Leonardo to the Internet: Technology and Culture from the Renaissance to the Present

Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology

by Thomas J. Misa

The image of the lone inventor transforming society from the outside has a strong hold on the public's imagination. In reality, though, technologies are products of ongoing social and cultural processes. In Leonardo to the Internet , historian Thomas J. Misa provides a sweeping comparative history of the interrelationship between technology and society since the Renaissance, revealing how technological innovations have been shaped by the cultures in which they arose―and how such technologies have, in turn, shaped these cultures. From the careers and contributions of Renaissance court inventors Johann Gutenberg and Leonardo da Vinci to beer brewing in industrial London to the telecommunication revolution of the late twentieth century, Misa uses carefully chosen and engagingly told case studies to develop his thesis. Over eight thematic chapters, Misa provides detailed portraits of the inventors and users of technologies. Beginning his narrative at the dawn of the "modern" era, Misa surveys the intersections of technology, politics, and culture in the Renaissance court system of Western Europe; the role of technology in Holland's commercial expansion; the diverse "paths" to and through Britain's industrial revolution; the links among technology, imperialism, and trade in the nineteenth century; and the application of scientific discoveries in chemistry and physics to industry in Germany and the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. Misa then examines the introduction of mass-produced consumer goods and their impact on daily life and modernist sensibilities; the rise of the military-industrial complex during World War II and the technological innovations generated by the command-and-control economies of the Cold War; and the emergence of a technology-oriented global culture since the 1970s. The work concludes with a provocative essay laying out the technological choices we face today and considering their impact on the type of society we wish for the future. A masterful analysis of the ways in which technology and culture have influenced each other over five centuries, Leonardo to the Internet encourages students and general readers alike to think both more widely and more deeply about the invention, development, transfer, and adaptation of technologies within Western civilization.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Technology, School, Reference, College

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2004

Reviews

[Marilu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a Technology Course. It was interesting and relevant to the course but difficult to understand and follow sometimes. Recommend to anyone who enjoys learning about History and Technology but it is a heavy read.

[Frank Stein · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book obviously covers a much wider swath of the history of technology than Cowan's book I just reviewed, touching on technology everywhere from Renaissance Italy to colonial India to contemporary Thailand, so it must perforce focus on certain illustrative stories. Unfortunately, not every story is equally well done and the author has a tendency towards preachiness. Yet most examples are illuminating. Learning about how the Dutch Herring Bus ship of the 17th century operated like a mini-factory in the North Sea showed me how industrialization happened everywhere, and learning how the recently installed telegraph was essential to British troops putting down the 1857 Indian Mutiny showed me how even primitive technologies could shape the entirety of history. So, despite some faults, this book provides much to think about.

[Scott Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many people hold one of two views of technology and culture. Some think that technology determines how society evolve. Others contend that human affairs express themselves in the technologies they produce. Misa contends that technology and culture evolve together in a mixed group; neither determine the other. He makes this case by examining this evolution, as his title promises, from the days of Leonardo until the present.

Generally, Misa sees the history of technology moving from court to commerce, then from industry to empire, then from science to modernism and warfare, and finally from globalization to insecurity. He charts this progression through historical exemplars, like the growth of Dutch commerce or the extension of the British Empire. As one would expect from a first-rate history like this, he voyages in-depth into each topic, usually from many angles.

In so doing, he notes common pitfalls cultures fall into over time. For example, the countries that most embraced nuclear technology were late to the game in wind and solar power. Or the British were late to adopt new scientific advances because their energies were concentrated on continuing imperial power. As an American working in medical technology, I try to see market and societal evolution and appreciate how Misa equips me to anticipate the future by understanding the past.

The book is written in clear English. A prior intellectual investment in technology is helpful to appreciate all the nuance of this topic, per Misa’s presentation. College and university courses are appropriate venues for this text. Also, those who have labored around technology post-education will appreciate descriptions of new epochs, especially the analysis of our situation post-9/11.

This book was originally written in 2004 and re-published in 2011. Nonetheless, I wonder what Misa might say (perhaps in a third edition?) about global intellectual stagnation through nationalist politics in 2015-2020. Surely technology and society help to push the human race towards unreached intellectual heights, and social and tribal warfare as we’ve seen does not help us reach these laudable, universal aims. Does history show us a way forward? That’s the question I’d like to ask Misa.

[Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

An essay on technology that can satisfy an conecuer of the matter, but sadly not whit out it's flaws. The French here boring and strick in history, we may hate the first part, meaning the elitism and the unnecessary obscurantist wording, but they Indeed picked a time or a them and strick to it. Misa those not, and it shows,may be it in the general and known examples, may be it in is conclusions that are at least baffling, even if one accounts to the need of looking like a liberal idiot to keep is job.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a technology course at school and found it quite interesting. It is a good gateway into understanding just how much technology has affected society and how technology has, in turn, been shaped to suit the needs of governments and companies.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastically well-researched. Readable, but not terribly exciting.

[Vanessa Princessa]

Журналистика, СУ, бакалавър, 7ми семестър - зимен, Предмет - Интернет култура

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying read. Gets a bit pale towards the end, most likely because that is known territory.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Misa's text provides a thought provoking history of western technology that moves beyond the standard narrative of industrialization, warfare, and digitization to incorporate changes in economic and architectural theory as well. His use of focused case studies helps to highlight his emphasis on the connections between technology, economics, politics, society, & cultural values. I look forward to using his text in my history of science and technology course next fall.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very stimulating. It provided global coverage with an emphasis on Europe. Though I was trying to skim, I found my self engrossed in several places, particularly his discussion of the relationship between aesthetic modernism and scientific modernism. Fascinating!

[Katie Shacklett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for a history of technology class at Drexel, and absolutely loved it. I was never one for history, but seeing how it affected the development of technology and impacted every day lives (and those, in turn, affected history) - fascinating!

[Avel Deleon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Book.