Abstract
As a first step in an attempt to delimit natural sciences and technology it would seem sensible to consider the original meaning of the two words. The term ‘natural sciences’ would thus denote the sciences concerned directly with nature, whereas technology — in accordance with the Greek techne 1 — would have to do with objects produced artificially by man. On the one hand there would be nature, left to itself and untouched by man, as investigated by the natural sciences, and on the other the world of technology as an artificial creation which is only brought about by intervention in this natural order.
The German version of this paper was published under the title ‘Technik und Naturwissenschaften - Eine methodologische Untersuchung’, in Techne — Technik — Technologie (Philosophische Perspektiven) (ed. by H. Lenk and S. Moser), Pullach 1973.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Cf. J. E. Heyde, ‘Zur Geschichte des Wortes Technik’, Humanismus und Technik 9 (1963), 25–43.
H. Rumpf, ‘Wissenschaft und Technik’, in Die Philosophic und die Wissenschaften (Simon Moser zum 65. Geburtstag) (ed. by E. Oldemeyer ), Meisenheim 1967, pp. 89–91.
Cf. H. Pogoda, ‘Technik und Natur, Technik und Kunst’, Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 18 (1970), 57–76.
Aristotle: De caelo I 4, 217a33; De anima II 4, 415bl6.
The historical development will not be the subject of further consideration here. For details see among others E. A. Burtt, The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Physical Science, London 1932; and A. Koyré, Études Galiléennes, Vols. I-III, Paris 1939.
H. Poincaré, The Foundations of Science (transl. from the French), Lancaster, Pa., 1913
P. Duhem, The Aim and Structure of Physical Theory (transl. from the French), New York 1962
H. Dingier, Das Experiment-Sein Wesen und seine Geschichte, Munich 1928
P. W. Bridgeman, The Logic of Modern Physics, New York 1927. Recent publications include K. Holzkamp, Wissenschaft als Handlung, Berlin 1968
P. Lorenzen, ‘Wie ist die Objektivität der Physik möglich?’ in Argumentationen-Festschrift für Josef König (ed. by H. Delius and G. Patzig), Göttingen 1964, pp. 143–150.
Cf. E. McMullin (ed.), The Concept of Matter, Notre Dame, Ind., 1963.
E. Appleton, ‘Partnership of Science and Engineering’, The Engineer 198 (1954) 853
J. R. Bright, Research, Development and Technological Innovation, Illinois, Ill., 1964, p. 71ff.
O. A. Saunders, ‘The Scientist’s Contribution to Mechanical Engineering’, The Engineer 210 (1960), 760.
Cf. A. M. Weinberg, Reflections on Big Science, Cambridge, Mass., 1967.
The systematic search for new possibilities is especially emphasized in K. Hübner, ‘Von der Intentionalität der modernen Technik’, Sprache im technischen Zeitalter 25 (1968), 27–48.
J. Müller, ‘Zum Verhaltnis von Naturwissenschaft und Technik’, in Klassifizierung und Gegenstandsbestimmung der Geowissenschaften und der technischen Wissenschaften (Freiberger Forschungshefte D 53), Leipzig 1967, p. 165f.
Thus J. K. Finch says: “There are, however, some thoughtful scientists who feel that science has become a mere appendage of technology and are disturbed by the widespread use of the term ‘science’ or ‘scientific’ for many interests, activities, and products which have little or no connection with truly scientific pursuits.” (‘Engineering and Science’, Technology and Culture 2 (1961), 330).
H. Rumpf: ‘Wissenschaft und Technik’, in Die Philosophic und die Wissenschaften (Simon Moser zum 65. Geburtstag) (ed. by E. Oldemeyer), Meisenheim 1967, p. 102.
Cf. ‘Engineers and Scientists’ (Leading Article), The Engineer 197 (1954), 715.
Cf. M. Bunge, ‘Technology as Applied Science’, Technology and Culture 7 (1966), 329–347
H. Skolimowski, ‘The Structure of Thinking in Technology’, Technology and Culture 7 (1966), p. 372. [see pp. 19–39 and p. 73 of this volume].
O. A. Saunders, ‘The Scientist’s Contribution to Mechanical Engineering’, The Engineer 210 (1960), p. 760.
H. Rumpf, ‘Wissenschaft und Technik’, in Die Philosophic und die Wissenschaften (Simon Moser zum 65. Geburtstag) (ed. by E. Oldemeyer), Meisenheim 1967, p. 102.
