The Golem at Large: What You Should Know about Technology (Canto) [Paperback]

Harry Collins (Author), Trevor Pinch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 27, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0521012708 | ISBN-13: 978-0521012706 | Edition: 1st

In the widely discussed first volume in the Golem series, The Golem: What You Should Know About Science, Harry Colllins and Trevor Pinch likened science to the Golem, a creature from Jewish mythology, a powerful creature which, while not evil, can be dangerous because it is clumsy. In this second volume, the authors now consider the Golem of technology. In a series of case studies they demonstrate that the imperfections in technology are related to the uncertainties in science. The case studies cover the role of the Patriot anti-missile missile in the Gulf War, the Challenger space shuttle explosion, tests of nuclear fuel flasks and of anti-misting kerosene as a fuel for airplanes, economic modeling, the question of the origins of oil, analysis of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and the contribution of lay expertise to the analysis of treatments for AIDS. Anyone who views technology with a wary eye will love The Golem at Large. Harry Collins is Professor of Sociology at Cardiff University and Director for the Study of Knowledge Expertise and Science at the University of Wales. His other books include the forthcoming The One Culture (University of Chicago Press, 2001) and (with M. Kusch) The Shape of Actions (MIT, 1998). nTrevor Pinch is a founding member of the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University, where he is now chair. He is co-editor (with Wiebe E. Bijker) of The Social Construction of Technological Systems (MIT, 1989).

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Collins and Pinch reprise the case study format of their previous coauthored book (The Golem: What You Should Know About Science) and, once again, it works. Recapitulating the space shuttle Challenger explosion and six other major technological tragedies and disputes of our era, they illuminate what they aptly call "the boundaries of expertise." Among the other subjects the authors use to illustrate how the best-laid plans can go wrong are the Patriot anti-missile system, the Chernobyl disaster and early medical treatments for AIDS. Their book is worthy of note not only for its clear analysis of how science can come up short when applied outside the laboratory but for its honest appraisal of the fallibility of technology's gatekeepers. But Collins and Pinch offer much more: a reasonable, surprisingly entertaining rebuttal of both Panglossian technophiles and Luddite technophobes. In so doing, they present themselves as advocates for and, more impressively, exemplars of a sane and realistic view of technology and its role in society. Four line diagrams. (Dec.) FYI: The Golem at Large will be published simultaneously with Cambridge's second edition, in paperback, of The Golem, containing an afterword responding to the book's critics.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Of the many impressive texts that use case studies to convey 'what you should know about technology', The Golem at Large is the clearest and simplest. The authors rework existing materials with great care to produce a valuable introduction to their topic that is accessible to anyone." Nature

"Their book is worthy of note not only for its clear analysis of how science can come up short when applied outside the laboratory but for its honest appraisal of the fallibility of technology's gatekeepers. But Collins and Pinch offer much more: a reasonable, surprisingly entertaining rebuttal of both Panglossian technophiles and Luddite technophobes." Publisher's Weekly

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1st edition (May 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521012708
• ISBN-13: 978-0521012706
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #674,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Science isn't always a Super Hero, October 1, 2000

By 

Michele Carpenter "Lady Damorea" (Check, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Golem at Large: What You Should Know about Technology (Hardcover)

For some, science is a super hero. It helps to save lives with developments like incubators, surgeries, and medicines. Science brings tools like computers, cordless phones, and DVDs into existence. Others, however, view science as a monster that brings with it pollution, greed, and destruction. Science, as explained in this book, is a very human activity with the full range of problems and possibilities of which man himself is capable. Explained within this book, is the findings of science and exactly how science goes about making progress. This is a very interesting and insightful read. I highly recommend it to pracitioners of science and to students who are studying any type of science. I also recommend it to the layman who wishes to know more about how science really works.

2.0 out of 5 stars Terrible for research, January 21, 2012

By 

Student - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golem at Large: What You Should Know about Technology (Canto) (Paperback)

Let me precede this review by noting that my interest in this book was very limited. I read a single chapter (Chernobyl and the Cumbrian Sheepfarmers) for reference for an academic paper I am writing, but it was so poorly written that I feel the need to warn academics away from using this text. While it is possible (though from what I skimmed, I very much doubt) the rest of the book is well written, I can say with certainty that at least one chapter is a near total waste. Not only are Collins and Pinch's arguments deeply flawed an under complained, they make a number of dubious factual claims. Regrettably, they use no in text citation system, and simply provide a list of sources at the end of the book IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY AUTHOR! Not even divided by chapter, but just a lengthy list of academic essays, making it virtually impossible to source-check anything they say. To the bast of my ability, I could find a SINGLE article which they based the entire Chernobyl/Sheep chapter on and seem to have done no further research past that. I honestly suspect them of creating (or very heavily implying) some facts that are convenient for their argument. In short, while I do applaud the readability of their book, and do not think that they are purposefully lying to their audience, I do think they take some outrageous scholastic liberties and need to hire a better copy-editor.