Mind the gap: A Techno-Anthropologist's view on mending the disconnect between theory and the world in the next generation of philosophy of technology
Author
Merkouris, Markos Proklis
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2021
Abstract
Teknologifilosofi taler ofte et andet sprog end de mennesker, der designer, leder og bruger teknologier. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan den kløft kan mindskes. Den tager udgangspunkt i to udbredte tilgange: Kritisk konstruktivisme, som ser teknologi som formet af sociale kræfter og magtforhold, og postfænomenologi, som undersøger, hvordan teknologi medierer og forandrer menneskers erfaringer og handlinger. Begge tilgange præsenteres gennem eksemplet med Internettet som kommunikationsværktøj og bliver derefter kritisk vurderet. Afhandlingen sammenfatter og analyserer den aktuelle debat om, hvorvidt og hvordan de to tilgange kan supplere hinanden. Herefter peges der på, hvor de begge kommer til kort, når deres indsigter skal omsættes til dialog og praksis for aktører i det teknologiske system. Som et muligt næste skridt foreslås det at inddrage anarkistiske principper (fx decentralisering, frivilligt samarbejde og ikke-hierarkisk koordinering) som teoretisk grundlag. Derudover anbefales science fiction-prototyping (brug af forestillede nærfremtidige scenarier) som en praktisk metode til at skabe fælles samtalegrundlag mellem forskellige aktører. Afhandlingen afsluttes med en opsummering af argumenterne for disse forslag og med at skitsere alternative veje til at gøre teknologifilosofi mere bredt accepteret.
Philosophy of technology often speaks a different language from the people who design, manage, and use technologies. This thesis examines how to close that gap. It starts from two mainstream approaches: Critical Constructivism, which views technologies as shaped by social forces and power relations, and Postphenomenology, which studies how technologies mediate and transform human experience and action. Both approaches are introduced through the example of the Internet as a communication tool and then critically evaluated. The thesis reviews and analyzes current debates about whether and how these approaches can complement each other. It then identifies where both fall short when translating their insights into dialogue and practice for stakeholders in technological systems. As a possible next step, the thesis proposes drawing on anarchist principles (such as decentralization, voluntary cooperation, and non-hierarchical coordination) as a theoretical basis. It also recommends science-fiction prototyping (using imagined near-future scenarios) as a practical method for creating shared ground for communication among different stakeholders. The thesis concludes by summarizing the arguments for these proposals and outlining alternative routes to make philosophy of technology more widely accepted.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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