R. Rompe, ‘Grundlagenforschung und Technik’, in Sitzungsberichte der Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (Klasse für Mathematik, Physik und Technik), 1967, p. 35.
The delimitation of the German concepts ‘Technik’ and ‘Technologie’ is discussed by H. Lenk, Philosophie im technologischen Zeitalter, Stuttgart 1971, pp. 133–135, and by S. Moser, ‘Technologie und Technokratie - Zur Wissenschaftstheorie der Technik’, in Neue Aspekte der Wissenschaftstheorie (ed. by H. Lenk), Braunschweig 1971, pp. 171ff.
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics X7, 1177 a11–1177b4; similarly Plato, Timaeus 89d-90d.
Further details can be found in C. G. Hempel, Aspects of Scientific Explanation, New York 1965, Ch. 4
E. Nagel, The Structure of Science, London 1961, Ch. 3
W. Stegmiiller, Probleme und Resultate der Wissenschaftstheorie und analytischen Philosophie, vol. I, Berlin 1969, Ch. 1.
Cf. J. Agassi, ‘The Confusion between Science and Technology in the Standard Philosophies of Science’, in Technology and Culture 7 (1966) 364. [see p. 55 of this volume]. The significance of falsification of scientific hypotheses is emphasized especially by K. R. Popper, The Logic of Scientific Discovery, London 1959.
Cf. K. Tuchel, ‘Zum Verhältnis von Kybernetik, Wissenschaft und Technik’, in Akten des 14. Internationalen Kongresses für Philosophie, vol. II, Vienna 1968, p. 582. He says “die Materialität ihres Bestandes scheint mir ein wesentliches Kriteriumder technischen Gebilde zu sein.”
F. Rapp, ‘Die Technik in wissenschaftstheoretischer Sicht’, in Neue Aspekte der Wissenschaftstheorie (ed. by H. Lenk ), Braunschweig 1971, p. 180.
M. Bunge, Scientific Research, vol. I/II, Berlin 1967
E. Nagel, The Structure of Science, London 1961, Ch. 3
K. R. Popper, The Logic of Scientific Discovery, London 1959.
W. Stegmiiller, Probleme und Resultate der Wissenschaftstheorie und analytischen Philosophie, vol. I, Berlin 1969, Ch. 1., among others, undertake investigations of the methodological problems of the natural sciences.
Historical change in scientific thinking has been discussed in recent years by S. Toulmin, Foresight and Understanding, London 1961
T. S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago 1962
I. Lakatos and A. Musgrave (eds.), Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge, Cambridge 1970
G. H. von Wright, Explanation and Understanding, London 1971.
The significance of the differing criteria of progress for the delimitation of technology and science is emphasized by H. Skolimowski, ‘The Structure of Thinking in Technology’, Technology and Culture 7 (1966), pp. 371–385.
Cf. A. Hermann, ‘Die historische Relativitat naturwissenschaftlicher Erkenntnis’, n + m (Naturwissenschaft und Medizin) 6 (1969), 3–10.
E. Jobst, ‘Spezifische Merkmale der technischen Wissenschaft in ihrem Wechselverhältnis zur Naturwissenschaft’, Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophic 16 (1968), 934 mentions the diagram in particular as being an aide typical of the engineer [see p. 131 of this volume].
J. Müller speaks of the technologist going beyond the reality he is confronted with by concentrating (‘verdichten’) particular properties and relations (‘Zum Verhaltnis von Naturwissenschaft und Technik’, in Klassifizierung und Gegenstandsbestimmung der Geowissenschaften und der technischen Wissenschaften (Freiberger Forschungshefte D 53), Leipzig 1967, p. 164).
The rôle of the limiting possibilities is stressed by L. Tondl, ‘Slovo o filosofii techniky’, Filosofický časopis 12 (1964), 281–293 [see pp. 1–18 of this volume].
T. S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago 1962, esp. Ch. 3 and Ch. 9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1974 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht-Holland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rapp, F. (1974). Technology and Natural Science — A Methodological Investigation. In: Rapp, F. (eds) Contributions to a Philosophy of Technology. Theory and Decision Library, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2182-1_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2182-1_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-2184-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-2182-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive