But most technology is fulfilling needs that a wizard doesn’t know he has, or is there to solve a need or problem that wouldn’t except for some other bit of technology.
Very much agreed. By the way, this one one of the points W. Brian Arthur makes in
The Nature of Technology which I recommend as a well written exposition of quite a number of the dynamics in technology development.
One very broad range of technology which has no analog to magic is high precision
instrumentation. There are very few situations in daily life when I need to know a
measurement to within 0.1%, and they are many technological and scientific
situations where that knowledge is necessary.
Actually, Arthur is already on my reading list. ;) I think I must have seen him recommended before by Kevin Kelly or perhaps Don Ihde.
One very broad range of technology which has no analog to magic is high precision instrumentation.
I was going to point out that another good example is all the sensory modalities that science knows of, like electromagnetism in all its forms and frequencies, or gravity itself, but I thought that they were too arguably close to magical ‘second sight’ or chi skills like sensing someone nearby.
Very much agreed. By the way, this one one of the points W. Brian Arthur makes in The Nature of Technology which I recommend as a well written exposition of quite a number of the dynamics in technology development.
One very broad range of technology which has no analog to magic is high precision instrumentation. There are very few situations in daily life when I need to know a measurement to within 0.1%, and they are many technological and scientific situations where that knowledge is necessary.
Actually, Arthur is already on my reading list. ;) I think I must have seen him recommended before by Kevin Kelly or perhaps Don Ihde.
I was going to point out that another good example is all the sensory modalities that science knows of, like electromagnetism in all its forms and frequencies, or gravity itself, but I thought that they were too arguably close to magical ‘second sight’ or chi skills like sensing someone nearby.