본 연구는 근대 일본에서 技術이라는 어휘의 개념적 변화 과정을 살펴본 것이다. 고대 동아시아의 문헌들에 등장한 技術이라는 어휘는 대부분 솜씨, 재능 등을 가리켰고, 근대 이전에는 藝術과도 거의 유사한 어휘로 사용되었다. 서양에서도 technology의 어원인 그리스어 techne, 라틴어 ars등은 오늘날의 예술을 포함한 인간이 손으로 행하는 모든 작업들을 가리켰다. 유럽의 르네상스 이후, 과학과 밀접한 관계를 형성하기 시작한 기술은 종래의 장인적 기술과는 다른 소위 과학적 기술(scientific technology)을 발전시키게 된다. 즉, 이 같은 기술은 과학의 기술적 환원을 통해 이루어졌으며, 그 같은 과학적 기술에 기반을 둔 산업기술, 기계기술 등은 19세기 이후 일본에 대량으로 유입되었다. 전통적 한자어였던 技術이 대대적인 개념의 변용을 시작한 것은 이 같은 서양의 산업기술이 도입되면서부터였다. 19세기 일본의 사상가 니시 아마네는 技術을 mechanical art 즉 ‘기계적 기술’로 이해함과 동시에, 藝術 즉 liberal art와는 다른 것으로 새롭게 규정했다. 아울러 후쿠자와 유키치는 당시 서양의 산업기술, 기계기술 등이 과학과 밀접하게 결합해 있다고 강조했으며, 그 같은 과학적 기술의 도입이 일본의 부국강병을 위한 중요한 과제라고 생각했다. 근대 이후, 밀접한 관계를 형성해왔던 기술과 과학은 1940년대에 이르러 일본에서 ‘과학기술’이라는 하나의 어휘로 재탄생했다. 그러나 이 어휘의 등장은 단순히 과학과 기술이 밀접하게 결합되기 시작했다는 것을 보여주는 것을 넘어, 전시체제 하에서 일본의 기술관료들이 과학과 기술을 총동원하고, 정부 내에서 자신들의 영향력을 확대시키고자 했던 강력한 정치적 의지가 그 배경에 자리잡고 있었다.
This study is about the conceptual change of the vocabulary of technology in modern Japan. In the early years, the word technology, which appeared in ancient East Asian literatures, mostly refers to skill, talent, etc., and was used without much difference from art until the modern times. In the West, etymology of technology such as Greek techne, Latin ars, refers to all the human-handed work, including today's art. However, after the European Renaissance, technology that began to form a close relationship with science develops so-called scientific technology that is different from traditional craftsmanship. In other words, such technology was achieved through technological reduction of science. After the 19th century, industrial technology and mechanical technology based on modern science were introduced into East Asia. It was only after the introduction of Western industrial technology that the traditional Chinese character of technology began to transform its concept. Nishi Amane, a 19th-century Japanese thinker, newly incorporated scientific technology into the concept of traditional technology and understood it as a mechanical art, and redefined it as something different from liberal art. In addition, Fukuzawa Yukichi emphasized that Western industrial technology and mechanical technology were closely combined with science, and thought that the introduction of such scientific technology was an important step for Japanese civilization. Since modern times, technology and science that have been closely related to each other were reborn as a vocabulary of "kagakugijutsu(science and technology)" in Japan during the 1940. However, the emergence of this vocabulary goes beyond merely showing that science and technology are intimately coupled with the postmodern era. It was born out of the process of thinking about how Japanese technocrats mobilized science and technology and expanded their influence within the government in wartime Japan.
This study is about the conceptual change of the vocabulary of technology in modern Japan. In the early years, the word technology, which appeared in ancient East Asian literatures, mostly refers to skill, talent, etc., and was used without much difference from art until the modern times. In the West, etymology of technology such as Greek techne, Latin ars, refers to all the human-handed work, including today's art. However, after the European Renaissance, technology that began to form a close relationship with science develops so-called scientific technology that is different from traditional craftsmanship. In other words, such technology was achieved through technological reduction of science. After the 19th century, industrial technology and mechanical technology based on modern science were introduced into East Asia. It was only after the introduction of Western industrial technology that the traditional Chinese character of technology began to transform its concept. Nishi Amane, a 19th-century Japanese thinker, newly incorporated scientific technology into the concept of traditional technology and understood it as a mechanical art, and redefined it as something different from liberal art. In addition, Fukuzawa Yukichi emphasized that Western industrial technology and mechanical technology were closely combined with science, and thought that the introduction of such scientific technology was an important step for Japanese civilization. Since modern times, technology and science that have been closely related to each other were reborn as a vocabulary of "kagakugijutsu(science and technology)" in Japan during the 1940. However, the emergence of this vocabulary goes beyond merely showing that science and technology are intimately coupled with the postmodern era. It was born out of the process of thinking about how Japanese technocrats mobilized science and technology and expanded their influence within the government in wartime Japan.
