History belongs to those who make themselves the masters of technology.

The above statement is the central thesis of this book. Those nations which have been the first to develop and implement new technologies, from wheels to hydrogen bombs, have had an overwhelming advantage over their rivals. The economic and military well-being of states depend, to a great extent, on their capabilities in applied science and engineering.

The historical importance of scientific ideas and technological capabilities is considerably underrated. Generally speaking, history is written by people whose knowledge of science is limited; it should come as no surprise that such individuals almost universally underestimate the importance of science and technology on historical change. This underestimation contributes to a maldistribution of resources, human and otherwise, in our society. More people would be pursuing scientific and engineering studies, and fewer entering the overcrowded fields of law, politics, and academic study of the humanities, if the former were recognized as more powerful mechanisms of societal transformation than the latter. In arguing the case for this position, I have encountered vociferous opposition from the seemingly innumerable members of my generation who aspire to political power; but neither vehemence nor numerical strength are substitutes for rationality.

A secondary reason for society's disrespect for science is that the negative products of scientific investigation have too often been treated as a representative of the whole, and used to criticize all aspects of the scientific enterprise. Though technology has contributed to warfare, it has also promoted peace through enhanced communication and trade relations. Technology enables us not only to pollute our natural environment, but also to protect it.

The essays in this book are intended to reflect on how science and technology, and our relationships with these fields, influence societies. The book is divided into four sections. The first, "The Magicians' Triumph," shows how scientific thought (or lack thereof) and technological advance have altered human history. I am far from the first to describe the sequences of historical events summarized in this section, but I believe that the tales benefit from the retelling. Most students encounter, in high school or college history courses, the idea that specific scientific insights or technological advances influenced specific historical events; but these contributions are almost always seen as marginal, or at best secondary, to those brought about by the shaping hands of political leaders. In mainstream history courses, the achievements and contributions of scientists and engineers are not only diminished in this manner, but are also isolated from their historical contexts and from one another. Part of the motivation behind "The Magicians' Triumph" is to weave these stories more skillfully into the fabric of political, economic, intellectual, and social history, and to draw attention to their collective importance.

Two centuries ago, Adam Smith spoke of the transformative powers of an "invisible hand" in the context of economics. This book, particularly in its first section, aims to demonstrate a similar proposition: from the comparatively silent ranks of scientists, and from their even less outspoken engineering counterparts, arise the ideas and capabilities which transform power relationships and the course of historical change.

The second and third sections, whose titles derive from the fact that the words "challenge" and "opportunity" are identical in Chinese, explore a problem and some possible solutions to it. "The Challenge" demonstrates the high costs to society of widespread scientific illiteracy, and examines the reasons why it persists. Possible ways of ameliorating this problem are discussed in "The Opportunity." The fourth section, "Reflections," contains essays of a more personal and meditative nature, as the title suggests. Finally, the book's conclusion indicates some broad societal needs regarding science and how these can be attained.