The Technological Imperative in Canada: An Intellectual History - Softcover

Francis, R. Douglas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0774816511 ISBN 13: 9780774816519

Publisher: UBC Press, 2010

Synopsis

Technology is and has always been the subject of critical debate. This wide-ranging, engaging book examines the ideas of Anglo-Canadian theorists who foresaw that technology would either enhance or threaten the moral imperative. From the mid-nineteenth century onward, advocates argued that technology, as a moral force, would strengthen the ties that bound Canada to Britain and Western civilization, while opponents viewed technology as a source of American power that threatened Canadian independence.

The Technological Imperative in Canada offers new insights into the ideas of influential Canadian theorists of technology such as Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan and introduces readers to the ideas and perceptions of lesser-known but key figures such as Sandford Fleming, Stephen Leacock, and E.J. Pratt. This pioneering work revises the entrenched notion that Anglo-Canadian thought has been dominated by the moral imperative, and will appeal to those looking for a Canadian perspective on this important subject.

About this title

About the Author

R. Douglas Francis is a professor of Canadian history at the University of Calgary.

Edition details

• Publisher: UBC Press
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0774816511
• ISBN 13: 9780774816519
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 340