Marc J. de Vries - Böcker

Philosophy may not seem to be an obvious source to discover methods for successful product innovation management. However, this book shows that systematic reflection on the nature of product innovation management, supported by insights from the philosophy of technology, can illuminate the innovation process in technology and engineering.Presenting methodological guidelines and philosophical reflections, this book guides readers through each phase of product innovation. At each step, ideas from the philosophy of technology are translated into practical guidelines for managing these processes. The book works through the philosophical perspectives on innovation, methods in innovation design and research, and the value and ethical implications of innovation.Bridging the gap between philosophical context and practical methodologies, this book will be highly valuable for postgraduate students and academics researching and teaching innovation and philosophy of technology.

Philosophy may not seem to be an obvious source to discover methods for successful product innovation management. However, this book shows that systematic reflection on the nature of product innovation management, supported by insights from the philosophy of technology, can illuminate the innovation process in technology and engineering.Presenting methodological guidelines and philosophical reflections, this book guides readers through each phase of product innovation. At each step, ideas from the philosophy of technology are translated into practical guidelines for managing these processes. The book works through the philosophical perspectives on innovation, methods in innovation design and research, and the value and ethical implications of innovation.Bridging the gap between philosophical context and practical methodologies, this book will be highly valuable for postgraduate students and academics researching and teaching innovation and philosophy of technology.

This book offers a survey of the present state of affairs in the discipline of design methodology, with a special focus on relationships between design and science (both knowledge and methods). Contributions from historical, philosophical, engineering, and design practice perspectives have been brought together to ensure a more multidisciplinary view of design methodology as an emerging field of studies. The final session of the book deals with implications for education, both in the training of engineers and in technology education as part of general education. The book is intended for all concerned with historical and philosophical/methodological research in design and design research within the various engineering disciplines. It is also a source of information for those who are involved in (design and) technology education as part of general education.

What is the nature of technology? And what is the body of knowledge for technology? Those questions are discussed both in the philosophy of technology and in technology education, but in different ways. Philosophers develop valid concepts of technology and educationalists reflect on the way such concepts can be built up in the minds of pupils and students. Not only the overall concept of technology but also specific concepts within technology are presented both from philosophical and from educational perspectives. This book shows how the philosophy of technology can provide an academic background for the development of technology education. At the same time it helps philosophers to take into account the intuitive ideas people hold in their considerations about the true nature of technology. The texts are adapted versions of papers that were presented at the second Jerusalem International Science and Technology Education Conference held in 1996.

Teaching about technology, at all levels of education, can only be done properly when those who teach have a clear idea about what it is that they teach. In other words: they should be able to give a decent answer to the question: what is technology? In the philosophy of technology that question is explored. Therefore the philosophy of technology is a discipline with a high relevance for those who teach about technology. Literature in this field, though, is not always easy to access for non-philosophers. This book provides an introduction to the philosophy of technology for such people. It offers a survey of the current state-of-affairs in the philosophy of technology, and also discusses the relevance of that for teaching about technology. The book can be used in introductory courses on the philosophy of technology in teacher education programs, engineering education programs, and by individual educators that are interested in the intriguing phenomenon of technology that is so important in our contemporary society.

This book provides an introduction to the philosophy of technology. It offers a survey of the current state-of-affairs in the philosophy of technology, and discusses its relevance for teaching about technology.Teaching about technology, at all levels of education, can only be done properly when those who teach have a clear idea about what it is that they teach. In other words: they should be able to give an appropriate answer to the question: what is technology? The question of the nature of technology is explored in the philosophy of technology, making this a highly relevant discipline for those who teach about technology. Literature in this field, however, is not always easy to access for non-philosophers. By providing an introduction to the philosophy of technology, this book makes the discipline more easily accessible. The book can be used in introductory courses on the philosophy of technology in teacher education programs, engineering education programs, and by individual educators who are interested in the intriguing phenomenon of technology that is so important in our contemporary society.

This handbook of technology education offers a state-of-the-art survey of developments in technology education worldwide.

This book provides an introduction to the philosophy of technology. It offers a survey of the current state-of-affairs in the philosophy of technology, and discusses its relevance for teaching about technology.Teaching about technology, at all levels of education, can only be done properly when those who teach have a clear idea about what it is that they teach. In other words: they should be able to give an appropriate answer to the question: what is technology? The question of the nature of technology is explored in the philosophy of technology, making this a highly relevant discipline for those who teach about technology. Literature in this field, however, is not always easy to access for non-philosophers. By providing an introduction to the philosophy of technology, this book makes the discipline more easily accessible. The book can be used in introductory courses on the philosophy of technology in teacher education programs, engineering education programs, and by individual educators who are interested in the intriguing phenomenon of technology that is so important in our contemporary society.

