History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything

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Glean Don't Read
Happening NOW
Really informative
Joe Trippi just doesn't get it
Accepting transparency

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything
Joe Trippi
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060779594
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Book Description

When Joe Trippi signed on to run Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign, the long–shot candidate had 432 known supporters and $100,000 in the bank. Within a year, Trippi and his team had transformed the most obscure candidate in the field into a Democratic front–runner with a groundswell of 640,000 supporters and more money than any Democrat in history –– mostly through donations of one hundred dollars or less. Trippi's revolutionary use of the Internet and an impassioned, contagious desire to overthrow politics as usual grew into a national grassroots movement and changed the face of politics forever.

As Trippi argues persuasively, the Internet is distributing power to the people right now. And the companies that understand the coming revolution will be the first movers in this new era, while those that wait will be left behind. From his behind–the–scenes look at Dean's shocking rise and fall to his "seven inviolable, irrefutable, ingenious things your business or institution or candidate can do in the age of the Internet that might keep you from getting your ass kicked, but then again might not," Joe Trippi offers an inspiring glimpse of the world we are becoming. And he shows how power, in the hands of all of us, changes everything.

Customer Reviews:

Glean Don't Read.......2007-07-26

I recommend this book to many people who are not experienced with online communities or who persist, even in 2007, in thinking that online relationships are less important than real world interaction.

Trippi is too enamored of the political process. He glamorizes the personalities. The middle of the book is more like a political memoir than an account of how to overthrow everything.

However, if the reader has tolerance for these short comings, there are many insights to be gleaned from what the Dean campaign experienced. I say what the campaign experienced rather than what they did because the biggest take away from the book is that communities happen. They are not manufactured.

The campaign found itself in the middle of a community of interest. They had the sense to know when to lead and when to follow. Our skeptical managers, CEOs, politicians, etc. who still don't understand the online environment should read this book.

Happening NOW.......2007-05-30

Great Read, and it gave me the insight to realize what is currently taking place despite the denial from the mainstream media. RON PAUL will be the next President of the USA.

Really informative.......2007-01-24

I had to buy this book for a college class, and it turned out to be surprisingly interesting and informative at the same time. I actually enjoyed reading this book, and learned a lot about the life of someone involved in a political campaign as well as more details about how the Dean campaign really did pioneer in the world of online politics.

Joe Trippi just doesn't get it.......2006-06-24

Trippi was one of the first to make use of the Internet in presidential campaign politics. Using Blogs, using MeetUp.com and the like, Trippi generated a grassroots movement for Howard Dean's campaign.

Young people jumped on the bandwagon quickly. The Internet made that possible, but the Internet did not and does not provide motivation. WHY did people start blogging for Dean, holding meetings for Dean? Trippi admits that he does not know why. Yet, this is the crux of the matter. Trippi also admits that to some extent, "the people" took the campaign out of their hands and ran with it. But why?

PC (Political Correctness) is a set of passionately held beliefs and policies that already existed before the campaign started. By signaling across the Internet that Dean's was to be a PC campaign (and without consulting Dean himself), Trippi already had a readymade constituency out there passionately committed. But Joe doesn't see this. He just doesn't get it. And to Joe, PC is as self-evident as the axioms of Euclid.

There was constant struggle between Dean and Trippi over positions and statements. Trippi wanted to run the campaign, even writing speeches for Dean, determining positions, stances and the rest. Dean resisted. At one point, Dean described himself as a "centrist". Can you believe that, knowing what you do about the Dean campaign?! Trippi describes himself as a "liberal". Ultimately, Dean fired Trippi; but it was too late.

Trippi in fact is not a liberal. He is a Political Correctist. Most people, including Trippi, don't know the difference between liberalism and PC, and the PC people do everything in their power to tell people that there is no difference. This is not the place to go into it. Interested readers should read The Rape of Alma Mater. But one instance from Trippi's book should give a clue. While a student at San Jose State College, Joe led a boycott against his father's small florist shop because his father kept his modest savings at the neighborhood bank, which happened to be Bank of America, which did business with South Africa, and it was politically incorrect to do business with South Africa. And to Joe, this boycott was the right thing to do. He still thinks so.

