Philosophy Of Technology: Technological Condition, The

Description:
This anthology brings together, for the first time, a collection of both seminal historical and contemporary essays on the nature of technology and its relation to humanity. Its selections not only situate technology in the familiar context of ethical, political, aesthetic, and engineering concerns, but also thoroughly examine historical, metaphysical, and epistemological issues.The volume begins with historical readings on knowledge and its applications that have laid the foundation for contemporary writings on the philosophy of technology. Contemporary essays then critically assess previous assumptions about science and discuss the relation between science and technology and philosophy's treatment of both. The second half of the volume focuses on Heidegger's writings on technology, on the relationship between technology and the natural world, and on the issues that arise as technology becomes an integral part of our society. Philosophy of Technology includes, beyond the commonly anthologized figures, selections from European writers often not available in English-language collections. It is a valuable resource for anyone who wishes to explore the technological condition.

Review:
"This is far and away the most useful and comprehensive anthology on the subject to date. It considerably broadens the scope of the philosophy of technology, and the sophistication with which its areas can be approached. This book is an indispensable tool for anyone who wants to understand the nature and impact of modern technology - which is to say, for anyone who wants to understand the contemporary world." Robert P. Crease, State University of New York at Stony Brook "Philosophy of Technology: the technological condition offers a balanced survey of the main currents in the history of philosophy of technology..." Metapsychology Online Book Reviews

Table of Contents:
General Introduction: Philosophy and the Technological Condition. Part I: The Historical Background: Introduction. 1. On Dialectic; and 'Techne': Plato. 2. On 'Techne'; and 'Episteme': Aristotle. 3. On the Idols, the Scientific Study of Nature, and the Reformation of Education: Francis Bacon. 4. Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Point of View: Immanuel Kant. 5. The Nature and Importance of the Positive Philosophy: Auguste Comte. 6. On the Sciences and Arts: Jean-Jacques Rousseau. 7. Capitalism and the Modern Labour Process: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Part II: Philosophy, Modern Science, and Technology: Positivist and Postpositivist Philosophies of Science. Introduction. 8. The Scientific Conception of the World: The Vienna Circle: Rudolf Carnap, Hans Hahn, and Otto Neurath. 9. Studies in the Logic of Explanation: Carl G. Hempel and Paul Oppenheim. 10. Ideals of Natural Order: Stephen Toulmin. 11. Revaluing Science: Starting from the Practices of Women: Nancy Tuana. 12. Do You Believe in Reality? News from the Trenches of the Science Wars: Bruno Latour. 13. Hermeneutical Philosophy and Pragmatism: A Philosophy of Science: Patrick A. Heelan and Jay Schulkin. 14. Dysfunctional Universality Claims? Scientific, Epistemological, and Political Issues: Sandra Harding. The Task of a Philosophy of Technology. Introduction. 15. Philosophical Inputs and Outputs of Technology: Mario Bunge. 16. On the Aims of a Philosophy of Technology: Jacques Ellul. 17. Technology and Ethics: Kristin Shrader-Frechette. 18. Toward a Philosophy of Technology: Hans Jonas. Part III: Defining Technology: Introduction. 19. What Is Technology?: Stephen J. Kline. 20. A Philosophical-Anthropological Perspective on Technology: Arnold Gehlen. 21. The Social Construction of Facts and Artifacts: Trevor J. Pinch and Wiebe E. Bijker. 22. Social Constructivism: Opening the Black Box and Finding It Empty: Langdon Winner. Part IV: Heidegger on Technology: Introduction. 23. The Question Concerning Technology: Martin Heidegger. 24. On Philosophy's 'Ending' in Technoscience: Heidegger vs. Comte: Robert C. Scharff. 25. Heidegger's Philosophy of Technology: Don Ihde. 26. Focal Things and Practices: Albert Borgmann. 27. Heidegger and Borgmann on How to Affirm Technology: Hubert L. Dreyfus and Charles Spinosa. 28. Critical Evaluation of Heidegger and Borgmann: Andrew Feenberg. Part V: Technology and Human Ends: Human Beings as 'Makers' or 'Tool-Users'? Introduction. 29. Tool-Users vs Homo Sapiens and The Megamachine: Lewis Mumford. 30. The 'Vita Activa' and the Modern Age: Hannah Arendt. 31. Doing and Making in a Democracy: Dewey's Experience of Technology: Larry Hickman. 32. Buddhist Economics: E. F. Schumacher. Is Technology Autonomous? Introduction. 33. The 'Autonomy' of the Technological Phenomenon: Jacques Ellul . 34. Do Machines Make History?: Robert L. Heilbroner. 35. The New Forms of Control: Herbert Marcuse. Technology, Ecology, and the Conquest of Nature. Introduction. 36. Mining the Earth's Womb: Carolyn Merchant. 37. A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century: Donna Haraway. 38. In Defense of Bacon: Alan Sobel. 39 The Shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement: Arne Naess. 40. The Deep Ecology Movement: Bill Devall. 41. Deeper than Deep Ecology: The Eco-Feminist Connection: Ariel Salleh. Part VI: Technology as Social Practice: Technology and the Life World. Introduction. 42. Three Ways of Being-with Technology: Carl Mitcham. 43. A Phenomenology of Technics: Don Ihde. 44. Technical Progress and the Social Life-World: Jurgen Habermas. Technology and Cyberspace. Introduction. 45. Heidegger and McLuhan and The Essence of Virtual Reality: Michael H. Heim. 46. Hacking Away at the Counterculture: Andrew Ross. 47. Information and Reality at the Turn of the Century: Albert Borgmann. 48. Anonymity versus Commitment: The Dangers of Education on the Internet: Hubert L. Dreyfus. Technology, Knowledge, and Power. Introduction. 49. Panopticism: Michel Foucault. 50. Notes toward a Neo-Luddite Manifesto: Chellis Glendinning. 51. Luddism as Epistemology: Langdon Winner. 52. Anti Anticonstructivism or Laying the Fears of a Langdon Winner to Rest: Mark Elam, with Langdon Winner's Reply. 53. The Social Impact of Technological Change: Emmanuel G. Mesthene. 54. Technology: The Opiate of the Intellectuals, with the Author's 2000 Retrospective: John McDermott. 55. Democratic Rationalization: Technology, Power, and Freedom: Andrew Feenberg. Index.

Author Biography:
Robert C. Scharff is Professor of Philosophy at the University of New Hampshire. He is author of Comte After Positivism (1995) and since 1995 has been the Editor of Continental Philosophy Review (formerly Man and World). Val Dusek is Professor of Philosophy at the University of New Hampshire. He is author of Holistic Inspirations of Physics (1999).