In the closed world computers and the politics of discourse in cold war america paul n edwards argues that we can make sense of the history of computers as tools only when we simultaneously grasp their history as metaphors in cold war science politics and culture pg ix he develops three sub arguments first the historical trajectory of computer development cannot be separated from the elaboration of american grand strategy in the cold war second edwards links . The theoretical axis of the book is the concept of closed world discourse which edwards develops by using the work of michel foucault and other social theorists closed world discourse can be seen as a triangle made up of three interconnected poles computer technology the discourses technical infrastructure institutions. Ken alder the closed world computers and the politics of discourse in cold war america by paul n edwards cambridge mit press 1996 xxii 440 pp 4000. The closed world computers and the politics of discourse in cold war america the closed world computers and the politics of discourse in cold war america paul n edwards mit press 1997 . The closed world offers a radically new alternative to the canonical histories of computers and cognitive science arguing that we can make sense of computers as tools only when we simultaneously grasp their roles as metaphors and political icons paul edwards shows how cold war social and cultural contexts shaped emerging computer technology and were transformed in turn by information