This master’s thesis explores the role of technology in our environmental crisis. It does so through the exploration of a range of theories within the field of philosophy of technology, starting from its roots in Europe and continuing through to contemporary theories aligned with the social science studies of technology. In this exploration, different views of the nature of technology, how it acts, and who controls it are presented and compared to create a deeper understanding of how such differing views affect the everyday debate on technology and the natural environment.
To get deeper into the latter, parallels are drawn between the philosophy of technology and environmental philosophy. Through this comparison, the potential roles of technology in the environmental crisis are explored and subsequently the effect of those roles in the notion of sustainable development is discussed. A deep incoherence is discovered between the understanding of technology on which the concept of sustainability is based and the one at the base of the theories presented. This incoherence is, however, challenged and it is argued that the philosophy of technology may need to submit to a technological mindset to truly enter the field.