Nnadiebube Journal of Philosophy

This paper undertakes a critique of Martin Heidegger’s thought on technology. His contributions to the discourse on technology began as a question in the work titled Question Concerning Technology. At the heart of the work is the question of what technology is? Heidegger distinguishes between the common understandings of technology as instrument and the essence of technology. In the light of his critique of technology, he observes that the essence of technology is not technological; which implies that technology is not about technological gadgets, devices, procedures, processes and operation. Heidegger contends that technology represents a distinctive mode of revealing truth (aletheia) and shaping human existence characterized the phenomenon of enframing (Ge-stell) wherein everything is reduced to standing-reserve (Bestand) for human exploitation, manipulation and optimization. In this sense, technology leads to objectification, desecration, demystification of reality- every aspect of reality is subjected to optimum violent investigation, manipulation and optimization. While Heidegger’s analysis offers valuable insights into the ontological scopes of technology, it has been subject to critique on several fronts. However, Heidegger’s work cannot be ignored in any significant discourse on the relationship between the human person and technology. First, this paper identifies some flaws in Heidegger’s critique, and secondly it insists that, despite his flaws, Heidegger’s proposal against the threat of modern technology remains overwhelming. Thus, adopting analytic method of philosophical investigation, this paper argues that Heidegger remains the most critical thinker on the subject matter, and if his recommendations are strictly applied, the threat of modern technology will be surmounted and it would save humanity from the imminent peril signaled by the relationship between human beings and technological development.

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