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Philosophy and Technology ed. by Carl Mitchum, Robert Mackey

1974; Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception; Volume: 38; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/tho.1974.0034

2473-3725

Donald E. Mahlowe,

Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life

396 BOOK REVIEWS Philosophy and Technology. Readings in the Philosophic Problems of Technology. Ed. by Carl Mitchum and Robert Mackey. New York: The Free Press, 197~. Mitchum and Mackey have produced a book accurately described by its subtitle "Readings in the Philosophic Problems of Technology." But in doing so, they have also produced a call for action on the part of philosophers and technologists. Various authors in the readings refer to a Philosophy of Technology as non-existent, stagnating, hampered, a Cinderella, an afterthought, etc. It would not have been difficult for the authors to provide the identical comments from a search of the technical literature rather than from the philosophic literature. We live in an era of technology, not an era of science. This is probably a true statement, but how does one distinguish between science and technology ? Skolinowski, in the "Readings," bases his distinction on precise evaluations of scientific progress (pursuit of knowledge) as contrasted with technological progress (pursuit of effectiveness, or efficiency). T. Kuhn (Structure of Scientific Revolutions) makes this different distinction-the scientist chooses problems that he has good reason to believe he can solve; the engineer chooses problems which urgently need solution. Thus, while doing no more than organizing our field, we are enmeshed in difficulty in our definitions-technology versus science; stagnation versus progress. But who defines the measure of efficiency; who decides which problems urgently need solution? Ellul feels that technology contains its own goals-if something can be done, it will be done. Events of the last decade have shown that reliance on the political process is indeed a weak reed. The distortion of biology in the service of Soviet agriculture is a clear example. It must be clear that the consequence of modern technology has a humane content. During the 1940's the scale of possible technological impacts grew by orders of magnitude; simultaneously technological developments in information distribution provided means for widespread distribution of knowledge regarding such impacts. The most lonely Bedouin, at the most isolated Saharan oasis, can follow the Arab-Israeli clash on his battery operated transistor radio. Worldwide concern with extensive environmental damage (whether due to nuclear fallout, weather modification , DDT pollution, etc.) has had direct political consequences, even to the toppling of governments. Why, even in the face of the consequences shown above, do we use such words as non-existent or stagnating to evaluate the state of Philosophy of Technology? In this brief discussion we have shown interactions with politics, epistemology, ethics, ontology-to name a few. Perhaps Technology 's early association with the craftsman has caused philosophers to regard it with disdain. If so, this heritage from the Greeks must be discarded . After a long period of satisfaction based on the comtemplation of BOOK REVIEWS 897 artifacts, and after a briefer period of awe based on some of the extraordinary (and even unexpected) consequences of those artifacts (such as the automobile), Technology has lost some of its pristine faith in the concept of progress, and now searches desperately for a rudder, or a compass, or something, to regain its sense of direction and control. The task of Philosophy is clear-a hierarchy of values must be reestablished; the effort to accomplish this has potential feedback to the assumed linkages between technology and the democratic process. Current political regulation of Technology appears to be a cautious process of successive approximations, seeking the public consensus on the basis of observed response to experimental social inputs. The Environmental Protection Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, and the Gas Pipeline Safety Act are recent examples of such regulations. The process can be given direction and thrust by better philosophical understanding. Mitchum and Mackey's book could be the springboard for action. With philosophers disdaining the " dirty hands " aspect of technology, and with most technologists ignorant of philosophy, a foundation, or take off point, must be found. The authors have done a superb job of selection, and have written an excellent introductory essay. These same authors produced the recent bibliography which also appeared (in slightly different form) in " Technology and Culture " in April, 1973. They have produced a work of taste and strength comparable to the works of Kranzberg...