This inquiry into the technical advances that shaped the 20th century
follows the evolutions of all the principal innovations introduced
before 1913 (as detailed in the first volume) as well as the origins
and elaborations of all fundamental 20th century advances. The history
of the 20th century is rooted in amazing technical advances of
1871-1913, but the century differs so remarkably from the preceding
100 years because of several unprecedented combinations. The 20th
century had followed on the path defined during the half century
preceding the beginning of World War I, but it has traveled along that
path at a very different pace, with different ambitions and intents.
The new century's developments elevated both the magnitudes of output
and the spatial distribution of mass industrial production and to new
and, in many ways, virtually incomparable levels. Twentieth century
science and engineering conquered and perfected a number of
fundamental challenges which remained unresolved before 1913, and
which to many critics appeared insoluble. This book is organized in
topical chapters dealing with electricity, engines, materials and
syntheses, and information techniques. It concludes with an extended
examination of contradictory consequences of our admirable technical
progress by confronting the accomplishments and perils of systems that
brought liberating simplicity as well as overwhelming complexity, that
created unprecedented affluence and equally unprecedented economic
gaps, that greatly increased both our security and fears as well as
our understanding and ignorance, and that provided the means for
greater protection of the biosphere while concurrently undermining
some of the key biophysical foundations of life on Earth.
_Transforming the Twentieth Century_ will offer a wide-ranging
interdisciplinary appreciation of the undeniable technical foundations
of the modern world as well as a multitude of welcome and worrisome
consequences of these developments. It will combine scientific rigor
with accessible writing, thoroughly illustrated by a large number of
appropriate images that will include historical photographs and
revealing charts of long-term trends.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780199883424
Publisert
2020
Utgiver
Vendor
Oxford University Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter