The Industrial Revolution, which centered on textile manufacturing in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, took place predominantly without the use of science in England and continental Europe. The alkali business, for example, grew in response to the demand for washing and bleaching raw cotton and wool. Industrial growth, however, could only go so far without research (Cardwell, 1972, p. 100). In order for manufacturing to remain economically competitive, it would be necessary to make decisions about how to implement more scientific techniques, as well as the technology utilized in Egypt’s Pyramids. Most of this information was learned through trial and error rather than through scientific research.
The goal of science is to discover the fundamental principles and patterns of the natural world, as well as to classify and characterize the various sorts of objects that can be found. With calcium carbonate, phosphorus and calcium sulphate, for example, slag does not dissolve in the molten iron. This method is scientific if you are aware of these facts and have developed a procedure that takes them into consideration. For science to support technology, facts must be known and utilized in the design process. While, technical advancements were more a result of trial and error than science. Altering the charge composition and observing the results helped ironmasters to improve ore smelting. This was a form of art in and of itself. It was through the incorporation of scientific facts that Thomas’s process of smelting iron ore evolved from its original state of trial and error. These early cotton business creators were also not scientifically-minded, as evidenced by this fact (Ashworth & Landes, 1970, p. 258).
As technology becomes more complex, the chances of a smartphone being invented through trial-and-error reduce. An approach to tackling a problem is a series of missteps. It is possible to find solutions to problems by repeatedly altering one variable at a time until success is achieved. It is common to employ trial and error as a final resort when there is no evident rule to follow in simple activities or video games. When it comes to complex technologies, such as smartphones or the ironmaking process, trial and error is practically impossible. Before the design process can begin, it is necessary to understand scientific facts. Throughout the history of science and technology, the Industrial Revolution was a pivotal moment in time (Wilmer, H. et al., 2017).
Industrial production processes, technical change, and technological advancement aided in the development of the industrial revolution. Historians assert that the textile industry’s shift in work practices was a major factor in the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Rail transportation was an important industry in and of itself, generating jobs and capital expenditures, and necessitating the expenditure of monetary resources. In addition to providing a low-cost means of moving people, goods, and raw materials across the country, railroads also gave rise to a thriving business in the process (Clark, 1985, p. 146).
Science and technology have played a significant role in the development of products and services in the UK since the Industrial Revolution. Science may have played a role in the Industrial Revolution because of this. Also, it’s possible that science is working with technology during the Industrial Revolution. It is debatable if science played a significant impact in the Industrial Revolution. Applied science appears to have played a little role in the early stages of cotton’s development. Musson and Robinson, (1969) provide evidence that some of the most prominent conservatives, such as Kay and Arkwright, have little to no scientific background. Consequently, mechanical research may have had an indirect impact on the innovation process, but the inventions in question are not mechanical in any way.
References
Ashworth, W., & Landes, D. S. (1970). The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present. The Economic Journal, 80(317), 154. https://doi.org/10.2307/2230464
Cardwell, D. S. L. (1972). General – Technology, Science and History. London: Heinemann
Clark, L. (1985). Groundwater abstraction from Basement Complex areas of Africa. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, 18(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1144/gsl.qjeg.1985.018.01.05
Musson, A. E., & Robinson, E. (1969). Science and technology in the industrial revolution. Manchester: University Press of Manchester.
Wilmer, H. H., Sherman, L. E., & Chein, J. M. (2017, April 25). Smartphones and cognition: A review of research exploring the links between mobile technology habits and cognitive functioning. Frontiers in Psychology. Frontiers Media S.A. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00605
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