FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 5

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 5

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

MODULE OVERVIEW

Technology has been viewed in varying ways across time. The ancient Greek philosophers viewed
technology as something which imitates products of nature or completes what nature cannot. Aristotle viewed
technology as a means to an end, a way to accomplish a goal. Some philosophers and historians view
technology positively, some negatively, while some view technology as neither.

In this lesson, we look into the essence of technology and the relationship between humans and
technology according to the philosopher Martin Heidegger from his work The Question Concerning
Technology, a lecture he delivered in 1953 to the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts published the year after.
Through looking at the contents of his work, we will pick up on his idea on how one could approach
technology, have a much better understanding of technology in another perspective, and enrich our
understanding of technology.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

1. Analyze the human condition in order to deeply reflect and express philosophical ramifications that
are meaningful to the student as a part of society

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Reflection

1. Before continuing with this lesson, it would be helpful to learn more about the life and works of Martin
Heidegger. You may refer to pages 63 – 64 Quinto (2019) for a brief background on Heidegger and
his works or any resource available to you that discusses Heidegger’s background.
2. Refer to Module 1 for the overview of technology. Also, ponder on your ideas regarding technology.
Then, reflect on the following questions:
a. What is the essence of technology?
b. Do you view technology in a positive, negative, or neutral manner? Why do you have this
view?
c. Are there differences between the nature of pre-modern and modern technology? If there
are, what are these differences?

These are the same questions that you will encounter on Heidegger’s writings. Having answers to
these questions will help guide you in reading through the material that will be assigned to you.

INSTRUMENTAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL VIEW OF TECHNOLOGY

The progress of science and technology is similar to the progress of human civilization: as man
flourishes, so does science and technology. However, in the pursuit of progress, man may acquire, consume,
or destroy, unknowingly or not, things that he or she should not. Thus, in order to appreciate the benefits that
humans get from science and technology, we must examine not only their utility or use but their greater
impact on humanity as a whole.

Martin Heidegger, in his work The Question of Technology, aimed to characterize technology and how
humans relate to it. He argued the importance of understanding the essence of technology because no
matter what we do, we will always be intertwined with technology.

He began his work by discussing how we usually understand technology. According to Heidegger,
technology is commonly understood as both a means to an end (an instrumental characterization of
technology) and a human activity (an anthropological characterization of technology). For Heidegger, these
two notions of technology are intertwined.

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 5

He said that this characterization of technology is correct, even for both traditional and modern
technology, but may not the whole truth. However, it is important to note that knowing what is “correct” may
lead to the “truth”.

To better understand the instrumental and anthropological definitions of technology, read pages 1 – 2 of
Heidegger’s work through the link https://simondon.ocular-witness.com/wp-
content/uploads/2008/05/question_concerning_technology.pdf. After reading, reflect on the questions below.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

Discussion Questions

After reading the assigned pages on the article, answer the following questions:
1. According to Heidegger, “the essence of technology is by no means anything technological.” What
does he mean by this statement?
2. Why is it important to veer away from the notion that technology is neutral?
3. Describe or illustrate the instrumental and anthropological definitions of technology.

THE FOUR CAUSES AND THE CONCEPT OF POIESIS

To have a better understanding of what technology is when it is seen as a means to an end, he delved
in the question of causality. He used the ancient Greek’s way of looking at causality to initially determine the
essence of technology.

In his work, he discussed what we mean of cause by using the concept of the four causes: (1) causa
materialis, the material by which something is made up of; (2) causa formalis, the form of the material that
makes it what it is; (3) causa finalis, the purpose of the thing; and (4) causa efficiens, the one which caused
for the thing to be formed. These four causes are deemed to be responsible of bringing forth something. This
bringing forth is termed poiesis.

Poeisis has two forms: bringing-forth through an external influence or poeisis and bringing-forth that
occurs naturally. Heidegger characterized poiesis as a kind of unveiling, or a way of revealing. In Greek,
revealing is aletheia, which can be translated as “truth”.

To learn more on how the concept of poiesis relates to the essence of technology, read pages 3 to 5 of
your assigned reading and answer the following questions.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

Discussion Questions

After reading the assigned pages on the article, answer the following questions:
1. Explain how Heidegger used a silver chalice to illustrate the four causes of the Greeks.
2. How did Heidegger connect the essence of technology with the concept of poiesis? How do the
concepts of technology, knowledge, and truth relate to one another?

THE ESSENCE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND THE CONCEPT OF ENFRAMING

By this point, the essence of technology was described in a general way. However, according to
Heidegger, modern technology is different since its way of bringing forth is not the same as that of poiesis,
since the bringing-forth of modern technology may not be as harmonious as pre-modern technology. The
bringing-forth is more of a challenging forth. Heidegger described modern technology as the age of switches,
standing reserve, and stockpiling for its own sake.

