Science, Technology, and Society 9 - Technology as a Way of Revealing

Summary

This video explores Martin Heidegger's philosophical view of technology as a mode of revealing, contrasting it with the instrumental and anthropological definitions. It discusses how technology is a means to disclose truth, akin to the Greek concept of 'aletheia', but modern technology challenges nature rather than bringing forth. Heidegger's concept of 'enframing' is highlighted, where humans control nature for security, potentially leading to misinterpretation. The video concludes by suggesting art as a saving power against the dangers of technology, encouraging meditative thinking over calculative.

Takeaways

• 🔧 Technology serves as both an instrumental means to an end and a human activity, reflecting its dual nature in society.
• 🌟 Martin Heidegger's philosophy views technology as a mode of revealing, or a way of bringing forth truth, rather than merely a tool or activity.
• 📚 The concept of 'bringing forth' is rooted in the ancient Greek philosophical concept of 'poeisis', which signifies the act of disclosing something from concealment.
• 🔑 'Aletheia', an ancient Greek term, is central to understanding Heidegger's view of technology as it represents the disclosure or truth of something that is revealed.
• 🛠️ Modern technology, according to Heidegger, challenges nature by extracting and transforming it, which contrasts with the idea of 'bringing forth'.
• 🌱 Heidegger argues that modern technology reduces objects to 'standing reserve', treating them as resources to be exploited, which raises ecological concerns.
• 💡 The 'enframing' concept by Heidegger describes the way modern technology orders and manipulates nature, reflecting a calculative approach to understanding and controlling it.
• 🧠 Calculative thinking is contrasted with meditative thinking, where the latter allows nature to reveal itself without human imposition, promoting a more harmonious relationship with technology.
• ⚠️ The dangers of technology include the risk of humans becoming mere instruments or part of the 'standing reserve', losing their essence as human beings.
• 🎨 Art is proposed as a saving power that can counteract the challenges of technology by inspiring meditative thinking and a deeper, non-exploitative relationship with nature.

Q & A

What are the two types of definitions for the essence of technology discussed in the script?

The two types of definitions for the essence of technology are the instrumental definition, which views technology as a means to an end, and the anthropological definition, which sees technology as a human activity.

How does Martin Heidegger's view on technology differ from the instrumental and anthropological definitions?

Martin Heidegger views technology as a way of revealing, a mode of bringing forth. He emphasizes that technology is not just a means to an end or a human activity, but a way to disclose the truth of something by bringing it out of concealment.

What is the ancient Greek philosophical concept 'poiesis' as explained in the script?

In the script, 'poiesis' is described as the act of bringing something out of concealment, which is a way of revealing the truth of that something.

What does the term 'aletheia' signify in the context of Heidegger's philosophy on technology?

In Heidegger's philosophy, 'aletheia' refers to unclosedness, unconcealedness, or disclosure, which is the truth because it is disclosed.

How does Heidegger distinguish between primitive crafts and modern technology in terms of revealing?

Heidegger posits that both primitive crafts and modern technology are revealing, but modern technology reveals by challenging nature, extracting, transforming, storing, and distributing it, rather than simply bringing it forth.

What is the concept of 'standing reserve' as it pertains to modern technology according to Heidegger?

The concept of 'standing reserve' refers to how modern technology treats objects as resources to be disposed of by those who can frame and exploit them.

What are the two types of thinking that Heidegger discusses in relation to 'enframing'?

Heidegger discusses 'calculative thinking,' which is the human desire to order and control nature, and 'meditative thinking,' which allows nature to reveal itself without force or violence.

What does the term 'framing' represent in Heidegger's view of modern technology?

In Heidegger's view, 'framing' is the process of ordering or manipulating nature to better control it, which is a result of human desire for security and control.

What dangers does Heidegger associate with the use of technology?

Heidegger associates the dangers of technology with the risk of humans becoming consumed by it, losing their essence as human beings, and becoming merely a part of the standing reserve.

How does the script suggest that art can serve as a saving power in relation to technology?

The script suggests that art can serve as a saving power by encouraging meditative thinking, where nature is seen as art without force or violence, thus offering an alternative perspective to the calculative thinking often associated with technology.

What is the role of critical and reflective thinking in addressing the dangers of technology as discussed in the script?

