General Preface
Philosophy is the greatest wisdom of human beings，which always keeps its spirit young and keeps green forever although it has experienced great changes that time has brought to it. At present，philosophy is still taking the indispensable position.
Technology represents the oldest way of humans making use of the nature and has changed the existing status of the nature. When the functioning method of technology has induced transmutation of the relationship between humans and the nature to the extent that humans can not make overall and correct response，philosophical reflection on technology will then fall into academic research field. Like the appearance of new technological fields，especially that of ecotechnology，information technology，artificial intelligence，multimedia，medical technology and genetic engineering and so on，the nature of technology and the profoundness of technology acting on the nature are what have not been revealed by traditional technology. The social problems and ethical conflicts that technology has brought about have not been able to make human beings understand how the ideals of becoming the true，the good and the beautiful are united without depending on philosophical pondering.
Modern western technological philosophy history can date back to over 100 years ago European continent（mainly Germany and France）. German Ernst Kapp’s Essentials of Technological Philosophy（1877）and French Alfred Espinas’ The Origin of Technology（1897）represent the emergence of modern western technological philosophy. After one hundred year’s development，overseas research on technological philosophy is now transforming from uni-methodology to multi-methodology；is now seeking for merger with traditional philosophy to reconstruct the foundation of technological philosophy impetus；is now conducting the integration of engineering into humanity to join traditional specialty of engineering with cultural forms or routines of technology；is now focusing on research on technological ethnics and technological values，resulting in an application trend——that is，empiric-direction change of technological philosophy.
Another authentic proof-based research field that is relevant to technological philosophy is science technology and society. With technology becoming scientific，it has brought about fundamental changes to human society，and the rapid development of science technology in the 20th century has deeply changed the modes of production，measures of administration，lifestyles and thinking patterns，with information technology and life technology and so on in the lead. The positive impacts of science technology on the society reveal themselves rapidly. Meanwhile，the negative impacts of it are unprecedented pushy. As the effects of science on the society need evaluating in the correct way，and the effects of the society on science technology has also become an important aspect in understanding science technology，the research science of STS，the laws and application of the relationship between technology and the society，some newly developed disciplines concerning multi-disciplines and multi-fields are flourishing.
As early as 1960s，a cross-disciplinary research campaign targeting at the relationship between science technology and the society（STS）was launched in the United States. This campaign involved a variety of research schemes and research plans. In the late 1980s，in other countries especially such as Canada，the UK，the Netherlands，Germany and Japan，this research campaign was actively on in one form or another，and approved across the society. After 1990s，it further flourished. At present，the globalization of STS research has becoming typical of the co-existence of multiplicity and integration. The European scholars stress theoretical STS research with European characteristics（i.e. Edingburg version of thought，namely technology-being-formed-by-the-society theory，Science Technology Research Association of Europe）；STS research guidelines of the United States（version of disciplines and version of Higher Education Association）and practice guidelines（cross-discipline version and version of Lower Education Association.）have developed respectively and their focuses are continuously variable. Japan focuses on taking in STS achievements of countries world-wide as well as clear technological characteristic of STS research（Japanese STS network and Japanese STS Association）；the globalization and the multiplicity of STS research are bound to be accompanied by the integration of STS system and by the concern of research on the relationship between science technology，ecological environment and human sustainable development；attention is paid to the relationship between the highly-developed technology and the economic society；the concern of research on the relationship between science technology and humanity（such as the values，ethnic virtues，aesthetic feelings，psychological behaviors and language signs，etc.）happens to coincide with the research focus of technological philosophy.
Chinese technological philosophy research and STS research have risen rapidly to economic prominence with the fast development of Chinese science technology；the tolerance of academic atmosphere has prompted the high emergence of practical issues and meanwhile the development of technological philosophy research and STS research；more and more support of technological philosophy research and STS research is coming from the nation as well as all walks of life in the society with the national power strengthened.
The predecessor of Science Technological Philosophy Study Center of Northeastern University is Technological and Social Study Institute of the university. Northeastern University taking technological philosophy research and STS research as an important research direction dates back to the advocacy of Professor Chen Chang-shu and Professor Yuan De-yu in 1980s. The research characteristics of Northeastern version has been formed after over 20 years’ research work. The center has become an innovation base for social science in STS Field of “985 Engineering” sponsored by the Ministry of Education in 2004 and approved as a key discipline of our country in 2007. Technological philosophy research and STS research of Northeastern University show their high levels mainly through the breakthrough in theoretical research and show their specialty chiefly through the down-to-earth work and high efficiency in application.
Chinese Technological Philosophy Research and STS Research Series（abbreviated to the Series）collects recent research works by some experts across the country as well as from our innovation base and the Research Center concerning multi-disciplines in science technology and STS fields，on purpose to explore the mechanism and laws of the inter-influence and inter-action of science technology on the society，to further flourish Chinese philosophical social science. The Series is the co-work of some expert professors and scholars domestic and abroad whose long-termed devotion promotes the completeness of the manuscript. It has been planned that five volumes are published for each edition，in order to make friends and share ideas with the readers.
The publication of the Series is certain to flourish researches on technological philosophy and STS in our country. It is just to collect relevant theoretical opinions at home and abroad，to develop an academic atmosphere to？let a hundred flowers bloom and new things emerge from the old，to expand its influence in the society，and to increase technological philosophy research and STS levels. In all，the collections will strongly push Chinese technological philosophy research and STS research to develop further.
The publication of the Series is certain to provide technological philosophy and STS researchers at home and abroad with a communicating platform. It widely collects the recent domestic and foreign achievements of technological philosophy research and STS research，serving as a wide forum platform for the people in all walks of life nationwide and worldwide who are interested in the topics，strengthening mutual exchanges and cooperation，pushing forward the theoretical research on technological philosophy and STS together with their application.
The publication of the Series is certain to play a strong pushing role in implementing science-and-education-rejuvenating-China strategies，sustainable– development strategies and building-innovative-country strategies. Whether the relationships between Science，technology and the society can be correctly understood and dealt with is the key as to whether those strategies can be smoothly carried out. Technological philosophy and STS concern philosophical considerations and practical reflections of various issues such as science，technology and public policies，some global issues such as environment，ecology，energy and population，and STS education. The publication of the Series can spread academic accomplishments very quickly so as to push forward the implementation of the strategies mentioned above.
China is an ancient country with a long history，and Chinese people have written a heavy stroke on both human science technology development history and on philosophy history. “If China hasn’t put out its values so far，it cannot be referred to as a huge power”，somebody comments now. Academic research，in particular philosophical research，is an important part of something that forms values. It is hoped that Chinese academic genius starts off with this to contribute to another brilliant page in the world’s ideology history.
Finally，our heart-felt thanks are given to authors of the Series for their handwork，to the editing committee for their active support，and to Chinese Social Science Publishing House for their efforts and devotion to the publication of the Series.
Chen Fan and Luo Ling-ling
on the South Lake of Shenyang City in May，2008