On Caring About What We Pretend to Be

Abstract

This essay argues for the value of theoretical perspectives in making sense (and building coherent models) of technological change. Lacking models for explanatory frameworks for the rise, spread, and persistence of technological systems has hampered actors, analysts, and policymakers in the past. The author surveys a range of explanatory options for technological change as such, drawing on the historical literature. While not proposing a unified theory of technological change, the author argues for reconsidering the relative neglect of technological determinism as a theoretical option alongside social construction. The author suggests that a search for a unified theory of technological change can help scholars recapture from inventors and popularizers, is worthwhile, and promises future essays that will examine various explanatory frameworks in detail.