March 29, 2009

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This post is hard to sum up because it’s sort of about everything.

Why did science and history unfold the way they did?

Why didn’t somebody in China invent the electric light bulb? In an alternate reality with no Edison and, let’s say, no America, does anybody invent an electric light bulb?

Is the video game Civilization’s “technology tree” a good model for technology and history — or just a dorky game mechanic? Rob MacDougall had his students think about alternative models. One of his favorites invoked the imagery of Katamari Damacy:

The student’s idea was a rolling tech wheel. The spokes of the wheel represented paths of technological development you could pursue — navigation, metalworking, what have you — but you also had to adapt to technological contingencies in the form of the various things you rolled over. I’m not sure how this would actually work as a game, but as a crazy Katamari bricolage view of human history, it’s fun to wrap your head around.

It all springs forth from a class called Science, Technology, and Global History. There is nothing not to like here. (Thanks for the link, Dan!)