Ruminations on our relationship with technology
Philosophy of Technology articles make up part of the Technology and Culture topic on this site. Articles on the Philosophy of Technology look at how technological innovation and affects cultural values. After all, whenever we add a new technology to a culture, we don’t just have that culture plus the technology. Instead, we have a new culture.
No doubt, one way to understand how technology impacts culture is to ask philosophical questions about innovation. For instance, does a new technology really add value to our lives? After all, at the end of the day, it’s impossible to separate technology from what we truly value in life.
Why ask ethical questions about technology design? “Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb stance of the technological idiot.” – Marshall McLuhan (2003, p 31) Throughout his writings, Marshall McLuhan pointed out a cliché that we commonly hear about technology. Typically, it goes … Read more
Is it wise to trust digital crowds? Whenever I go online to order something and look at customer reviews, doubts may pop into my mind. Sometimes, I have second thoughts about what I’m ordering. Should I really buy it, or shouldn’t I? But more frequently, I wonder about the ratings I’m looking at. Why should … Read more
Designing and using extended reality to enrich life … or just avoid it? Quite often, ancient stories convey forewarnings that remain relevant in modern times. For instance, some of the unintended consequences of extended reality (such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, which we’ll say more about below) have a striking parallel in … Read more
Stoic virtue for social media Summary: If some folks find themselves constantly feeling angry or outraged, one reason may be because they’re perpetually distracted. At least, that was an observation the Stoic philosopher Seneca made two millennia ago. His advice: Remove unnecessary distractions to cultivate a calm (as opposed to agitated) state of mind. That … Read more
Defining technology, according to Heidegger ‘Technology’ is one of those words that’s so commonplace, yet it’s hard to define. Computers and smart devices are technologies, but so are books and notepads. Indeed, the definition of technology may span from simple tools and utensils (hammers and spoons) to powerful machines and media (car factories and artificial … Read more
Buddha on ‘attachment’ and its discontents My interest in Buddhism began when I was a teenager. Buddha’s philosophy of attachment and mindfulness (which I’ll recap below) always resonated with me, although applying it remains challenging in today’s busy, high-tech world. I’ve often asked myself: Were Buddha alive today, would he buy a smartphone? Would he … Read more
A cost-benefit analysis: To delete or not delete Facebook? I joined Facebook in 2009. By 2018, I deleted my account. After a decade observing how it affected our culture, I realized the costs outweighed any benefits. Taking advantage of the “Delete Facebook” movement, I seized the hashtag #deletefacebook and freed myself from the matrix. Some … Read more