The Science-Technology Interaction: The Case of High-Voltage Power Transmission Systems

There has been a strong tendency in the history of science and technology to explain complex technological change with primary reference to antecedent scientific discoveries. The science-technology relationship has been thought to be technology's strongest. The major thesis of this paper is, however, that the evolving technology of the high-voltage transmission system-a major chapter in the history of electric light and power-can best be explained by reference to needs arising within that system rather than by attribution to science. These needs can be designated as reverse salients in an expanding technological front-the front, in this case, being the high-voltage transmission system.1 In order to support the thesis my effort has been to seek-and describe when found-a relationship between engineering research problems and reverse salients in the expanding front. I have also sought support for the major counterthesis, that is, that the engineering research problems were primarily related to antecedent science.