John Muir and the Ambivalence of Technology
Keywords:
John Muir, technology ambivalence, American Enlightenment, inventions, national parks, cultural contextAbstract
This article analyzes John Muir's complex relationship with technology, challenging the common perception of him as a nature lover who shunned human civilization. The paper explores Muir's background as an amateur scientist, inventor, and advocate for national parks, highlighting his ambivalence towards technological progress. This study examines Muir's early fascination with science and invention, influenced by the Enlightenment spirit and his self-taught approach to learning. The article argues that Muir's hesitations regarding technology provide a dissenting account of America's technological development at the dawn of the American century. Key findings include Muir's inventive abilities, his reluctance to embrace technical progress fully, and his eventual inability to set limits to it, reflecting the potency and attractiveness of technology in American culture. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to understanding Muir's multifaceted legacy and the broader cultural context of technology in America.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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