'Good' uses of technology?

[zxcvbn]

In Tolkien's works industry and technology are typically associated with the evil side(war machines with wheels and gears, steam engines, the new mill in Hobbiton etc., created by Orcs and Evil Men). But there are a few examples of it being used for good purposes. eg. The Clocks used in the Shire, Gandalf's fireworks, the Toys of Dale etc. What other 'good' uses could machinery be put to in Middle-earth?

My suggestions:

1.Astronomical instruments. The Gondorians astudied astronomy. Perhaps they created telescopes, astronomical calculators etc.(in real life, astronomical clocks for studying the position of heavenly bodies date back to ancient Greece, so why not?)

2.Navigation aids for mariners and travelers. Compasses, astrolabes etc.(once again, these have been used since early medieval times, so they wouldn't be too advanced for Middle-earth)

What are your opinions? Can you suggest other examples?

[The Might]

I think that there is nothing to say that technology itself is seen as bad, but forced technologization (hope that is a word) is.
For example a place like the Shire where all the inhabitants live in the middle of nature industrialization brings chaos and damages the fragile balance of society.

Good examples...what about all the smithing works, like mithril and steel gates for Minas Tirith...the Dwarves were really advanced with their knowledge.

In order to build cities like Gondolin or Minas Tirith quite advanced knowledge of masonry was required and although it is never really explained how the cities were built it is easy to think they had cranes and pullies like the Romans.

[Aganzir]

I agree with Might about technology not being bad in itself. Everything has two sides.

Let's consider the two wizards, for example: Gandalf's fireworks and the fire of Orthanc. Unless Gandalf had developed a completely new way to make fireworks, he needed gunpowder. I don't remember ever reading anything for certain about what the fire of Orthanc was, but I have always more or less assumed it's gunpowder. (And how did they get it, anyway? I'd been thinking I'd post a thread about this but it seems I can ask it here.)

But what is considered technology? Surely developing medicine has more positive than negative sides. And who invented the wheel? Very useful, true, but the road from horse carriages to modern cars is not that long.
The more technology develops in Middle-earth, the more it begins resemble our world, and it's a bit sad to think that the glimpse we get of it is only a transient moment. But, on the other hand, it's comforting to see how repulsively the hobbits reacted to their short industrialization.

[zxcvbn]

I should have phrased my question a little differently. I meant 'advanced' technology, like machines using gears and pulleys and other moving parts. I consider things like smithying and masonry as 'basic' stuff, more 'lore' or 'craft'(the term Tolkien uses for them) than technology.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

For Tolkien (who assigns the Hobbits things like watermills, which use pulleys and gears), the dividing line is pretty clearly the use of chemical combustion for motive force: external combustion (steam and by extension electricity) and internal combution (gasoline and diesel). He had no problem with 'natural' power sources: wind, water, gravity and muscle- even if mechanisms were involved. After all, Bilbo had a clock!

So draw the line at Newcomen. (I note that in the last illustration to The Hobbit, Bilbo is dressed in clothes of about 1700).

[The Might]

Then again as mentioned above all great buildings needed such technology.
Simply look at the descriptions of Minas Tirith, the Hornburg or best of all Orthanc. The Gondorians had to have used some advanced technology, probably similar to the Middle Ages way of building cathedrals.

Also look at the palantiri and other works of the Noldor, some that don't even exist in our world.
What I think is also important to keep in mind here is that this kind of advanced technology in M-e is almost always associated with magic.
And it is clear why.
For Men or Dwarves Elvish discoveries might seem works of conjurers rather then scientific discoveries.
Easy to compare it with science in the Middle Ages. Discover something new and you would probably be called a warlock.

Same in M-e. Things such as the Phial of Galadriel or her Mirror surely had certain scientific explanations, I don't know what, but surely there was a way to rationally explain how they worked. But for less educated Silvan Elves or other races they seemed to be magic.

As such most of this truly advanced technology is always present in Tolkien's works, actually quite often... and it is used for good purposes.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by The Might

Then again as mentioned above all great buildings needed such technology.
Simply look at the descriptions of Minas Tirith, the Hornburg or best of all Orthanc. The Gondorians had to have used some advanced technology, probably similar to the Middle Ages way of building cathedrals.

Also look at the palantiri and other works of the Noldor, some that don't even exist in our world.
What I think is also important to keep in mind here is that this kind of advanced technology in M-e is almost always associated with magic.
And it is clear why.
For Men or Dwarves Elvish discoveries might seem works of conjurers rather then scientific discoveries.
Easy to compare it with science in the Middle Ages. Discover something new and you would probably be called a warlock.
.

Yep. Smiths used to be viewed as magicians at one time, having the seemingly magical power to transform mere rocks and earth into metal, into swords and axes. We have Wayland's Smithy, so named after the Norse/Saxon god Wayland who was a Smith - though the actual tomb has supposedly had an associated legend with a magical blacksmith even before this date. Alchemy still has magical connotations even now.

Funny how some of Tolkien's more powerful beings are also associated with metal crafts - Saruman, Sauron, Aule...not to forget Feanor of course. And Eol, amking swords from meteorites. And the whole Dwarven race.

Now as for constructing places like Minas Tirith, advanced technology as we know it wouldn't necessarily be needed - what about constructions from the ancient world such as the Great Pyramids? Stonehenge?