This book is a minute-by-minute account of the campaign. It is nothing if not repetitious. Every paragraph repeats the litany that "the people" were running the campaign. Toward the end, however, Trippi admits that one has to do business as usual and buy TV time, etc.

Joe Trippi is still running an Internet campaign, trying to insure that PC is triumphant at last. He may win. If that sounds like good news to you, you just don't get it. PC is the death of liberalism, and vice versa.

Accepting transparency.......2006-06-08

This was a good book connecting communication facilitated by the internet to the concept of organizational health. In a nutshell the internet can hurt or help an organization depending on its attitude about transparency. You can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Digital Destiny: New Media and the Future of Democracy

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A Wake Up Call About Control of the Internet
The Paul Revere of Media Criticism

Digital Destiny: New Media and the Future of Democracy
Jeff Chester
Manufacturer: New Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1565847954

Book Description

The celebrated media advocate's clarion call for new media to serve the public instead of corporate interests—and what's involved in this high-stakes struggle.

With the explosive growth of the Internet and broadband communications, we now have the potential for a truly democratic media system offering a wide variety of independent sources of news, information, and culture, with control over content in the hands of the many rather than a few select media giants.

But the country's powerful communications companies have other plans. Assisted by a host of hired political operatives and pro-business policy makers, the big cable, TV, and Internet providers are using their political clout to gain ever greater control over the Internet and other digital communication channels. Instead of a "global information commons," we're facing an electronic media system designed principally to sell to rather than serve the public, dominated by commercial forces armed with aggressive digital marketing, interactive advertising, and personal data collection.

Just as Lawrence Lessig translated the mysteries of software and intellectual property for the general reader in Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, Jeff Chester gets beneath the surface of media and telecommunications regulation to explain clearly how our new media system functions, what's at stake, and what we can do to fight the corporate media's plans for our "digital destiny"—before it's too late.

• A single company—Comcast—largely determines what channels are available on cable TV.
• Soon TV sets will regularly monitor our viewing habits and relay this personal information to data warehouses around the country.
• By tracking which Web sites we visit on the Internet, a vast system of interactive advertising enables online marketers to target us with "personalized" ads.

Customer Reviews:

A Wake Up Call About Control of the Internet.......2007-03-16

In this book Mr. Chester warns that the big communications media -- TV Networks, Big Cable Companies, Microsoft, etc. are attempting to find ways to take over, control, and therefore make a lot of money on the Internet. He is absolutely correct. They would love to do just exactly this.

The author is head of an organization, The Center for Digital Democracy, that is attempting to preserve the openness and diversity of the Internet in the broadband era. The book is a Wake-Up call to get people's attention to the problem.

I'm not so sure that I fully agree with his fears. Yes, from a connectivity standpoint he is right, someone, probably a large company will own the wire that comes into your house. But I don't see it likely that they will have much control over the content being delivered. If they could, the politicians would find a way to eliminate the SPAM (I get several a day), phising (I just got one of these today), viruses and porn that is on the net now.

Part of the problem from the big company standpoint is that the web is international in scope, you can't control the web hosts in China or Nigeria. It will be interesting to see how this works out in the future.

The Paul Revere of Media Criticism.......2007-02-18

There is an irony in writing a review of Jeff Chester's (Center for Digital Democracy) critique of new media and the future of democracy on this site given how successful Amazon has been in using the internet to do the things that Mr Chester so despises. The book contains very detailed discussions about how large telecommunications companies have and are subverting democratic processes in America. The book is both a brief history of political developments in modern communications and a work of art in judiciously critiquing these developments in order to suggest what we as citizens should do about it. Armed with this in hand roll on the revolution!

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the future of mass collaboration
User-innovations: a world without specialization and trade?
DemocratizingInnovation
Great ideas on innovation
Excellent and thought provoking read

Democratizing Innovation
Eric Von Hippel
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0262720477

Book Description

Innovation is rapidly becoming democratized. Users, aided by improvements in computer and communications technology, increasingly can develop their own new products and services. These innovating users -- both individuals and firms -- often freely share their innovations with others, creating user-innovation communities and a rich intellectual commons. In Democratizing Innovation, Eric von Hippel looks closely at this emerging system of user-centered innovation. He explains why and when users find it profitable to develop new products and services for themselves, and why it often pays users to reveal their innovations freely for the use of all.

