• The Invention of Television - Vladimir Zworykin and Philo Farnsworth

    Author(s):
    Rochelle Forrester (see profile)
    Date:
    2020
    Group(s):
    Historical theory and the philosophy of history
    Subject(s):
    Social evolution, Macrosociology
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Vladimir Zworykin, Philo Farnsworth, cathode ray tube, electronic television, Marshall McLuhan, history of Television, substantive philosophy of history, invention of television, Cultural evolution
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/axg7-y657
    Abstract:
    The ultimate cause of much historical, social and cultural change is the gradual accumulation of human knowledge of the environment. Human beings use the materials in their environment to meet their needs and increased human knowledge of the environment enables human needs to be met in a more efficient manner. The materials in the human environment include photosensitive materials and electrons which played an important role in the invention of television. The invention of television revealed a series of discoveries with the simplest discoveries being made first and more complex discoveries being made later. Some discoveries could not be made without certain prior discoveries having been made. Scientific discoveries concerning photosensitive materials and the control of electrons by electromagnets, leading to the invention of the cathode ray tube were necessary before the invention of television. It is only at a particular point in our history, that we were able to put the information together and invent television. Before that point it was not possible to invent television. The order in which these discoveries were made was inevitable and given how much humans like entertainment and news, it was also inevitable, that sooner or later in some society open to new ideas and technology, that television would be used to meet the human need for entertainment and news. The order of discovery was inevitable and is an example of how social and cultural history has to follow a particular course determined by the structure of the world around us.
    Metadata:
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    4 years ago
    License:
    Attribution
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