Thinking through Technology
The Path between Engineering and Philosophy
University of Chicago Press, 1994
Cloth: 978-0-226-53196-0 | Paper: 978-0-226-53198-4 | Electronic: 978-0-226-82539-7
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226825397.001.0001
Cloth: 978-0-226-53196-0 | Paper: 978-0-226-53198-4 | Electronic: 978-0-226-82539-7
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226825397.001.0001
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ABOUT THIS BOOKTABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS BOOK
What does it mean to think about technology philosophically? Why try? These are the issues that Carl Mitcham addresses in this work, a comprehensive, critical introduction to the philosophy of technology and a discussion of its sources and uses.
Tracing the changing meaning of "technology" from ancient times to our own, Mitcham identifies the most important traditions of critical analysis of technology: the engineering approach, which assumes the centrality of technology in human life; and the humanities approach, which is concerned with its moral and cultural boundaries.
Mitcham bridges these two traditions through an analysis of discussions of engineering design, of the distinction between tools and machines, and of engineering science itself. He looks at technology as it is experienced in everyday lifeāas material objects (from kitchenware to computers), as knowledge ( including recipes, rules, theories, and intuitive "know-how"), as activity (design, construction, and use), and as volition (knowing how to use technology and understanding its consequences). By elucidating these multiple aspects, Mitcham establishes criteria for a more comprehensive analysis of ethical issues in applications of science and technology.
This book will guide anyone wanting to reflect on technology and its moral implications.
Tracing the changing meaning of "technology" from ancient times to our own, Mitcham identifies the most important traditions of critical analysis of technology: the engineering approach, which assumes the centrality of technology in human life; and the humanities approach, which is concerned with its moral and cultural boundaries.
Mitcham bridges these two traditions through an analysis of discussions of engineering design, of the distinction between tools and machines, and of engineering science itself. He looks at technology as it is experienced in everyday lifeāas material objects (from kitchenware to computers), as knowledge ( including recipes, rules, theories, and intuitive "know-how"), as activity (design, construction, and use), and as volition (knowing how to use technology and understanding its consequences). By elucidating these multiple aspects, Mitcham establishes criteria for a more comprehensive analysis of ethical issues in applications of science and technology.
This book will guide anyone wanting to reflect on technology and its moral implications.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prefatory Notes and Acknowledgments
Introduction: Thinking about Technology
Part One: Historical Traditions in the Philosophy of Technology
One: Engineering Philosophy of Technology
Two: Humanities Philosophy of Technology
Three: From Engineering to Humanities Philosophy of Technology
Four: The Philosophical Questioning of Technology
Five: Philosophical Questions about Techne
Part Two: Analytical Issues in the Philosophy of Technology
Six: From Philosophy to Technology
Seven: Types of Technology as Object
Eight: Types of Technology as Knowledge
Nine: Types of Technology as Activity
Ten: Types of Technology as Volition
Conclusion: Continuing to Think about Technology
Epilogue: Three Ways of Being-with Technology
Notes
Reference
Index