The Sociology of Everything Podcast Donald MacKenzie & Judy Wajcman's Social Shaping of Technology (ft. Judy Wajcman)
12 snips
Sep 1, 2025 
Judy Wajcman, a renowned sociologist and emeritus professor at the London School of Economics, explores the intricate relationship between society and technology. She critiques technological determinism, emphasizing that technology is shaped by social values. Judy highlights how gender and race are embedded in tech, urging us to rethink its culture. She also discusses the need for regulation amid profit-driven motives and the importance of valuing everyday technologies. Additionally, she shares insights on venture capital's gender gaps and the broader implications for AI development.
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Mutual Shaping Restores Agency
- Technology matters but is not an autonomous force; humans shape technologies through values and practices.
- Recognizing mutual shaping restores agency and opens possibilities to intervene in technological trajectories.
Science And Technology Co-Produce Each Other
- Science and technology influence each other rather than following a one-way discovery-to-application path.
- Instruments like microscopes reshape what science can ask and achieve, altering both practice and outcomes.
Innovation Is Iterative, Not Heroic
- Invention is iterative, building on existing technologies rather than erupting from lone geniuses.
- Technological development follows multiple possible paths instead of a single predetermined trajectory.
