STS AND THE HUMAN

CONDITION
Martin Heidegger was born on
September 26, 1889 in Messkirch,
Germany and died on May
26,1976 at the age of 86. He was a
German philosopher. He was the
most influential thinker of the past
century. A thinker with many
interesting ideas about technology.
“The Question Concerning
Technology”. In German,
“Die Frage nach der Technik”
is a work by Martin
Heidegger, in which the
author discusses the essence
of technology. Heidegger
originally published the text
in 1954, in Vortrage and
Aufsatze.
1. Instrumental Definition
Technology is a means to an end.

2. Anthropological Definition
Technology is a human activity.
The Essence of Technology
Martin Heidegger uses a tree as an
example to explain the essence of
technology. When we are seeking the
essence of “tree”, we have to become
aware that which pervades every tree, as
tree, is not itself a tree that can be
encouraged among all other trees.
 But to understand Technology, we ultimately need to
understand the ESSENCE OF TECHNOLOGY.
1. The essence of technology is not something we make; it is
a mode of being, or of revealing.
2. The essence of technology is even holds sway over beings
that we do not normally think of as technological, such as
Gods and history.
3. The essence of technology is primarily, a matter of modern
and industrial technology
4. The essence of technology is not simply the practical
application of natural science.
“STANDING RESERVE” –
the world is one large
resource waiting to be used
and processed.
TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING
Technology, according to Heidegger must be
understand as a way of Revealing (Heidegger, 1977,
12) Heidegger developed the term “revealing”.
Greek- ale’theuin (verb)

“to discover” (to uncover what was cover

over).
Noun- ale’theia

“truth” (un-concealment).
“REALITY”— is not given the
same way in all times and all
cultures.
By entering into a particular
relation with reality, reality is
“revealed” in a specific way.
Technology is a way of revealing that
characterized our time.

Technology embodies a specific way

of revealing the world, a revealing in
which humans takes power over
reality.
Greek vs Heidegger

“forcing into
“helping something being”

To come into
being”
Technology reveals the world as raw
material, available for production and
manipulation.

Technology is a way of understanding

the world.
 BRING FORTH
OR
CHALLENGE FORTH
Heidegger envisioned technology as a way
of revealing– a mode of bringing-forth

Bringing forth can be understood through

the Ancient Greek philosophical concept,
“Poesis”, which refers to the act of
bringing something out of concealment.
By bringing something out of concealment,
the truth of that something is revealed.

The Greek understood “techne” in the way

that it encompasses not only craft but other
acts of mind and poetry.
Heidegger, in “The Question Concerning
Technology”, postulated that both
primitive crafts and modern technology
are revealing.

Revealing of modern technology is not a

bringing- forth, but a challenging forth.
 Modern technology challenges nature by
extracting something from it and
transforming, storing and distributing it. It
makes people think how to do things faster,
more effectively, and with less effort.
Challenging- forth reduces objects as
standing reserve or something to be
disposed of those who enframe them.
 TWO WAYS OF REVEALING

BRING FORTH
 Proper attitude towards
technology
 Idealist and “naturocentric”
 Essence
 Poesis
CHALLENGE FORTH
 Improper attitude towards
technology
 Materialist and anthropocentric
 Resource over essence
 Conceals poesis
Heidegger distinguished the
way of revealing of modern
technology by considering it
as a process of “
ENFRAMING”
Enframing according to Heidegger, is in two
ways:
1. Calculative Thinking- human desire to put an
order to nature to better understand and
control it.
2. Meditative Thinking- humans allow nature to
reveal itself to them without the use of force
or violence.
 Enframing is a way of ordering (or
framing) nature to better manipulate it

Enframing happens because of how

humans desires for security, even it pulls
all of nature as a standing reserve and an
instrument of technology, to be exploited
in the ordering of nature.
 The role of humans take as instrument
of technology, through enframing is called
“destining”.
In destining, humans are challenge
forth by enframing to reveal what is real.
However, the destining of humans to
reveal nature carries with it the danger of
misconstruction of misterpretation.
 Lie on how humans let themselves be
consumed by it. The responsibility of
humans is to recognize how they become
instruments of technology.
As a mere tenant on Earth, people must
not allow themselves to be consumed by
technology lest they lose the essence of
who they are human beings.
 In this sense, humans are in danger
of becoming merely part of standing
reserve or, alternatively, may find
themselves in nature.
Recognizing the dangers of
technology requires critical and
reflective thinking on it use.
REFERENCES:

https://en.m.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Heidegger
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/philosopy/of-technology/O/step
s/26314
https://rosiecharlton.blogspot.com/2013/05/what-does-Heidegger-me
an-when-he-claims-that.htlm?m=1
https://thenewatlantis.com/publications/understanding-Heidegger-on-
technology
https://www.scribd.com/document/42578902/TECHNOLOGY-AS-A-
WAY-OF-REVEALING-docx
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/427023531/Enframing-STS
IMAGES:

https://smarterware.org/2016/09/5-reasons-midst-technology-golden-age/
https://iep.utm.edu./Heidegger/
https://en.m.Wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Questions_Concerning_Technology
https://www.thersa.org/blog/2017/12/is-tech-destroying-the-planet
https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/the-6-emerging-technologies-that-will-
change-the-world-d9d9d116b1
https://prezi.com/dzvd14395000/enframing-way-of-revealing-in-modern-techn
ology
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/42702351/Enframing-STS
https://churchleaders.com/ministry-tech-leader/265370-5-dangers-and-5-benefit
s-the-preacher-and-his-technology-html
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PREPARED BY:

GROUP 1: Shery Mae Ablog

Sophia Grace Adolfo
Mannielyn Labitoria
Brionne Shane Salazar