Critical and reflective thinking are essential for recognizing the dangers of technology and for proactively addressing them, such as the issues of privacy invasion, online disinhibition, and the proliferation of fake news.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Essence of Technology

This paragraph introduces the concept of technology from two perspectives: the instrumental definition, which views technology as a means to an end, and the anthropological definition, which sees it as a human activity. It also references the application of science as a part of technology. The main focus is on Martin Heidegger's philosophical view of technology as a way of revealing, emphasizing that technology is not just about creating tools but also about bringing forth the truth of things. Heidegger's concept of 'bringing forth' is explained through the Greek philosophical concept of 'aletheia', which means unclosedness or disclosure. The paragraph concludes by contrasting Heidegger's view with the modern technological approach, which is seen as challenging rather than bringing forth, as it tends to exploit nature and reduce objects to mere resources.

05:01

🔍 Framing of Modern Technology

The second paragraph delves into the framing of modern technology, distinguishing it from the revealing nature of technology as seen by Heidegger. It discusses 'enframing' as a process where humans use calculative thinking to order and control nature, often at the expense of meditative thinking that allows nature to reveal itself without force. The paragraph highlights the dangers of this approach, such as the reduction of nature to a 'standing reserve' to be exploited and the potential for humans to become mere instruments of technology. It also touches on the societal implications, including concerns about privacy, the exploitation of natural resources, and the introduction of harmful substances into consumer products. The responsibility of humans to recognize their role as potential instruments of technology and to engage in critical and reflective thinking is emphasized.

10:03

🎨 Art as a Saving Power

The final paragraph of the script shifts the focus to the role of art as a saving power in the context of technology. It references Friedrich Hölderlin's idea that where danger grows, so does the saving power. Heidegger suggests that art can serve as a counterbalance to the enframing of modern technology by encouraging a meditative approach to nature, rather than a calculative one. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the need for critical reflection on the use of technology and the importance of art in inspiring a different way of thinking about our relationship with nature and the world around us. It also serves as a call to action for viewers to engage with the content, perhaps by re-watching the video for further clarification, and to look forward to upcoming videos on the topic.

Keywords

💡Technology

Technology, as discussed in the video, is not just a collection of tools and machines but a way of revealing the truth about the world. It is defined both instrumentally as a means to an end and anthropologically as a human activity. The video emphasizes that technology is the application of science, which is central to understanding its essence. It is also seen as a mode of revealing through the act of bringing something out of concealment, aligning with the Greek concept of 'aletheia' or 'unconcealedness'.

💡Instrumental Definition

The instrumental definition of technology refers to it as a means to an end, suggesting that it is a tool or a set of tools used to achieve a specific goal. This concept is mentioned in the video to contrast with the anthropological definition, highlighting that technology serves a utilitarian purpose. It is one of the two types of definitions discussed, showing that technology can be viewed as both a practical tool and a broader cultural phenomenon.

💡Anthropological Definition

The anthropological definition views technology as a human activity, emphasizing the role of human involvement in creating and utilizing technological tools. This perspective is important because it situates technology within the broader context of human society and culture, rather than just as an isolated set of devices. The video uses this definition to argue that technology is integral to human life and expression.

💡Martin Heidegger

Martin Heidegger is a German philosopher whose views on technology are central to the video's discussion. Heidegger is known for his philosophical exploration of technology as a way of revealing, or 'bringing forth,' which is a key concept in understanding the essence of technology. His ideas are used to critique modern technology's tendency to challenge nature and to suggest that art can serve as a saving power against the dangers of technological framing.

💡Bringing Forth

The concept of 'bringing forth' is derived from ancient Greek philosophy and is used in the video to describe technology's role in revealing the truth of things. It implies that technology has the power to disclose what was previously hidden or concealed. The video contrasts this with the modern technological approach, which is seen as challenging forth rather than simply bringing forth.

💡Challenging Forth

In the context of the video, 'challenging forth' refers to the way modern technology interacts with the world, particularly nature. It suggests that modern technology challenges nature by extracting, transforming, storing, and distributing its resources. This concept is used to critique the exploitative and controlling aspects of modern technology, which can lead to ecological and social issues.

💡Standing Reserve

The term 'standing reserve' is used by Heidegger to describe how modern technology treats natural resources and even human labor as something to be ordered, controlled, and used at will. In the video, this concept is employed to critique the way technology reduces objects and people to mere resources to be exploited, which can lead to environmental degradation and the devaluation of human work.

