ABSTRACT
The final part of this book deals with Fine Technology — with instruments, automata and clocks, together with the associated techniques and components. It is convenient to deal with these subjects in separate chapters, although they are closely interrelated in several ways. An urge towards mechanistic explanation led to the construction of simulations of celestial and biological phenomena, and from these much of our technology has evolved, particularly the part embracing fine mechanism and scientific instrumentation. 1 We also frequently find that outstanding engineers designed and constructed all the different devices that are grouped together here under the designation ‘Fine Technology’ and indeed that the large devices, such as water-clocks, incorporated astronomical representations, biological simulacra and a wide variety of mechanisms and transmission systems. The following three chapters, therefore, proceed from the parts to the whole, but each part, aside from its role in the development of wider systems, also had a distinct purpose and function of its own.
