Intro to Technology Philosophies

Discussion 1

1. In your opinion, what technology has historically changed humanity the most?

This is a brainstorming activity – there is no right or wrong answer. This is meant to prime you to think about different perspectives on technology and its impact on our past and present (and future)

Journal Entry

Take a couple of minutes to reflect on the discussion you just had – this can be a list of technologies mentioned in your group + your personal opinion about the topic (use the same google document you have already shared with me)

Discussion 2

1. Do humans control technology?
2. Does technology have built-in values (is it good or bad)?

(Basic) Philosophies of technology

• instrumentalism (naive)
• determinism (hard, soft, substantivism)

Instrumentalism

• Technology is a neutral tool – it is neither good nor bad
• Technology does not contain inherent moral values
• Humans have complete control over how it is used
• High human agency – society decides whether technology is used for good or bad

“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”

Determinism

• Technology causes/drives social changes
• Technology shapes human behavior and society
• Low human agency – humans adapt to technology (we cannot easily stop its trajectory)
• Determinism (technology is autonomous and neutral) vs. Substantivism (technology is autonomous and value-laden)

“Cellphones have ruined face-to-face interactions”

Instrumentalism vs. Determinism

flowchart LR
  Instrumentalism <----------> Determinism

Soft technological determinism (Critical theory)

• Technology both shapes society and is shaped by it
• Technology and social practices develop in tandem and influence one another
• Technology is the means, human purposes are the end/goal
• Some room for human agency – engineers can inscribe their intentions within technology to shape human behavior
• Awareness of unintended social or environmental consequences

Technological constructivism

• Social construction of technology (SCOT)
• A response to technological determinism
• Technology does not determine human action, human action shapes technology
• Technology is embedded within its respective social context
• Humans accept or reject technology

Summary

• Instrumentalism: Humans control technology, technology is neutral
• Determinism: Technology causes/drives social changes
• Soft technological determinism: Technology shapes society and is shaped by it (engineers can imbue their values into technology, unintended consequences)
• Technological constructivism: social context shapes technology

Discussion 3: Which philosophy do you ascribe yourself to?

Journal Writing

Which philosophy makes more sense to you? Why?

Policies

• Solutionism – lawmakers believe technology will solve all the world’s problems
• Fatalism – lawmakers have resigned themselves to the consequences of technology
• Regulation – lawmaker believe technology should be regulated

Thinking and acting more critically towards technology enables societies to escape merely adapting to technological advances asserted as inevitable. – Andrew Smith (2026)

References/Further Reading

• Grimes, S.M. & Feenberg, Andrew. (2013). Critical theory of technology. 10.4135/9781446282229.n9.
• Kranzberg, M. (1986). Technology and History: “Kranzberg’s Laws.” Technology and Culture, 27(3), 544–560. https://doi.org/10.2307/3105385
• Smith, A. (2026). Loosening the grip of technological determinism in futures thinking. UNESCO.

Society?

When we say “social context/society/humans shapes technology,” who is “society?”

Journal Writing

Reflect on what you liked and disliked about this lecture, what you learned, and what you wished you’d learned.

1. What you learned from the lecture and discussion – this can be something that surprised you, something you had not considered before, a new way of thinking about something
2. What you wish you’d learned from the discussion – this can be questions you still have and questions you would like to explore further
3. Anything you liked of disliked (were the discussions helpful? were the contents of the slides clear?)