The seminar is dedicated to some basic questions that guide the relatively new field of history of technology.  Of particular interest will be two main questions: (1)  The extent to which technology inevitably dictates specific human function and organization will be examined with case studies taken from armored medieval cavalry, medieval agricultural innovations; the accelerating use of new power sources in the late medieval and early modern period, and armored warfare in WWII. (2) The relationship between scientific discoveries and technological advances will be examined in the of context sundial design in Ancient Greece, the development of mechanical clocks, the invention of the steam engine, failures to provide adequate protection of buildings and electrical networks from lightning damage, and the public debate around the question of global warming.