The trend toward democratized innovation can be seen in software and information products -- most notably in the free and open-source software movement -- but also in physical products. Von Hippel's many examples of user innovation in action range from surgical equipment to surfboards to software security features. He shows that product and service development is concentrated among "lead users," who are ahead on marketplace trends and whose innovations are often commercially attractive.

Von Hippel argues that manufacturers should redesign their innovation processes and that they should systematically seek out innovations developed by users. He points to businesses -- the custom semiconductor industry is one example -- that have learned to assist user-innovators by providing them with toolkits for developing new products. User innovation has a positive impact on social welfare, and von Hippel proposes that government policies, including R&D subsidies and tax credits, should be realigned to eliminate biases against it. The goal of a democratized user-centered innovation system, says von Hippel, is well worth striving for. An electronic version of this book is available under a Creative Commons license.

Customer Reviews:

the future of mass collaboration.......2007-08-20

A rather academic approach on the subject leave the reading in some sections somehow difficult for those not use to technicalities of the researcher, but a very well written book overall. The book clearly identifies a path on the future trend on mass collaboration and how this will affect us in many ways. How our personal live and businesses will effected by this is already on the making, what we can do is to better understand it. This book does that.

I strongly suggest reading it for those interested in what the future will look like. The book pair off with
Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything

User-innovations: a world without specialization and trade?.......2007-05-15

"Democratizing Innovation" means "innovating of oneself", for doing that one gets exactly what one wants, and not what manufacturers think the "average" user wants. The book claims that a key advantage of "democratizing innovation" is that the user is also the supplier. Uninhibited by legal barriers to entry like patents, user-innovators, unlike seller-innovators, are free to share their innovations with whoever they want.

Chapters 2-9 deal with different attractive aspects of user-innovations such as the fact that the output of innovation activities can be customized, or that user-innovations are cheaper than their seller-innovation counterparts. Revealed usefulness means that user-innovations spread faster than other innovations. They also meet the characteristics of public goods. As an example the book points to "free-open source software". Hence, the book argues for a public policy that supports user-innovation because it is "democratizing". Moreover, the increasing quality and quantity of computer software and hardware, and easy access to innovation tools and innovation commons points to future demand for user-innovations, a case made clear by the applications described in the last two chapters.

Given resource scarcity, a world without specialization and trade is hard to imagine,but this is a thought provoking book, nonetheless.

Amavilah, Author
Modeling Determinants of Income in Embedded Economies
ISBN: 1600210465

DemocratizingInnovation.......2006-07-20

A creative and provocative approach to business opportunities.
A stimulating quick read provoking unique stimulus to further creativity.You can't read this work without your own imagination kicking in.A brainstorming supplement.

Great ideas on innovation.......2006-03-29

This book is a great read, especially for someone who has not been taught about user innovation and who questions the open source business model. Von Hippel is a pioneer when it comes to user innovation. If you thought that companies come up with winning ideas, or that the only way to make any money on a great idea is to patent it then this book will open your eyes to a much greater world. The concepts of free revealing (vs. IP) and of lead user (vs. manufacturer) innovation are great. It goes deeping into the idea that information is sticky and cannot be communicated from users to engineers very easily, even in consumer focus groups. Also discussed is the opportunity to create a toolkit to allow users to do the development work for you. This book is truly outstanding.

Excellent and thought provoking read.......2005-07-28

Von Hippel has done an excellent job with this new work. I downloaded the pdf, read the first chapter and had to buy the book to read the remaining chapters. He has introduced many new subjects into the field of innovation and I'm sure this will be a book I will reference time and again. His writing style also made this an easy and enjoyable book to read at leisure. Well done.

