TECHNOLOGY AS

A WAY OF
REVEALING
The Essence of Technology
◦ The essence of technology was discussed by Martin Heidegger.
◦ The essence of technology can be captured in his work The Question
Concerning Technology where he explains the two widely accepted
definitions of technology:
◦ 1. Instrumental definition:
◦ Technology is a Means to an End.

◦ 2. Anthropological definition:
◦ Technology is a Human Activity
Heidegger’s View on Technology
◦ According to Heidegger, technology must be understood as a way of revealing a mode
of bringing forth. Bringing forth can be understood through ancient Greek philosophy
concept, poiesis which refers to the act of bringing something out of concealment.

◦ By bringing something out of concealment, the truth of that something is revealed. The truth is
understood through another ancient Greek concept of Aletheia which is translated as
unconcealedness and disclosure of truth.

◦ So Heidegger means that something comes from being. This could be turning some raw
materials such as stone into a new form a statue or it might be a vase.
Heidegger’s View on Technology
◦ The word technology comes from the Greek word Technikon which belongs to the stem
word techne which refers to craft and artistic activities and other acts of mind and poetry.

◦ In Philosophy, techne resembles the term episteme that refer to the human ability to make and
perform.

◦ Techne also encompasses knowledge and understanding.

Does Modern Technology Bring Forth or
Challenging Forth?
◦ Bringing-forth is the proper attitude with regards to the utilization of technology in relation to
nature. We look at materials in nature with essence and beauty.

◦ The challenging-forth on the other hand is the most prevalent attitude towards technology
today and is being considered as the improper one. We look at materials as merely no
meaning.

◦ According to Heidegger, both primitive crafts and modern technology is revealing. However, he
explained that modern technology is revealing not in the sense of Bringing-Forth, but a
Challenging-Forth.
 Enframing as Modern Technology’s
way of Revealing
◦ If the essence of technology can be understood as a way of bringing forth in the sense
of poiesis,
◦ Heidegger distinguished the way of revealing modern technology by considering it as a process
of enframing.
◦ Enframing according to Heidegger is viewed based on the two (2) schools of thought:
calculated thinking and meditative thinking.
Enframing according to Heidegger
◦ Calculative thinking is a kind of thought in which people gather information and put it together in order to
place it to some specific use. This kind of thinking is always in use and active and tends to be more utilized
because of man’s desire to control nature without thinking about the possible consequences.

◦ Meditative thinking involves something deeper than practical calculation. It tells us why we should do or
should not do a thing. This kind of thought allows humans to reveal and understand nature without the use
of violence and force.
Human person swallowed by Technology –
The Dangers of Technology
◦ If you allowed yourselves to be swallowed by modern technology, you will lose the essence of
who you are as beings of this world.

◦ Recognizing the dangers of technology requires critical and reflective thinking on its use. One
good example is the role of social media in society.
Art as the Saving Power
◦ Heidegger identifies the dangers of this modern technology and how art can be an antidote for
these present threats and dangers.

◦ Heidegger suggested that art might be the saving power since art shares its roots but also
wander away from technology through its own sense of revealing. Art is not a special sector of
cultural activity as they are now but rather an original act of creation bringing things into truth.
Questions?