论技术发展史的多维视角

Multidimensional View on History of Technological Development

对技术发展史可以从多种视角加以认识。其一是器物的视角,主要包括器具史(尤其是工具史)、产业史、造物方式史、技术对象深入史、技术材料史、技术动力进步史、技术空间扩展史等;其二是活动与技艺的视角,包括“技术方法”发展史,诸如操作史、发明方法史等;其三是思想与社会视角,包括技术思想史和技术社会史等。从多维视角考察技术发展史,表明了技术本身就是一种多面体,需要从不同的方面去把握。当然,在进行“分析性”的把握时,也不能忘记技术的发展史还需要从综合的、整体的视角上去加以刻画。

The history of technological development can be viewed and further understood from different angles. The first is viewing the history from the evolution of various hardwares including mainly the implements especially the tools, industries, making modes, objects processed with further developed technologies, technological materials, progress of technological dynamism and expansion of technological space. The second is viewing the history from human activities and skill, including the development of various techniques, such as operation, procedure and innovation/invention. The third is viewing the history from the evolution of thought and society, including technological thought and techno-social development. Such a multidimensional view on the history of technology means that technology is a polyhedron which should be grasped at every aspect. Of course, the method of synthesis is absolutely necessary to the study on history of technology with the historical process taken as a whole when studying the history with the method of deduction.