I wish to claim that technology is not what man uses to master nature, but a philosophy of history a way of looking at the world or a way of life.
The aim of my project was to trace the history of technology in order to establish a definition of its essence that is consistent across time.
Heidegger argued that technology is a means of exploiting nature, reducing it to “standing reserve” which we can draw upon as we desire it. Further, he argued that modern technology reduces man to standing reserve and that we should be sceptical of it.
In response to his argument I explored the thought of Marcuse and Feenberg who both suggest that technology is defined more by its social elements than by its function.
Finally, I explored the future of technology, specifically artificial intelligence, and considered which, if any, definition of the essence of technology I explored remains applicable.
Main Sources:
The Questioning Concerning Technology by Heidegger, One Dimensional Man by Marcuse, and Questioning Technology by Feenberg.