Mitcham paper

Question 1

What is the main claim of Mitcham?

Answer 1

There are three ways of being with technology: ancient skepticism, enlightenment optimism, and romantic uneasiness

Question 2

What are the main ideas of anchient skepticism?

Answer 2

1. Tech makes us turn away from faith (god) and trust in nature
2. Tech processes of change undermine individual striving for excelence and social stability. It weakens political stability.
3. Tech knowledge draws humans into intercourse with world and obscures transcendence. Tech knowledge is not true wisdom.
4. Tech objects are less real than objects of nature

Question 3

What is the general view on technology in anchient skepticism?

Answer 3

Technology is bad but necessary.
It is usesful but can sever us from reality.
It adds violence to the state.
Undermines authority.
Flows in human character and virtues.

Question 4

What does ancient skepticism want with technology?

Answer 4

give it limitations. It is not guided by nature, so nature must be brought on it.

Question 5

What are the main ideas of enlightenment optimism?

Answer 5

1. The will of tech comes from god or nature
2. Tech activity is morally beneficial. It stimulates human action to meet physical needs and increase sociability. It creates public wealth
3. Knowledge acquired by tech with the world is truer than abstract theory
4. Nature is no more real than artifacts. They operate on the same principles

Question 6

What is the general view of enlightenment optimism on technology?

Answer 6

Tech is given by god and should be pursued to alleviate suffering of human condition
Technology brings overal benefit.
Tech is an intellectual and moral virtue

Question 7

What are the main ideas of romantic uneasiness?

Answer 7

1. Tech is a necessary self-creative act, that tends to overstep its bounds. It crowds other aspects in creativity.
2. Tech makes new material freedom possible, but moves us away from the ability to exercise it. It creates wealth but undermines social affection
3. Scientific knowledge and reason are criticized in the name of imagination
4. Tech is characterized by its process and not its structure. They reveal the sublime (The feeling of awe and fear at the same time)

Question 8

What is the global view of technology by romantic uneasiness?

Answer 8

Uneasiness towards tech
Tech intention is a will to power
Tech decreases creation of morals and virtues
Tech struggles to idealize and unify
Tech and nature follow same principles, only nature is key to tech but not tech key to nature