Professional Documents
Culture Documents
4, 2005
0013-1857
September
O
4
37
A
riginal
Field
2005I.Guide
Philosophy
Waddington
Article
2005
Philosophy
to Heidegger
of Ltd.
Education
and Theory
Society of Australasia
Blackwell
Oxford,
UK
Publishing,
D I. W
Stanford University
Abstract
This essay serves as a guide for scholars, especially those in education, who want to gain
a better understanding of Heideggers essay, The Question Concerning Technology. The paper
has three sections: an interpretive summary, a critical commentary, and some remarks on
Heidegger scholarship in education. Since Heideggers writing style is rather opaque, the
interpretive summary serves as a map with which to navigate the essay.The critical commentary
offers a careful analysis of some of the central concepts in the essay. These concepts, which
include bringing-forth, challenging-forth, and gestell, are intriguing but problematic.
The problems and possibilities of these ideas are analyzed, and an overall assessment of
Heideggers ideas on technology is offered. In the final section, the work of several scholars
in education is examined. Some of this work is excellent, but there is also a significant
amount of confused and confusing scholarship.
Keywords: Heidegger, technology, environment, craft, education