academic researchers/readers of mastodon: is there a solid historical book (books?) that documents and explores the transition from the mechanical age to the age of “modern” technology as someone like heidegger understands the term technology?

i’m imagining a book that interprets the social and cultural transformations between the late medieval and victorian periods, from older conceptions of morality and mechanism to newer ideas about individualism and automation? eg. documenting not only demographic changes, but also the ways of thinking about people that were preconditions for modern technological thought.

i realize this is a rather nebulous request covering a huge time span, but my background is in the philosophy of science and not british history literature.

#academicmastodon #history

  • vga256@dialup.cafeOP
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    3 days ago

    how could i forget these two absolutely hilarious and informative illustrated texts on medieval and 18th century life.

    i’ve had them sitting on the shelves for years, and realized they make a compelling visual reference

    #bookstodon #illustration #books

    An Entertainment page showing festivities inside of a castle.
    A page from Man-of-War showing men taking a dump in the roundhouse, and another man tossing their feces into the sea for fish to munch on.