The Double Helix: Technology and Democracy in the American Future

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Excellent look at technology's effects on American democracy
Excellent look at technology's effects on

The Double Helix: Technology and Democracy in the American Future
Edward Wenk
Manufacturer: Ablex Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1567504310

Book Description

Those who control technology, control the future. While that prospect may sting, there is a bright side. America's preeminence stems from a remarkable intertwining of technology and democracy. The Constitution set the course. Technology provided the means. As we recognize that technology is about power--physical, economic and political--business is facilitated but principles of liberty and justice may be at risk. This book examines causes and offers remedies to strengthen self-government and restore politics as the public life of a people.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent look at technology's effects on American democracy.......2000-05-09

Reviewed in Northwest Science & Technology magazine, Spring 2000 issue

Technology, the source of much of the last century's economic progress, may spell trouble for democracy, according to Edward Wenk, Jr.'s latest book, The Double Helix. Wenk's book provides a detailed and well-thought-out exploration of the intertwining of technology and democracy, what he terms the double helix.

Wenk is in an excellent position to investigate this topic. He was the first science adviser to congress and served on the staffs of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. He is also a professor emeritus of Civil Engineering and Public Affairs at the University of Washington. He was recently recognized for his contribution to public understanding of engineering in contemporary society with the Ralph Coats Roe Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Wenk's book is an excellent chronicle of the history of technology in America. Wenk provides an in-depth analysis of the effects technology has had on our economy, society and public policy.

While technology has helped make America the world leader it is today, Wenk realizes that uncritical use of technology has threatened the democracy that the country was founded upon. Few people seem to see that the answer lies not with more technology, but within us. The answer, he says, involves government, business, media, universities and religious institutions working together to create social change and revitalize a shared moral vision.

Wenk begins by cataloging some of the ways we have been affected by technology. He points out that all technology has unintended consequences, ones that often influence society as much as the technology itself does.

In fact, Wenk realizes, as more technology comes on the scene, the pace of life speeds up. Rather than saving us time, it often seems like technology gives us more choices, but less time to choose. Using a reader-friendly style, he explores a series of what he likes to call "enigmas," including how technology can bring us more information, but paradoxically brings less understanding.

Wenk also details the special influence of information technology on American culture, and ultimately, democracy. Wenk explores how technologies such as radio, television and the Web have helped create what he calls a "functional illiteracy," where language is simplified and information compressed into bite-size packets.

Speed of transmission has become more important than quality of content, Wenk says. He places particular emphasis on the influence of information technology on democratic elections, which now focus more marketing than on actual dissemination of information.

Information technology has influenced democracy in another critical way. To work correctly, democracy relies upon an informed citizenry. Television and the Web may provide more information, and do so more quickly, but the content is more questionable--sources often have conflicts of interest, Wenk says, and the information is less complete as the information bites get smaller.

Even if there is reliable information, it is seldom being transformed into understanding, Wenk says; that process takes time, time that is no longer provided in our high-speed, high-tech culture.

The underlying theme of Wenk's book is that without informed citizens, democracy cannot work. Without a shared vision of what the future should be like, we cannot work together to achieve it. And, Wenk argues, without a shared social conscience, only short term, self-centered decisions will be made.

Where does technology fit in this puzzle? Wenk pins at least some of the blame for these cultural changes on the capitalistic economy, primarily driven by technology. Technology has helped create a culture that demands instant gratification. We can quickly go anywhere we want by automobile or plane; we can easily get anything we want over the phone or through the Internet; we can instantly find any amusement we'd like from television or the Web.

The speed of today's technology does not foster long-term planning or self-sacrifice to the greater good, both of which are necessary for democracy to function, Wenk says. We need to think of the effects of our decisions for our progeny, consider what we will leave for our children.

But, Wenk says, turning technology off isn't a viable option, but neither is relying on more technology to solve the problem. Wenk is still optimistic that the human spirit can triumph when tested--can rise to the occasion. To achieve this, he calls for reform in industry, government and the media.

He points out the many ways that business and government have been partners, benefiting both. Wenk realizes that without a democratic government, business as we know it cannot survive. Industry and government need to learn to work together toward a common goal.

The media also have a role to play in preserving democracy, Wenk says. To function correctly, democracy requires accurate and trustworthy information. The media need to rise above the short-term emphasis on the scandal of the day to provide the in-depth information citizens need to make decisions.