💡Enframing

Enframing, as discussed in the video, is Heidegger's term for the way modern technology frames or orders nature to make it more controllable and manipulable. It is a process that stems from calculative thinking, where humans seek to dominate and control nature for their own ends. The video suggests that enframing leads to a dangerous misunderstanding of our relationship with the natural world.

💡Calculative Thinking

Calculative thinking is the human desire to impose order on nature to better understand and control it. This concept is central to the video's discussion of enframing and the way modern technology approaches the world. It is contrasted with meditative thinking, which allows nature to reveal itself without force. The video suggests that calculative thinking is a primary driver of the technological challenges faced in the modern world.

💡Meditative Thinking

Meditative thinking is presented in the video as an alternative to calculative thinking. It involves allowing nature to reveal itself without the imposition of human control or order. This concept is linked to the idea of art as a saving power, suggesting that a more contemplative and less controlling approach to technology can help mitigate its dangers and lead to a more harmonious relationship with the natural world.

💡Art as Saving Power

The concept of 'art as saving power' is introduced as a way to counteract the dangers of technology. It suggests that art, as a form of revealing that is less about control and more about appreciation and understanding, can offer an alternative perspective on technology. The video uses this idea to argue for a more reflective and less exploitative approach to both technology and nature.

Highlights

Technology as a means to an end and a human activity.

Heidegger's view on technology as a way of revealing the truth.

The ancient Greek concept of 'poiesis' as bringing something out of concealment.

The concept of 'aletheia' as disclosure or unclosedness.

Modern technology's revealing as 'challenging forth' rather than 'bringing forth'.

Modern technology challenges nature by extracting, transforming, and distributing it.

Concerns about privacy and human rights in the information age.

The ecological consequences of exploiting natural resources.

The role of humans as instruments of technology in the process of 'enframing'.

The dangers of misconstruction or misinterpretation in technology's revealing.

The responsibility of humans to not become consumed by technology.

Art as a saving power and a way out of the challenges posed by technology.

Art encourages meditative thinking and a less forceful approach to nature.

The importance of critical and reflective thinking on the use of technology.

Social media's role in connecting people and the issues it inadvertently creates.

The need for proactive measures to address the dangers of technology.

Transcripts

okay so hi there folks

um we are now in our next video in

science technology and society

and we're here to talk about technology

as a way of revealing so what is the

essence of technology

in in our in our world so we have

two types of definition of what

technology or the essence of technology

is

so we have first the instrumental

definition which talks that

technology is a means to an end okay

it's a means

to an end and number two it's the

anthropological definition

technology is a human activity okay and

we have

maybe if you can remember in the first

video that technology

is the application of science so

um actually there's no there's no

there's no dispute here of what

dispute of what is correct okay actually

both definitions are correct however

neither touches the true essence

of technology that is the application of

science

and we have here the next next slide

that will present

hediger's view on technology so

heidegger or hedger

a technology as a way of repeating that

is heidegger's

view okay for technology um this is

martin

heidegger he's a german

philosophy philosopher rather and one of

his

important parts of his philosophy is

about the view

on technology so heidegger stressed that

the truth can only be pursued

through the correct ways simply what is

correct

leads to what is true in this sense she

envisioned technology

as a way of revealing a mode of bringing

forth okay so it's a mode of bringing

forth

so bringing forth can be understood

through the ancient greek philosophical

concept

for isis which refers to the act of

bringing something out

of concealment so you're bringing it

forth so meaning you're

you're taking out okay you're disclosing

it shall we say

you're i'm thinking out of concealment

you're not concealing it anymore

so by bringing something out out of

concealment the truth of that something

is being revealed okay so therefore it's

the way of revealing

the truth is understood through another

ancient greek concept

of aletheia which is translated as

unclosedness unconcealedness

or disclosure like i said or the truth

because it's disclosed so therefore it's

telling about

about the truth that's a latia

technology

is a form of voices it's a way of

rebuilding

that and conceals the allatia or the

truth

okay so it's a form of phrases it's

revealing

alatia the truth okay that's

technology um under the view of

heidegger

in philosophy technique we have also

another greek term

resembles a term episteme that refers to

the human

ability to make and perform techne also

encompasses

knowledge and understanding in art it

refers

to tangible and intangible aspects of

life and the greeks

understood techne in the way that it

encompasses

not only craft but other acts of the

mind

and also poetry of course so technology

as voices so the next question will be

does modern technology brings forth

is it bringing forth or is it

challenging forth

okay so based on hedger in

his paper the question concerning

technology or maybe some

part of one journal one article

he postulated that both primitive crafts

and modern technology are

revealing it's a way of revealing

however

he explained that modern technology is

revealing not in the sense of

bringing forth it's revealing the

revealing of modern technology is not

bringing forth it's

challenging forth that's um in the

perspective of heidegger

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 also with less effort i tell you

