Response to the Readings-

     While reading the specific chapters assigned I found myself, thinking that each one was interesting in its own way, and that they were all connected or intertwined in one way or another. Although after reading I still found that I liked and understood chapter three, on Determinism, the most.

     I know we talked about most of the material from chapter three in class, and I thought that I might want to change my opinion or stance on which side I had previously chose. Yet, I didn’t. I continued to agree with the side I was on during class, and that was the Cultural Determinism view although, I did have some discrepancies with the material. The book seemed to explain the different sides more in-depth and this helped me confirm my decision as to which side I was to be on. I knew I was firm on my position after the book explained just exactly what technological determinism consists of. The book said, “The first hypothesis asserts the strongly held cultural belief that technology is central to defining what culture is.” (pg 43) This statement, to me, is false. Technology has to do with different cultures, but it does not define what culture is. People and history shape cultures, not technology. 

     I agree with Cultural Determinism the most because the book states, “…As culture changes, it needs and develops new technologies to accomplish its goals.” (pg 46). Technology doesn’t shape a culture, its all in how the culture chooses to use the technology. Just as the gun example explains that “People kill people,” not the gun itself. There has to be motive behind the person using the gun, in order for them to kill someone else. Also if the gun had not been invented, as it said in the book, people would have found a different way to kill someone if they had a reason or desire to.

     Another thing that I liked about this chapter is that they authors laid out both sides and gave examples of each for the reader to make their own decision. They also explained that there is, basically, no right or wrong answer, it’s how the reader interprets and believes what is right and what is wrong.