Tag Archives: PhD

Necessity is the mother of inventors: my PhD lecture

Posted on December 15, 2017 by

The following is the traditional Lectio praecursoria a doctoral candidate in Finland gives to the audience before his/her PhD defence. This one is mine, delivered on 12th December 2017. Esteemed custos, esteemed opponent, ladies and gentlemen! You all are probably … Continue reading →

Posted in History of technology, Innovation, Scarcities and constraints | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

What the necessity mothers: energy shortage and the development of copper smelting furnaces, 1900-1980

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

An old adage tells us that necessity is the mother of invention. But if necessity were the prime mover of invention, why, then, there are so many really nifty technologies – say, antigravity – that would be obviously useful, yet … Continue reading →

Posted in History of technology, Innovation, Scarcities and constraints | Tagged , , | 1 Comment