The theory of Technological Determinism relates to the studies conducted by Marshall McLuhan who states that we are living in a new age of technology that has never been experienced before. Studying media and culture in England, McLuhan found himself trying to decipher the media environment that surrounded him. The people that lived through the inventions of the phonetic alphabet, the printing press, and the telegraph saw drastic improvements in the way people were able to communicate. Sometimes known as the "Oracle of the Electronic Age," McLuhan is telling people that the new electronic media is changing the way people think, act, and feel. McLuhan suspects that the current technological environment, when looked back upon, will be seen as a major turning point in the history of communication.

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind about McLuhan's theory of Technological Determinism:

McLuhan was the first one to suggest that evolutions in communication had a direct impact on the existing society. However, he was unique in saying "the channels of communication are the primary cause of cultural change." Nothing exists that is not affected by the applied technology of communication. McLuhan regarded every form of media as an extension of the human being. For example, a book is an extension of the eye and clothing is an extension of the skin.

In this society the senses of hearing, touch, taste, and smell dominated. The ear was king; hearing meant believing. McLuhan suggested that these people led richer lives because unlike the eye, the ear cannot select what stimuli to take in.

Upon the invention of the phonetic alphabet, people who could read quickly traded an ear for an eye. McLuhan claims the alphabet was the catalyst for the emergence of science, mathematics and philosophy that came out of ancient Greece.

Print allowed the production of mass copies of the same products, which McLuhan believes was the forerunner of the Industrial Revolution. The printed book allows man to set himself free of his surroundings and be in touch with the truth.

Today, as McLuhan predicted, we have reverted back to a culture where hearing and touching take precedence over sight. We live in a global village connected by electronic communication devices.

McLuhan was convinced that the lifestyles people live relies heavily on the way they process information. Each communication invention throughout history changed the people thought about themselves and the world around them. Whether it be oral, written, or electronic, the communication channel changes the way we perceive the world.

McLuhan's ideas state that we are living in a world of technology. Greg Cebular did some research on the Internet as a mass medium. So many people rely on the Internet on a daily basis and it is starting to take over some conventional norms that society has. By that I mean people are shopping, talking, and getting their news over the Internet instead of going to the store, picking up a phone, or reading a newpaper. Take an in depth look at the research that Greg did and Click here.

To view a research report by Shane click here

To view an application by Sarah click here

To view an application by Kyle click here

To view a critique by Tara click here

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