Vast Machines: Thinking
Globally
Thinking Globally, a chapter in the
book Vast Machines, written by Paul Edwards discusses the concept of knowledge
and how we know what we know. To premise the discussion of the concept of
knowledge the chapter begins by explaining the concept of climate change. The example of climate change puts the
thoughts of Edwards into context and how one uses technology and the process of
data collection to discuss how one uses information to explain ideas as well as
how one conveys ideas to others. The
purpose of the chapter is to explain how the world is becoming one system of
information and how this information is interconnected. Since the information is interconnected it
creates an infrastructure that creates a stable foundation that the modern
social world depends upon. In order to think globally, one must not only gather
information but also convey the information to the public in a way that makes
the information relevant and important.
The chapter discusses the process of
knowledge formation in a sociotechnical system and answers the question of how
do we know what we know. To begin, the
definition of sociotechnical system is a knowledge infrastructure comprised of
robust networks of people, artifacts, and institutions that generate, share,
and maintain specific knowledge about the human and natural worlds (Edwards, 2010, p.17). In order for information to be relevant and
important, it must fit into an institution that shares and maintains specific
knowledge. For example, in the climate
change context, the information is only as important as how well the
information is conveyed to networks of people and institutions that share that
knowledge. In return the sociotechnical system
answers the question of how do we know what we know. The sociotechnical system describes the way
in which people are convinced that things are true, useful, and consistent with
other things they already know (Edwards, 2010, p. 17). The use of the sociotechnical system ensures
that people are aware of information. It
creates a system in which the information is shared and conveyed to the public
in a way that makes it important and able to be conveyed. The article suggested that the system of
sharing information involves using instruments, such as a computer, to gather
data. Then in order to publish the data,
one must use the Internet to convince people that the information that you are
conveying is true and useful. The
sociotechnical system allows one to give the community a way to understand what
you have found and convey to them what you think the information you found
means (Edwards, 2010, 17).
The concept of “vast machine” and
knowledge infrastructure is discussed in the chapter as well. Vast machine is described as a machine that
has infrastructures that are entangled into what makes the machine. Infrastructures are basic systems and
services that are reliable, standardized, and widely accessible, at least
within a community (Edwards, 2010, p.8).
Infrastructures exhibit the following features: embeddedness,
transparency, reach, learned as part of membership, links with conventions of
practice, embodiment of standards, built on an installed base, becomes visible
upon breakdown, fixed in a modular increments (Edwards, 2010, p.9). In the 1980s, historians and sociologists of
technology began studying the infrastructure phenomenon intensively (Edwards,
2010, p.9). The researchers developed
the theory of large technical systems (LTS) that apply to telephones and
railroads (Edwards, 2010, p.9). The LTS
approach identified a series of common stages in infrastructure development:
invention, development, technology transfer, consolidation, splintering, and
decline (Edwards, 2010, p.10). The
stages of infrastructure and the theory of an infrastructure alludes to the
concept that in order for information to be exchanged it must have an
infrastructure that is made up of systems, many of which are technology
systems. In order to have information
flow, the chapter discusses the concept of sharing information and building an
infrastructure of interrelated systems where exchange of information is
completed. Infrastructures are said to
be where information is produced, communicated, stored, and maintained.
The chapter also discusses that the
basis of scientific knowledge and how that scientific knowledge depends on a
few things. In order to create and
maintain scientific knowledge, one needs the following things: enduring
communities with shared standards, enduring organizations, mathematics,
conventions and laws, theories, physical facilities, and support staff
(Edwards, 2010, p. 17). If scientific
knowledge is to be distributed to individuals, then someone must not only
create the information but the information needs to be able to be exchanged. In order for the information to be exchanged,
it must have a community to belong to in an organization that engulfs that
community. Scientific knowledge is
special in its own aspect because it has its own specialized vocabulary and
laws that apply to the information.
Finally, the chapter discusses the concept
of globalist information. The chapter
began by stating that President Johnson sent out a picture of the Earth to all
of the world leaders to show how fragile the world was as well as to show how
interconnected everyone is in the world (Edwards, 2010, p.1). The concept of globalist information arises
from this action. The concept refers to
systems and institutions for transmitting information about the world as a
whole (Edwards, 2010, p.23). This
concept builds on the fact that the world is interconnected and the share of
information is important for the world to function. The chapter states that the best globalist
system for exchanging information is in the meteorology department (Edwards,
2010, p.24). The chapter discusses that
in order for the world to learn more about climate change, everyone needs to
exchange information on the subject.
Thinking Globally suggests, through
the climate change context, there is a growing amount of information that is
being produced. The article discusses
how information is exchanged, how people perceive information, and how there is
a call for information exchange to better serve the public. Considering the plethora of information that
is being produced on a daily basis throughout the scientific community as well
as other data producing fields, there is a need for information sharing in the
world. The chapter explains that
information is important and can be organized into infrastructure which in turn
can be used by everyone to make the world a better place by having an idea
about what is going on in the world.
Edwards,
Paul N. (2004). Thinking Globally. A Vast
Machine: Computer Models, Climate Data, and the Politics of Global Warming,
p.1-25.
