People and things

de James M. Skibo

"This text sets forth a theory for understanding the relationship between people and things. Humans, whether in the distant past or in our current world, make choices while inventing, developing, replicating, adopting, and using their technologies. The theoretical model presented here provides the means to understand how people, whether it be Paleolithic stone tool makers or 21st century computer designers and users, negotiate these myriad factors throughout the artifact's life history. Archaeologists and anthropologists will find this book of interest as will historians, sociologists, philosophers of technology, and any scholars interested in technology-science-society interactions."--Jacket.