challenging fourth reduces objects as

standing reserve

or something to be disposed disposed of

by those who can and frame them okay

that is we humans who can

frame them this is evident in the way

people exploit nature

natural resources with very little

concern for the ecological consequences

that come with it in this information

age

greater control of information to profit

from it from its value

gives rise to concerns about privacy and

protection

of the human rights rise and depletion

of petroleum

as a strategic resource introduction

and the use of synthetic dyes artificial

flavorings

and toxic materials into the consumer

stream that brings about

adverse and bad effects in our human

health

we used to write agents writing agents

in agriculture that poses threats to

food safety

and health security okay so these are

um why some of the the reasons why it's

challenging for

instead of bringing forth that is

technology okay

so what we're going to do next is the

framing of modern technology modern

technologies

way of revealing so we're going to frame

that so however distinguish the way of

revealing

of modern technology by considering it

as a process

of in framing so in framing according to

heidegger

is akin in two ways so we have the first

way

is calculative thinking humans desire to

put an

order to nature to better understand and

control it so we want to control it

and number two is the meditative

thinking whereas

we humans allowed nature to reveal

itself to them

without the use of force or violence

but try to think of it we always tend to

use the first one the calculative

thinking

that we desire to put on order to nature

to better understand and control it

so this tends to be more commonly

utilized

primarily because humans desire to

control due to the fear of irregularity

we want

all things to be regular though we know

that the only constant thing in the

world is change

so we calculate thinking it's more

technical

kind of human thought in which people

gather information

and put it together in order to put it

to some specific use

okay to some specific use and framing

is a way of ordering or framing shall we

say from the word framing

nature to better manipulate it and

framing happens because of how humans

desire

for security even it pulls all nature as

a standard reserve and an instrument of

technology

to be exploited you know in ordering

in the ordering of nature the role of

humans

as instruments of technology through in

framing is called

destiny in destiny humans are challenged

fourth by enframing to reveal what is

real

however this destiny of humans to reveal

need your caries

carries with it the danger of

misconstruction or misinterpretation

okay so it carries with dangers of

course

so what are these dangers of technology

here

so it lie on how humans let themselves

make let themselves be consumed by it

the responsibility of humans is to

recognize how do you do

how do you become instruments of

technology according to paulo

is an author it is boastful for humans

to think that

nature needs to be saved whereas mother

nature

would remain even if humans cease to

exist

as a mere tenant of the earth people

must not allow themselves to be consumed

by technology

lest they lose the essence of who they

are

as human beings in this sense humans

are in danger of becoming merely a part

of the standing reserve

or alternatively we find themselves in

nature

okay so more on recognizing the dangers

of technology

requires critical and reflective

thinking on its use

for instance social media try to try to

imagine social media has indeed

connected people

in the most efficient convenient way

imaginable but it also inadvertently

gave rise to issues

such as invasion of privacy online

disinhibition

and proliferation of fake news and we

all know that

okay lastly in this topic we're going to

talk about

the art as the saving power so necessary

reflection

upon the confrontation with technology

are required in order to proactively

address the dangers of technology

according to ridrich holderlin 1977 from

his book

on page 14 but where danger is

grows the saving power also now

according to heidegger

he proposed that art is a saving power

it's that saving power and the way out

of in framing and art was simply called

technique

it was a single manifold revealing said

so art encourages humans to think less

from calculative standpoint

where nature is viewed as an ordered

system instead

it inspires meditative thinking the

second one the second if you're going to

remember the

meditative thinking where nature is seen

as art

and that without any force and

violence okay so

yeah that's it for our topic in

technology as a way of revealing

um this is my source here of this topic

um

if you have some questions in mind you

can of course just re-watch this video

replay for those

things that you want to clarify to

yourself

again this is part of the science

technology and society playlist

and okay this is where it ends

the topic technology as a way of

revealing so

yeah that's it for now thank you very

much for watching don't forget

okay so like and subscribe and yeah i'll

see you soon for more upcoming videos

so thank you very much for watching okay

see ya