Reflections on Technology for Educational Practitioners analyzes the use of philosophy of technology in technology education and unpacks the concept of ‘reflective practitioners’ (Donald Schön) in the field. Philosophy of technology develops ideas and concepts that are valuable for technology education because they show the basic characteristics of technology that are important if technology education is to present a fair image of what technology is. Each chapter focuses on the oeuvre of one particular philosopher of which a description is given and then insights are offered about technology as developed by that philosopher and how it has been fruitful for technology education in all its aspects: motives for having it in the curriculum, goals for technology education, content of the curriculum, teaching strategies, knowledge types taught, ways of assessing, resources, educational research for technology education, amongst others.

Reflections on Technology for Educational Practitioners analyzes the use of philosophy of technology in technology education and unpacks the concept of ‘reflective practitioners’ (Donald Schön) in the field. Philosophy of technology develops ideas and concepts that are valuable for technology education because they show the basic characteristics of technology that are important if technology education is to present a fair image of what technology is. Each chapter focuses on the oeuvre of one particular philosopher of which a description is given and then insights are offered about technology as developed by that philosopher and how it has been fruitful for technology education in all its aspects: motives for having it in the curriculum, goals for technology education, content of the curriculum, teaching strategies, knowledge types taught, ways of assessing, resources, educational research for technology education, amongst others.

Learning concepts is a real challenge for learners because of the abstract nature of concepts. This holds particularly true for concepts in science and technology education where learning concepts by doing design activities is potentially a powerful way to overcome that learning barrier. Much depends, however, on the role of the teacher.Design-Based Concept Learning in Science and Technology Education brings together contributions from researchers that have investigated what conditions need to be fulfilled to make design-based education work. The chapters contain studies from a variety of topics and concepts in science and technology education. So far, studies on design-based learning have been published in a variety of journals, but never before were the outcomes of those studies brought together in one volume. Now an overview of insights about design-based concept learning is presented with expectations about future directions and trends.

Learning concepts is a real challenge for learners because of the abstract nature of concepts. This holds particularly true for concepts in science and technology education where learning concepts by doing design activities is potentially a powerful way to overcome that learning barrier. Much depends, however, on the role of the teacher.Design-Based Concept Learning in Science and Technology Education brings together contributions from researchers that have investigated what conditions need to be fulfilled to make design-based education work. The chapters contain studies from a variety of topics and concepts in science and technology education. So far, studies on design-based learning have been published in a variety of journals, but never before were the outcomes of those studies brought together in one volume. Now an overview of insights about design-based concept learning is presented with expectations about future directions and trends.

This book offers a survey of the present state of affairs in the discipline of design methodology, with a special focus on relationships between design and science (both knowledge and methods). Contributions from historical, philosophical, engineering, and design practice perspectives have been brought together to ensure a more multidisciplinary view of design methodology as an emerging field of studies. The final session of the book deals with implications for education, both in the training of engineers and in technology education as part of general education. The book is intended for all concerned with historical and philosophical/methodological research in design and design research within the various engineering disciplines. The book is also a source of information for those who are involved in (design and) technology education as part of general education.

This book is a distinctive fusion of philosophy and technology, delineating the normative landscape that informs today’s technologies and tomorrow’s inventions. The authors examine what we deem to be the internal norms that govern our ever-expanding technical universe. Recognizing that developments in technology and engineering literally create our human future, transforming existing knowledge into tomorrow’s tools and infrastructure, they chart the normative criteria we use to evaluate novel technological artifacts: how, for example, do we judge a ‘good’ from a ‘bad’ expert system or nuclear power plant? As well as these ‘functional’ norms, and the norms that guide technological knowledge and reasoning, the book examines commonly agreed benchmarks in safety and risk reduction, which play a pivotal role in engineering practice.Informed by the core insight that, in technology and engineering, factual knowledge relating, for example, to the properties of materials or the load-bearing characteristics of differing construction designs is not enough, this analysis follows the often unseen foundations upon which technologies rest—the norms that guide the creative forces shaping the technical landscape to come. The book, a comprehensive survey of these emerging topics in the philosophy of technology, clarifies the role these norms (epistemological, functional, and risk-assessing) play in technological innovation, and the consequences they have for our understanding of technological knowledge.

This book is a distinctive fusion of philosophy and technology, delineating the normative landscape that informs today’s technologies and tomorrow’s inventions. The authors examine what we deem to be the internal norms that govern our ever-expanding technical universe. Recognizing that developments in technology and engineering literally create our human future, transforming existing knowledge into tomorrow’s tools and infrastructure, they chart the normative criteria we use to evaluate novel technological artifacts: how, for example, do we judge a ‘good’ from a ‘bad’ expert system or nuclear power plant? As well as these ‘functional’ norms, and the norms that guide technological knowledge and reasoning, the book examines commonly agreed benchmarks in safety and risk reduction, which play a pivotal role in engineering practice.Informed by the core insight that, in technology and engineering, factual knowledge relating, for example, to the properties of materials or the load-bearing characteristics of differing construction designs is not enough, this analysis follows the often unseen foundations upon which technologies rest—the norms that guide the creative forces shaping the technical landscape to come. The book, a comprehensive survey of these emerging topics in the philosophy of technology, clarifies the role these norms (epistemological, functional, and risk-assessing) play in technological innovation, and the consequences they have for our understanding of technological knowledge.