General technology

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General technology or general technical science denotes "generalistic-transdisciplinary technology research and technology theory and is the science of the general functional and structural principles of technical systems and their socio-cultural development and use contexts" ( Banse et al. 2006, p. 337 ).

history

The term general technology was introduced in 1806 by the Göttingen political scientist Johann Beckmann . By this he understands a systematics "of all the different intentions that the craftsmen and artists have in their various works, and next to it a list of all the means by which they know how to achieve each of them" ( Beckmann 1806, p. 5 and p. 465 ). Beckmann (1777) had already circulated the expression technology for "the knowledge of handicrafts, factories and manufactories" in a monograph and thus established technology as the science of technology . While this book was designed to be enumerative and descriptive, Beckmann sketches in the small font from 1806 how technical ability and knowledge can be systematized according to functional aspects. The science program of technology, which also takes into account the interrelationships between technical engineering, economy, society and politics, found some supporters at German-speaking universities until the middle of the 19th century (e.g. Johann Moritz Heinrich Poppe , Johann Joseph Prechtl , Wilhelm Franz Exner , Karl Karmarsch et al). Karmarsch (1872, p. 865ff) honors the general technology, which in his opinion would have been more appropriately called comparative technology, before it is then superseded by the strongly scientific program of the polytechnic schools and technical colleges and is forgotten.

It was only in the last third of the 20th century, under the influence of systems engineering , construction science and technical didactics, that the need for a general engineering theory became noticeable again, which developed a comprehensive systematics of technical functional and structural principles beyond the many engineering specialist disciplines. Independently of each other, new representations of general technology appear almost simultaneously, in the GDR the book by Horst Wolffgramm (1978), in the FRG the book by Günter Ropohl (1979) and a little later at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration the script by Josef Hölzl (1984 ) in the context of commodity science . These writings explicitly refer to Johann Beckmann, but use modern methods of general systems theory .

The threads of discussion have been linked since 1990 and are taken up by other authors (e.g. Banse 1997; Spur 1998; Banse / Müller 2001; Banse / Reher 2001; Banse / Reher 2004). Ropohl (1999) and Wolffgramm (1994/95) present revised new editions of their books.

tasks

General technology is designed to deal with topics that are neglected by the individual technical sciences , the special technologies . These are in particular (Banse et al. 2006, p. 338):

  • Technology: terms and classifications;
  • Theory of factual systems (functions, structures, hierarchies);
  • Theory of technical development (conditional research);
  • Methodology of technical knowledge generation, planning and design;
  • Theory of use, d. H. the use of technology in work and everyday life ( ergonomics in the broadest sense; impact research);
  • Technology evaluation theory.

Insights gained on these questions can be used in two ways for technological enlightenment. Firstly, as the foundation of the technical sciences, they can give engineering students better orientation and a deeper understanding of their specialist studies, as well as helping engineering practice to better understand its own approaches and gain easier access to neighboring subjects. Second, they create a synthesis of technical knowledge that can be helpful for subjects such as the history of technology and the sociology of technology. Finally, the didactics of work and technology studies can build on this in order to disseminate general technical education in schools and in public (Ropohl 2004).

The art didactics has the chance to the General Technology now recognized. In some cases, the engineering sciences and other disciplines related to technology already use the systematisation advantages of this approach.

literature

  • Gerhard Banse (Ed.): General technology between enlightenment and metatheory. Johann Beckmann and the consequences. Ed. Sigma, Berlin 1997, ISBN 3-89404-442-X .
  • Gerhard Banse, Hans-P. Müller (Ed.): Johann Beckmann and the consequences. Inventions - Attempts at historical, theoretical and empirical approaches to a complex concept. Waxmann, Münster a. a. 2001, ISBN 3-8309-1091-6 ( Cottbus studies on the history of technology, work and the environment 17).
  • Gerhard Banse, Ernst-Otto Reher (Ed.): General technology. Past present Future. Leibniz-Sozietät, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89626-386-2 ( meeting reports of the Leibniz-Sozietät 50).
  • Gerhard Banse, Ernst-Otto Reher (ed.): Advances in the development of general technology. Leibniz-Sozietät, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-89626-516-4 ( meeting reports of the Leibniz-Sozietät 75).
  • Gerhard Banse, Armin Grunwald , Wolfgang König, Günter Ropohl (eds.): Recognize and shape. A theory of engineering science. Ed. Sigma, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-89404-538-8
  • Johann Beckmann : Instructions for technology, or for the knowledge of handicrafts, factories and manufactures, especially those who are in close contact with agriculture, police and cameral science. In addition to contributions to art history. Verlag der Wittwe Vandenhoeck , Göttingen 1777.
  • Johann Beckmann: Draft of the general [sic!] Technology. In: Johann Beckmann: Provision of small notes on some learned objects. Piece 3. Röwer, Göttingen 1806, pp. 463-533 (also separate print).
  • Josef Hölzl : General technology. Institute for Technology and Merchandise Management of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna 1984 ( series of publications by the Institute for Technology and Merchandise Management of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration 1984, 1), (2nd edition, ibid. 1989).
  • Karl Karmarsch : History of Technology. Since the middle of the 18th century. Oldenbourg, Munich 1872 (History of Science in Germany 11), (Reprint: Johnson, New York NY et al. 1965).
  • Günter Ropohl: A system theory of technology. For the foundation of general technology. Hanser, Munich a. a. 1979 (At the same time: Karlsruhe, Univ., Habil.-Schr., 1978), (from the 2nd edition. Ud T .: General Technology. A System Theory of Technology. Ibid 1999, ISBN 3-446-19606-4 ; 3 Revised edition. Universitäts-Verlag Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe 2009, ISBN 978-3-86644-374-7 ; freely accessible on the Internet ).
  • Günter Ropohl: Work and technology. Philosophical contributions to technological education. edition sigma, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-89404-510-8 .
  • Günter Spur : Technology and Management. The self-image of the technical sciences. Hanser, Munich a. a. 1998, ISBN 3-446-21033-4 .
  • Albrecht Timm: A Brief History of Technology. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1964 ( Urban books 78, ZDB ID 995319-x ).
  • Horst Wolffgramm : General technology. Elements, structures and laws of technological systems. Fachbuchverlag, Leipzig 1978 (new edition in two parts. Franzbecker, Hildesheim 1994–1995, ISBN 3-88120-241-2 (vol. 1), ISBN 3-88120-242-0 (vol. 2)).