Theories of Technology

There are a number of theories attempting to address technology, which tend to be associated with the disciplines of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and communication studies. Most generally, the theories attempt to address the relationship between technology and society and prompt questions about agency, determinism/autonomy, and teleonomy.

If forced, one might categorize them into social and group theories. Additionally, one might distinguish between descriptive and critical theories. Descriptive theories attempt to address the definition and substance of technology, how does it emerge, change, and, of course, what is its relation to the human/social sphere? More substantively, to what extent is technology autonomous and how much force does it have in determining social structure or human practice? Critical theories of technology often take a descriptive theory as their basis and articulate concerns and ask in what ways can that relationship be changed? The authors mentioned in this article are those that have some concern with technology or media, though they often borrow from one another and of course build upon seminal theorists that preceded them.