We know that some Shards have knowledge of technological possibilities beyond that of the people on their planets. For example, Harmony lets it slip that eventually developing moving pictures will be possible.
It makes sense that they have this knowledge. We know that Shards have expanded perception and thought relative to human beings, with the Lord Ruler, for example, having made dozens of adjustments to the world, and only almost destroying it, in the very brief time he held the power of Preservation. Further, some can see the future to varying degrees (notably Preservation, Cultivation). Finally, the original Shards came from a pre-existing society, and may have been part of a fairly technologically advanced civilization (certainly compared to the initial stages of the cultures they created).
Nonetheless, while we see varying technology levels in the Cosmere, it doesn’t seem like Shards are directly handing out technological secrets.
Why not?
- Do most Shards have an opposing intent? Autonomy, for example, might want people to make their own way.
- Do they retain enough of their previous selves to be interested in non-interference, or seeing cultures develop organically?
- Is it that they’re out of commission (splintered, imprisoned)?
- Have they actually influenced technological development, and I just didn’t notice?
- Some combination thereof?