I have just done a presentation for communication technologies and history, which is about the Technological Determinism theory. It is a group presentation, so we have discussed both two sides – the people believe in Technological Determinism, think technologies are the determining power which directly shape our society and development; and the opposite, who argues the technologies are affected by social forces and do not directly determine, but partly affect, our society.
But how we finally can get a conclusion or answer from these very theoretical stuff? Examples in human history would be persuasive enough. For instance, the invention of TV, is it a independent thing or happened because of the need of the people at that time? And computer as well, is it because the fast development of technologies require more advanced calculation method?
But still people have different opinions on those things. The argument will go on and probably will not have a answer because we are just too complicated for ourselves.