History
Explainer
Exam Trap: Did Print Cause Change?
Saying 'the press caused the Reformation' can cost you marks. Why?
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Lesson notes
Key points
- Technological determinism is the claim that a technology alone drives social change.
- Critics like Adrian Johns argue print's authority was built by people, institutions and trust, not the machine.
- Strong essays treat print as an enabling factor interacting with politics, religion and economics.
Definitions
- Technological determinism
- The view that technology is the primary independent cause of social and cultural change.
Takeaway: Technology enables change; people and contexts drive it.
Quick check: Best way to frame print's role in essays?
- Sole cause
- Irrelevant detail
- Enabling factor
DeterminismSocial constructionEnabling factor
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