modern world. The book immerses readers in the active process of thinking critically about science and technology, while also illustrating how knowledge of the history of these fields can guide us when encountering new developments and issues.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Usual StoryI. Definitions- Chapter One: What Is STS?
- Chapter Two: What Is Science?
- Chapter Three: What Is Technology?
II. Prehistory- Chapter Four: Myth and Ritual
- Chapter Five: Agriculture
- Chapter Six: Writing
III. Premodernity- Chapter Seven: The Classical West: Greece and Rome
- Chapter Eight: The Medieval West: Latin Europe
IV. Early Modernity- Chapter Nine: The Baconian Project
- Chapter Ten: The Doctrine of Progress
- Chapter Eleven: The Mechanistic Worldview
V. Classical Modernity- Chapter Twelve: Rage Against the Machine
- Chapter Thirteen: Positivism
- Chapter Fourteen: A Crisis of Epistemic Proportions
VI. Late Modernity- Chapter Fifteen: Social Construction and the Science Wars
- Chapter Sixteen: Not Just a Neutral Tool
- Chapter Seventeen: Technology with a Mind of Its Own?
VII. Case Studies- Chapter Eighteen: Science and Religion
- Chapter Nineteen: Climate Change
Concluding Untechnoscientific Postscript
Bibliography
Credits
Index
About the Author :
Nathan Kowalsky is Associate Professor of Philosophy at St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta.
Review :
“Western Technoscience unsettles the familiar story of science and technology as neutral engines of progress. It reveals the cultural myths, contradictions, and power structures that have shaped their development. With unusual breadth across history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, politics, and even theology, this book challenges readers to see technoscience as ideology rather than inevitability. Provocative and historically rich, it is an essential introduction to science and technology studies (STS) that invites students to think about science and technology in entirely new ways.” — David A. Kirby, Director, Science, Technology & Society Program, California Polytechnic State University
“Nathan Kowalsky’s text is an original, engaging, and highly enjoyable introduction to the field of science and technology studies. By recasting the ‘usual’ story of science and technology through the lenses of philosophy, history, and the social sciences, Kowalsky guides readers in asking and answering novel questions about science, technology, and society from prehistory to antiquity to late modernity.” — Jesse Van Gerven, Butler University
