Technology and Humanity

Philosophy of Technology:
 studies the character of technology and its relations
to society.
 It has various branches:
 Ethics of technology
 The relations between science and technology
 Human-technology relations
 The political dimensions of technology.
Who is Martin Heidegger?

Was arguably one of the

most influential philosophers
of the 20th century.
Mainly due to his beliefs
against positivism for
modernity and technological
world domination which
makes him largely quoted in
the post-modern world.
Sixty years ago, Heidegger in his speech said “ Man
would be victims of “radio and television”,
“picture magazines” and “movies”; where MAN
would be, and perhaps already are, “chained” to
the imaginary world proposed by these mediums,
and thus homeless in our own home:
 Etymology of “technology”
2 Greek words: “ techne” and “logos”
Techne means art, skill, craft, or the way, or means by
which a thing is gained.

Logos means word, the utterance by which inward thought

is expressed, a saying, or an expression.
According to Martin Heidegger

1. Philosophical Perspective

UNDERSTANDING TECHNOLOGY IS
UNDERSTANDING ITS EXISTENCE
WHAT IS THE POINT OF TECHNOLOGY ?

Two statements can answer this question:

1. Technology is a means to an end; it is an
“instrument” to meet our needs. (instrumental
definition)
2. Technology is a human activity. (anthropological
definition)
Philosophical Perspective of Technology:

In understanding technology, it is very important to

include WHO IS MAN ? as far as technology is concern.

WHO IS MAN as far as the existence

of technology is concern.
Philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) reexamines the meaning,
origin, and the essence of technology.
 Meaning, origin and essence of technology…

Meaning - to instill how valuable technology to man

Origin - to appreciate the journey of technology in helping

humanity address a need or solve a problem as
time passes by through history.
Essence - “ the reason why” such a technology was created
or innovated to address humanity’s needs and
wants.
Philosophical Perspective of Technology

 Technology is inseparable from the

human condition.

 Human being is the locus of meaning

for technology to exist.

 “a danger but a saving power…”

Philosophical Perspective of Technology

Human beings, with their technological advancements, not only extended the human life
span, particularly through advancements in medicine, but also made possible more efficient
means of killing human beings, from the use of guns that can kill a few persons at a time to
the employment of thermonuclear devices that can kill millions in an instant
In the process of reexamining the meaning, origin and
essence of technology, Heidegger introduce two types of
thinking essential in the understanding technology and its
existence:

1. Meditative Thinking
2. Calculative Thinking
 Meditative vs Calculative Thinking

Meditative or reflective thinking – to notice, to

observe, to ponder, to awaken an awareness of
what is actually taking place around us and in us.

It requires effort, commitment, determination,

care, practice.
Even though “man is a thinking, that is, a meditating being” we
need to train ourselves in the ability to think meditatively, to
confront reality, and thus ourselves, in a meditative way.

The cost of not doing so would be, Heidegger states, to remain

a “defenseless and perplexed victim at the mercy of the
irresistible superior power of technology”
Calculative thinking – “calculates”, “plans”,
“investigates”, it sets goal and wants to obtain them.

“Calculative thinking computes. It computes ever new, ever

more promising and at the same time more economical
possibilities.

Calculative thinking = “technological thinking”

Technology development involves “calculative thinking” and
“ creative thinking” with a “purposeful intervention design”.

Technological practice as the activity through which

technological outcomes are created and have impact in the
world.

Technological outcomes are designed to enhance the

capabilities of people and expand human possibilities.
According to Heidegger:
Technology itself is neither good nor bad, but the problem
is, that technological thinking (calculative thinking) has
become the only form of thinking.

Heidegger saw that the essence of technology nowadays is

enframing – Ge-stell, which means that everything in nature
is 'standing-reserve' (Bestand) —that is, a resource to be
stored for later utility.
Heidegger classifies “modern technology” as “enframing”
[Gestell in German] is using technology to turn nature into a resource for
efficient use.

the human being through modern

technology becomes absorbed in its
“calculative forces” such that the
human being becomes a mere cog in
the machine, a mere thing whose
possibilities are already
determined.

GESTELL classified as challenging forth which a danger.


The human being becomes
merely, what Heidegger
calls, a standing-reserve,
waiting to be unlocked,
transformed, stored,
distributed, switched
 Man becomes regulated as
a mere thing and
instrument for efficiency,
productivity, and
functionality. Heidegger
calls this as Enframing.
Photos of “modern technology” as challenging forth – a danger.

Earth is being “challenged forth” to be a giant energy source for

modern technology and industry.
The human being merely what Heidegger calls a “standing reserve” waiting
to be unlocked, transformed, stored, distributed, switched.

He saw that the essence of “modern technology” is enframing –

Gestell which everything in nature is “standing reserve.”
“The forester who, in the wood, measures the felled timber is
commanded by profit-making in the lumber industry, whether he knows
it or not. He is made subordinate to the orderability of cellulose,
which for its part is challenged forth by the need for paper, which Is
then delivered to newspapers and illustrated magazines.
Modern Technology as a way of
revealing:
 Challenging forth – Ge stell - a danger.

 The mode of revealing in modern

technology brought about new world
ordering described as “artificial”.

 Isolate nature and treat it as a “standing

reserve” [Bestand]—that is, a resource to
be stored for later utility.
Traditional Technology vs.
Practical use of knowledge for
solving problems or inventing new
tools.
 Bringing – forth, a saving power.
 From nothing to something.
 Concealment to unconcealment
 Natural ordering
 Views nature as an object of
wonder,
Modern Technology
More complex machines, and
manual-control tasks can mostly
be automated.
 Ge stell – a danger
 Enframing
 Artificial ordering
 Views nature as a resource man
can readily manipulate, an object
of conquest.
Technology as Bringing-forth
Heidegger classifies bringing - forth or poeisis into two
bringing-forth in-itself (physis)
an occasioning from nothing to
something, an emergence, it is
a form of bringing-forth that is
characterized in a kind of
irruption that may find its
paradigm in nature.
bringing-forth in-another (poiesis)
a bringing-forth that is not a sudden
emergence in itself, but it is an
emergence that requires the play of
the four causes, specifically the
carpenter for the case of our wooden
chair.
Technology as Bringing-forth

 This means that technology brings-forth what is concealed to appear,

thus, making it unconcealed.
 This makes technology a revealing of what was concealed before.
Old Technology vs Modern Technology

Water Mill Hydropower Plant

Which is the best perspective of thinking
as far as use of technology is concern ?
WHY?
Anthropological Perspective of
Technology
In Anthropology, technology is often
studied in relationship to the natural
environment that it was developed in.

Different cultures use technology in

different ways
Cultural relativism
It also looks as culture as
relative to the society
which practices it.

This means each culture is

unique and therefore
should be analyzed based
on its own context and not
judged based on another
culture’s context. Fried insects can be strange for some
cultures but fine with other culture.
 Filipino mobile phone users are more on texting.

European mobile phone users general call and seldom

use it for texting.

What cultural reason makes the difference?

Cultural Evolution
Cultural evolution” is
the idea that human
cultural change––that
is, changes in socially
transmitted beliefs,
knowledge, customs,
skills, attitudes,
languages, and so on.
The evolution of shoes is influenced by the change of human need according to the
change of weather, climate, natural resources and creativity.
CULTURAL ECOLOGY
Is the study of human
adaptations to social and
physical environments.
Human adaptation - to
both biological & cultural
processes that enable a
population to survive and
reproduce within a given
or changing environment.

Home a symbol of culture is also a prime example of cultural

ecology. People built their houses differently to adapt with the hot
or cold climate.
Norwegian Typical
Home
Norway has a long tradition of
building with wood dating back to the
Viking ships, which could stand up to
rough waters and bend and twist with
the waves.
Generally, Norwegian homes are
heated since they got cold weather.
Igloo Home
An igloo has a domed shape and is made of
compressed snow. Almost 95% of this snow is
trapped air, which is a good insulator.

An igloo keeps you warm by trapping your

body heat. This insulation prevents the loss
of body heat, and thereby keeps us warm.
 Sociotechnical System
Sociotechnical systems (STS)
recognizes the interaction
between people and
technology in workplaces. Also
refers to the interaction
between society's complex
infrastructures and human
behavior.

A successful technological innovation or invention happens only

when all elements of the systems, both social and technological
have been modified so that they effectively function together.
 [Posted in canvas]
PERFORMANCE TASK:
1. Find a photo of man being enframed or chained by technology.
2. Describe man and technology in the photo. [100 words]
3. Heidegger does not mean that man should not use technology but
rather “create a free relationship with technology” What does this mean?
4. Personally, how do create a free relationship with technology. Or using the
photo you have in # 1, how does man create a free relationship with
technology.
5. How do you balance meditative and calculative thinking about technology?
Give a specific example.