Science, Technology and the Industrial Revolution

1
Science, Technology and the Industrial Revolution

• A Focus on Chemistry

2
Two Questions

• Musson and Robinson address these two questions
• What were the connections between Science and
  the Industrial Revolution?
• And how was technological knowledge developed
  and diffused?

3
An Approach

• Their premise is that science and technology
  (applied science, empiricism) were fundamentally
  and necessarily interrelated during the
  Industrial Revolution.
• Neither science alone nor technology alone drove
  the IR.

4
Scientific Discoveries and Technological
Inventions Fueled the Industrial Revolution

• Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th
  centuries ? principles and laws of physics (heat,
  work, energy, thermodynamics, motion) and
  chemistry (elements, reactions, thermochemistry)
• 1660 Establishment of the Royal Society of London
  for Improving Natural Knowledge

5
Science

• Science - from the Latin word, scientia, for
  knowledge
• An intellectual enterprise whose goal is to
  explain the natural world. This means the
  development of principles and laws that are
  tested and that can predict outcomes.
• The main areas of science are physics, chemistry,
  geology, biology, astronomy.

6
Natural Philosophy

• This term was used widely in the 18th century to
  mean the study of the natural world.
• Musson argues that this study encompasses what we
  call science and technology. ( pp. 3-4)

7
Scientific Method

• Identify a question
• Propose a hypothesis
• Construct and carry out experiment to test
  hypothesis
• Observe and record results
• Refine hypothesis
• Test refined hypothesis with more expts (repeat
  as needed)
• Develop theory that is consistent with
  observations and accepted laws of nature and
  predicts future exptal outcomes

8
Technological Inventions and Scientific
Discoveries Fueled the Industrial Revolution

• Industrial Revolution of the 18th-19th centuries
  represented practical application of science to
  increase agricultural and industrial production,
  to create new materials, processes and
  manufacturing methods, to improve health, to
  create new sources of power in fact, a
  collaboration of science and technology.

9
Technology

• Technology from the Greek word technologia for
  the study of craft.
• Application of scientific discoveries to
  practical problems with the goal of increasing
  the quality of life, productivity, improved
  health and sanitation, etc.
• The success of a new technology is reflected in
  goals above, adoption and adaptation rates,
  minimalization of deleterious outcomes and
  optimizing economic benefit.

10
English Patents of Invention Issued1660-1890

• From Clow and Clow pp 2-3
• Note 1760 in particular

11
Science and Technology

• The eighteenth century witnesses a closer
  rapprochement between science and technology. On
  the one hand, men of science took a more active
  interest in practical problems on the other
  hand, practical craftsmen or technicians showed a
  new interest in the scientific aspects of their
  work (A. Wolf, History of Science, Technology,
  and Philosophy, XVIIIth Century, p 499 from Clow
  and Clow p 4)

12
The Distinction Fades

• In fact, science and technology are
  collaborators and complementary.
• Science informs technological advances through
  theories and principles (what is possible).
• Technology provides vast experimentation and
  results (what happened).
• See Musson and Robinson, pp. 3-4

13
Boundaries of Time and Space

• Scientific and technological advances are based
  on prior discoveries and accepted theories. They
  do not emerge without historical context.
• In addition, these advances are made across
  national and continental borders. Knowledge is
  disseminated, supported or rejected, refined and
  revised through additional experimentation.

14
Synergy of Disciplines and Industries

• We will note the synergy (impact and progress is
  greater than sum of the parts).
• The synergy between the iron and coal industries
  is a good example.
• Also the synergy between physics and engineering
  in the invention of the steam engine.

15
Skill Transfer

• The skills of a clockmaker were fundamental to
  the making gear wheels for the textile machines.
• The millwright working on windmills brought
  essential skills to the steam engine.
• Carpenters honed their skill on cart wheels and
  then applied them to mill wheels.

16
Chemical Transformations

• Among the useful arts, it is difficult to select
  one that is not very immediately dependent upon
  chemical principles bleaching, dyeing,
  calico-printing, and tanning in the arts of
  pottery, of glass, and porcelain, or in the
  apparently more remote operations of the brewer
  and distilleroil of vitriol, of preparing
  vinegar form wood, of extracting pure acid from
  the lemon propagation and effects of heat
  (Quarterly Journal, 1819, 7, 205 from Clow and
  Clow, p xi)

17
Other Dimensions

• This course is focused on science and technology
  during the IR, and, in particular, those with
  chemical basis.
• Obviously, this is not the whole picture.
• Economics
• Social changes
• Government

18
Government Actions

• Actions of government bodies played a critical
  role in industrialization. They
• passed Acts giving privileges to investors in
  industry (capitalists),
• provided awards for inventions,
• granted patents
• passed Acts of Enclosure
• lowered interest rates making cheap capital
  available

19
References

• Clow, A Clow N. L. The Chemical Revolution A
  Contribution to Social Technology The Batchworth
  Press London,1952.
• Musson A. E. Robinson, E. Science and Technology
  in the Industrial Revolution University of
  Toronto, 1969.