SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY
CHAPTER 6: The Human Selected Views on Technology
Flourishing in terms of Science and ARISTOTELIANISM: technology as a
means to an end.
Technology
To ARISTOTLE:
- technology is the organizing of techniques in
Chapter Outline order to meet the demand that is being posed
by humans.
- Selected views on Technology
- Technology will be judged as either good or
- Martin Heidegger on S & T bad based on the value given to the product
- The Society in the Face of S & T based on its use and effect to society.
Technological Pessimism
Supported by French philosopher
Jacques Ellul (1912-1994)
“Something is profoundly wrong with the
way we live today. For 30 years we have Arguments:
made a virtue out of the pursuit of material 1. technological progress has a price
self-interest: Indeed, this pursuit now
2. technological progress creates more
constitutes whatever remains of our sense problems
of collective purpose. We know that things
cost but have no idea what they are worth”. 3. technological progress creates damaging
effects
– Tony Just, 2010
4. technological progress creates
unpredictable devastating effects
Technological Optimism
- Technology can alleviate all the difficulties
“We no longer ask of a judicial ruling or and provide solutions for problems that may
a legislative act: come.
• Is it good? - The extreme version is technocratism which
holds technology as the supreme authority on
• Is it fair? everything.
• Is it just? - Believes that technology is the answer to all
man’s problems.
• Is it Right?
• Will it help to bring about a better Existentialism
society or a better world?
- The existence or the mode of being of
Those used to be the political questions, even someone or something which is governed by
if they are invited no easy answers. We must the norm of authenticity.
learn once again to pose them”.
- Supported by Martin Heidegger (1889-1996)
who examined the two definitions of
technology:
• means to an end (instrumental) &
• a human activity (anthropological) Heidegger’s Technology as a Way of
Revealing
The Instrumental definition: (Heidegger)
- that the genuine substance or the real
- that while technology is geared towards essence of technology is found in en-framing
meeting a human need - putting in order whatever is presented to the
- still, there is a difference between older man who sets upon the unconcealed.
handicraft technologies with modern End-framing simply means putting into
technology. the frame of modern technology
“a sawmill on a secluded Black Forest everything in nature.
is a primitive means compared with the This “frame” of modern technology is the
Hydroelectric plant on the Rhine River”. network or interlocking things standing in
- “Technology is by no means technological” reserve
and should not be seen as merely neutral. – the world of manipulation and
2 Problems seen by Heidegger in this demystification
definition: where nothing is mysterious anymore…
1. When a human sees technology only as a
means to an end and disregards the fact that
there is good and bad technology. Examples:
2. Technology only invites man to a continual The ancient windmill only relies on wind
desire to master it which unconsciously blowing in contrast to the modern windmill
maybe make technology go out of hand. which may unlock the energy.
“ He said, everything depends on our The peasant planting seeds as against
manipulating technology in the proper modern technology of cultivation
manner as a means. We will get technology
‘spiritually in hand’
What is the instrumental itself? The Mode of revealing in modern
Within what do such things as means and
technology
end belong? 1. Unlock & expose.
carries the idea that nature will not
reveal itself unless a challenge is set
upon it. Ex. Hydroelectric plant
Aristotle’s Four Causes: 2. Stockpiles for future use.
As technology is a means to an end
1. Causa Materialis or the Material Cause -
Silver Ex. Hydro plant to store electricity for
future use.
2. Causa Formalis or the Formal Cause
Modern technologies are now able to
- the form or the shape that gave the silver
get more from nature by challenging
chalice its image
it...
3. Causa Finalis or the Final Cause
As Heidegger said…
- the purpose of why the chalice was made
• Such challenges happen in that…
4. Causa Efficiens or the Efficient Cause
energy concealed in nature is unlocked,
-the agent: the silversmith
what is unlocked is transformed,
This silver chalice has come to be due to four
causes what is transformed is stored up,
what is stored up is in turn distributed,
what is distributed is switched about
ever anew.
The danger of Nonstop Revealing
“As something is revealed, another is
concealed”
“The rise of a cause-effect
understanding of reality closes off an
understanding of God as something
mysterious and holy: God is reduced to
the “God of the philosopher’s”
Also…
There is the tendency for humans to be
fully engrossed with the en-framing and
fails to weigh the results and
consequences of setting upon an object,
that is…
When people start to believe that
everything in the human condition can be
answered by technology!
Society however is not without hope…
A balance must be struck between
technology being instrumental and
anthropological
“The end does not justify the means”
Human should not be controlling and
manipulative of what he was set upon but
to also allow nature to reveal itself on
humans.
REMEMBER