But most of all, Wenk sees that societal change relies on the intervention of religious institutions and universities. To bring about the changes in the other spheres will require a new shared vision. Both religious institutions and universities are in a perfect position to teach civility and ethics, Wenk says.

Wenk does an excellent job of bringing the problem of technology and democracy into sharp focus. Although we are confronted with technology on a daily basis, we seldom think about the consequences. Wenk's long scientific, political and academic career gave him a unique vantage point to consider these consequences, and he doesn't like what he sees.

Excellent look at technology's effects on.......2000-05-09

Reviewed in Northwest Science & Technology magazine, Spring2000 issue

Technology, the source of much of the last century'seconomic progress, may spell trouble for democracy, according to Edward Wenk, Jr.'s latest book, The Double Helix. Wenk's book provides a detailed and well-thought-out exploration of the intertwining of technology and democracy, what he terms the double helix.

Wenk's book is an excellent chronicle of the history of technology in America. Wenk provides an in-depth analysis of the effects technology has had on our economy, society and public policy.

Even if there is reliable information, it is seldom being transformed into understanding, Wenk says; that process takes time, time that is no longer provided in our high-speed, high-tech culture.

Book Description

Examines the interaction of ideology, profits, and power, and their combined effect upon technology policy in democracies.

What is it that shapes the direction of technological progress in advanced industrial societies? Is it science? Technology itself? Or is it something even more powerful and all-encompassing, like power or money or politics? John Kurt Jacobsen addresses this topic by investigating how contemporary democratic capitalist states govern the development and deployment of their scientific and technological resources. He examines the interaction of ideology, profits, and power, and their combined effect upon technology policy in democracies.

The "social function of science" has been a contentious area of scholarly study throughout the second half of the twentieth century. Although the book focuses mainly on the United States, for the sake of instructive comparison, it also studies technological development of other societies, including the former Soviet Union and China. Some competing accounts of technical change across the borders include laissez faire, cultural, and neo-Marxist markets. In fact, with regard to laissez faire markets, even to inquire if science has a social function is to deviate from the appropriate images of economic development. What is always politically at stake is who will rule the next stage in production due to each swing in technology, which will, in turn, be associated with a new structure of control. Most recently, the microchip revolution and cyberspace are the most highly publicized candidates for the next upswing in technology-and thus the next new structure of control.

Book Description

What is the relationship between democracy and technology? And what should that relationship be? This book explores these questions, drawing upon a wide range of philosophical, historical and sociological points of view. In stark contrast to technology's promise as a wellspring of equality, freedom and self-government, its development now poses a host of problems for political society: an alarming concentration of power over global production, a widening gap between rich and poor, multiple environmental crises, trivialization of politics in the mass media, decline of citizen competence in decision making, and the disproportionate influence of scientific and technical elites. As the writers discuss these issues, they investigate new avenues for democratic politics, possibilities that emerge as modernist ideas about progress, justice and the common good lose their ability to guide contemporary thought and action. This book will be of interest to philosophers, political scientists, those doing research on technology and society, engineers studying human factors, environmental scientists, sociologists.

Democratic Theory and Technological Society

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Democratic Theory and Technological Society
Richard B. Day , and Ronald Beiner
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Global News Access: The Impact of New Communications Technologies

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Global News Access: The Impact of New Communications Technologies
Carla Brooks Johnston
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275957748

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Fascination with satellite television and Internet technology has become an obsession. People throughout the world watch television and believe what they see and hear--without realizing that pictures are selected and stories are sometimes distorted. Concurrently, the world's elite are drawn to the increasing availability of news on the Internet, effectively widening the gap between those who have and do not have access to the new technologies. This analysis of the worldwide impact of new communications technologies shows how ordinary citizens can protect themselves from media brainwashing. Interviews from across the globe shed light on this dynamic and on the roles of viewers as victims or victors in different situations. This is a book for the media professional; students and scholars in the fields of journalism, communications, political science, international relations, and business; as well as for government officials and concerned citizens who do not want to be controlled by the media.

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good book.......2000-07-17

this book is very helpful for you to know what happen back there and then.

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