Few things require a finer blend of practical knowledge and creative imagination than the invention of new technologies. Great innovators like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Henry Ford possessed not only extensive mechanical knowledge, but also a profound ability to anticipate and fulfill the technological needs and desires of society. What thought processes underlie this unique union of mechanical process and social insight?

Are inventors inspired by a divine muse as artists through the ages have claimed to be or is there a more down-to-earth explanation? In Technology and Creativity, Subrata Dasgupta brilliantly argues that such processes can be understood scientifically, and he offers a groundbreaking exploration of how cognitive science can shed light on the technological mind.

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Packed with intriguing case histories and many illuminating examples, the book provides in-depth analyses of the cognitive origins of technological creativity - the conception, invention, and design of original, useful artifacts - and of the people who have possessed this rare talent.

Leading us on a fascinating tour through the history of modern technology - from the primitive atmospheric steam engine of 1712 through breakthroughs in mechanical, civil, aeronautical, and electrical engineering - the author gives voice to the genius of the many inventors, some famous, others obscure, who have forever altered history through their achievements.