THE QUESTION OF TECHNOLOGY
Martin Heidegger
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. How is technology a mode of revealing?
Technology is a mode of revealing by entailing and showing more meaning, and
significance. In accordance with Mr. Heidegger, people should envision technology as a
mode of revealing because it shows much more about the human person and the world,
considering it as mode of revealing shows up the truth that is shown by the information
and data taken by modern devices. Technology/Modern technology is a mode of
revealing the truth which is achieving ends or making things easier for us. Technology is
not easy to escape on because it is bound up in which the way we live, our practices and
in our surroundings and technology is also a mode of revealing because it gives us access
in everything we want to explore, as we’re discovering and searching for the meaning of
truth. Technology have their own way of presenting themselves and the world in which
they operate.
2. In your daily experience of technology, what else is revealed to you aside from its
function?
In my daily experience of technology, technology revealed so much more to me than just
by having knowledge on its functions but it opens my eyes to so much more. The
philosophy behind it, the meaning and purpose of technology in our lives. Technology
brought so many changes in our generation. aside from its function, by using technology
on a daily basis makes us wonder and think what is living before when there is still no
technology, what would happen if technology have never been develop or invented. By
comparing the life without technology to the life we are currently living with technology.
Some of us wake up in the morning facing any gadgets and likewise when we were about
to go to bed. It also makes things a lot easier rather than before, in just a snap you can
find the answer on what you’re searching for.
3. Why should technology be questioned?
Technology should be questioned because the purpose of questioning technology
according to martin Heidegger is that it is to break the chains of technology and be free,
not in the absence of technology but through a better understanding of its essence and
meaning. He suggests that there are two dominant ways of understanding technology.
One is instrumental, to view it as a means to an end, while the other is to see it as human
activity. He thinks they belong together. Humanity has a history of developing inventions
for the sake of money, power, and glory. So we must challenge technology by setting
boundaries concerning our personal life. Technology is a lot more than what we see, it’s a
lot deeper than we think it is. By questioning technology, we are allowing ourselves to
see and dive deep into technology.
4. How is questioning the piety of thought?
“Questioning the piety of thought” is a process of knowing the truth of who we are as
beings in this world. It makes us think deeper about a certain idea and find answers we
never thought exists. It becomes a way to discover the truth about ourselves and the
world we live in. Questioning is one of the things we people always do. We are curious
by nature therefore we tend to have these questions about everything and these tiny
questions we ask, makes us find the right answers. These right answers make us
understand the world we live in. It also influences our perspective in life and our beliefs.
5. How does art provide a way out of enframing?
In this way, we are challenged by modern technology to approach nature “as an object of
research” to reveal or “order the real as standing reserve”. Heidegger refers to this as
enframing. Art provides us with a way out of enframing by bringing us closer to poieses
and further away from techne. Art activates human sensitivity if it even exists in an
individual. The use of imagination and actually seeing things the way they are is part of
poieses. We can easily understand the people’s desire if we look upon nature and not just
on technology because technology abuses the limited resources of nature. Art has a deep
and intensifying relationship with nature while technology has no concern on the limited
resources of nature that they easily exploit. Art can provide a way out of enframing if we
deeply reflect the vision of artist in our own point of view/view of the world and with the
help of that, we can see the real meaning of what is reality.