Technology, Culture, and Teaching Practices

Abstract

Introduction The fundamental question regarding technology is whether it will fulfill its promised paradise on Earth or it will destroy mankind. The first outcome is vehemently defended – unsurprisingly – by the world’s political, financial, and intellectual elites, the second by a growing number ofgroups, most of which share a deep fear of technological development out of concern for the relentless destruction of ecosystems and the unequal distribution of the wealth produced by it. There is a third group formed by those who believe that a middle ground between the two extremes is the sensible way to face the dilemma. They champion “sustainable development,” that is, technological innovation that does not harm or destroy the ecology and a more democratic participation in the choice of the technologies to be developed and implemented. One may distinguish a fourth group clearly set apart from these three because it focuses on the spiritual aspect of humanity rather than on the material basis. Although there are different ways in which this concern is manifested, the core issue is the so-called abolition of man, be it on account of genetic manipulation, neurological programming, social conditioning, or universal tyranny. The abolition would come about through the suppression of freedom by the technological manipulation of life and mind. These discrepancies in the assessment of the effects of technology on mankind are further aggravated by the almost complete lack of dialogue between defenders of the four positions sketched here. TS - CrossRef