What Is a Machine?

Greek μηχανή — mēkhanē: instrument, device, contrivance, means.Latin machina: machine, engine, apparatus, contrivance.Middle French machine → English machine.The semantic field ...

In Greek theatre, a mēkhanē could be the stage apparatus that lifted a god into view.Hence: deus ex machina — the god from the machine.human construction → superhuman appearance...

The machine begins not only with matter, but with know-how.Greek technē means skilled, rule-governed making.thought → technē → artifactBefore artificial agency comes the intelli...