Because of this behavior of man, the attitude of enframing arises. It is as if nature is viewed as
calculable and orderable, is put in a box so that it can be better understood and controlled according to
people’s desires. When we enframe nature, we manipulate or control it, which might lead to negative impacts.

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 5

To better understand the difference between the essence of modern technology and pre-modern
technology, the concept of challenging forth, and the concept of enframing, read pages 6 to 11 of your
assigned reading.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

Discussion Questions

After reading the assigned pages on the article, answer the following questions:
1. Illustrate, through an example, how modern technology “challenges forth” and pre-modern technology
“brings forth”.
2. What does the term “standing reserve” mean? In the context of modern technology, can humans be
considered as standing reserve? Why or why not?
3. What was Heidegger’s view regarding the relationship between modern science and modern
technology? Does it fit with the common notion that technology is an application of science? Why or
why not?

THE DANGERS OF TECHNOLOGY

By now you should have understood the concept of enframing how this orientation destines humans to
view nature as standing reserve which results to modern technology. Technology will become dangerous if
we let ourselves be consumed or controlled by it. This does not lie on the products of technology, but by its
essence itself. According to Heidegger, the danger lies “with the possibility that it could be denied to him to
enter into a more original revealing and hence to experience the call of a more primal truth”. If we try to
enframe technology, we block poiesis; that is, we fail to appreciate the beauty of technology and their
development since we only see them according to how they are used and the linear progression of their
development.

To avoid this danger, however, it would be impractical to reject technology. Not using technology will
not enable us to see the truth that it reveals. It is important to realize that by understanding the essence of
technology, this opens the opportunity for a new way on how to view the world. When we reorient ourselves,
we will have a better relationship with technology.

To better understand the dangers of technology, read pages 12 to 17 of your assigned reading.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

Discussion Questions

After reading the assigned pages on the article, answer the following questions:
1. Heidegger asserted that the danger of technology lie within its essence itself. Give some concrete
examples on what Heidegger believed to be the dangers of technology.
2. In your own understanding, what are the particular dangers inherent in technology today?
3. How does your own concept of the dangers of technology compare with that of Heidegger’s?

ART AS THE SAVING POWER

Now that you have realized the dangers of technology and that we can do something about this, how
can we be free from these dangers? According to Heidegger, if the danger of technology lies in its essence,
the way out of these dangers is also through its essence. Since technology is a way of revealing, Heidegger
suggests that art is a way out enframing.

Why art? Remember that in enframing, we usually use calculative thinking, a way of thinking which
involves ordering and systematizing nature so one can better understand it. Calculative thinking avoids
unpredictability, which is what humans usually prefer or use. However, in art, we usually employ meditative
thinking, a way of thinking which allows nature to reveal itself to us without forcing it. Through meditative

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 5

thinking, one will think of the significance of technology more than its utility. This is when we see the beauty
of nature itself.

Heidegger concluded his work by saying that “questioning is the piety of thought.” Piety, according to
Heidegger, means obedience and submission. He said that through questioning, we gain understanding of
what we are in the greater scheme of things and what modern technology has brought us. Through
questioning, we build the way of knowing the truth of who we are in the world.

To better understand the relationship between art and technology and why questioning is very important
in avoiding the dangers of technology, read pages 12 to 17 of your assigned reading.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 5

Discussion Questions

After reading the assigned pages on the article, answer the following questions:
1. How did Heidegger relate the term techne and art? Why is this relationship important to understand?
2. How does Heidegger characterize art in his work? How does it differ from your concept of what art
is?
3. When Heidegger suggests that art is the way to avoid the dangers of technology, does he mean that
man should become artists? Why or why not?

SUMMARY

The following learning points summarize what you have learned in this section:

 Technology can be defined instrumentally (manufacturing and utilizing equipment, tools, and
machines, the things themselves, and the needs and ends these things serve) and anthropologically
(positing ends and procuring and utilizing the means to them). However, Heidegger believed that
though this must be correct, it does not necessarily mean it is true.
 Technology is a mode of revealing, for it is a way to reveal truth that is more meaningful than the
superficial or practical use of technology. According to Heiddeger, technology is a poiesis that
discloses the truth.
 For modern technology, the bringing forth may not be as harmonious, because the resources are
taken from nature forcibly and the demand of people are never-ending. Thus, revealing has no end
since everything is on-demand. Instead of working harmoniously with nature, we control it.
 It is through enframing that modern technology reveals. This leads to the dangers of technology.
 According to Heidegger, art is a way out enframing. Art leads us from calculative to meditative
thinking, and we will be able to see the beauty of technology.

REFERENCES

 Heidegger, M. (1977). The Question Concerning Technology. In The Question Concerning

Technology and Other Essays. (pp. 3-36). New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, Inc. Retrieved
from https://simondon.ocular-witness.com/wp-
content/uploads/2008/05/question_concerning_technology.pdf
 Quinto, Edward Jay M. and Nieva, Aileen D. (2019). Science, Technology, and Society. pp 62-80.
Quezon City: C&E Publishing.

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