Innovation and technology from an austrian perspective

[josecas]

I will appreciate suggested reading on the topic of innovation and technology (with both theorical and historical background).

Thank you very much

[Torsten]

Interesting subject.

Should this be strictly from an austrian perspective or would other schools of thought also do? What languages can you read?

[Edgar729]

Could you please provide them in English?

I will take a look at any perspective as long as its rational. What I am really interested in is not only the macro-economic stuff but also the micro-economic systems. For instance, I have no frikin clue about what type of regulations affect the telecommunications industry, but after watching the google interview of Ron Paul I think there is a lot of damage the goverment is doing by forcing mal-investment in the technology industry. Granted, everything the goverment touches wiltes and dies but I would like to understand not only why it has died but what should be in its place. I’ll take whatever you have.

Thanks ahead of time!

[Torsten]

OK it will be the English ones then. On a general note: I see technology as human activity applying knowledge about nature to master nature. One can go into a deeper discussion about this as well. And if you like we can do this later.

@Edgar729

I will take a look at any perspective as long as its rational. What I am really interested in is not only the macro-economic stuff but also the micro-economic systems.

Concerning an Austrian view on technology I can provide you with the following:

Technology and Life Itself
By Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.
Posted on 9/13/2007

I’m reading about the remarkable push by IBM’s Stuart S.P. Parkin to shrink the physical size of data memory to 100th of its present bulk. It’s an amazing prospect, and we aren’t talking about technological advance for its own sake. “That means,” says the New York Times writer who knows how to interest readers in what would otherwise be arcane, “that the iPod that today can hold up to 200 hours of video could store every single TV program broadcast during a week on 120 channels.”…

http://mises.org/daily/2710

5. Economics and Technology

The system of economic theory is independent of all other sciences as well as of psychology. This is true also of its relationship to technology. By way of illustration we shall demonstrate this in the case of the law of returns.

Even historically the law of returns did not originate in technology, but in reflections on economics. One interpreted the fact that the farmer who wants to produce more also wants to extend the area under cultivation and that in doing so he even makes use of poorer soil. If the law of returns did not hold true, it could not be explained how there can be such a thing as “land hunger.” Land would have to be a free good. The natural sciences, in developing a theory of agriculture, were unable either to substantiate or to confute these reflections “empirically.” The experience that it took as its starting point was the fact that arable land is treated as an economic good.[5] It is obvious that here too economics and the natural sciences must meet on common ground…

http://mises.org/epofe/c4sec5.asp

Not to forget the list of articles tagged technology at mises.org

http://mises.org/tag/Technology

From what I can see that deals either with the role of technology or the (economic) causes of technological innovation.
One can however go even deeper into the philosophy of technology and possible apply Austrian Theories about it. One would actually need have a look on questions of causality and utility as well. And I would add the issue of human creativity to that. But I think the question that interests you is what kind of institutional framework advances or hinders technological innovation in a society.

@Edgar729

Granted, everything the goverment touches wiltes and dies but I would like to understand not only why it has died but what should be in its place. I’ll take whatever you have.

… I wouldn’t hold this up as a dogma or a rigid causal relationship. There are however certain reasons that, why government programs tend to become more absurd then for example research by a corporation, private person or civil association.