E-Book Overview
In A Philosophy of Technology: From Technical Artefacts to Sociotechnical Systems, technology is analysed from a series of different perspectives. The analysis starts by focussing on the most tangible products of technology, called technical artefacts, and then builds step-wise towards considering those artefacts within their context of use, and ultimately as embedded in encompassing sociotechnical systems that also include humans as operators and social rules like legislation. Philosophical characterisations are given of technical artefacts, their context of use and of sociotechnical systems. Analyses are presented of how technical artefacts are designed in engineering and what types of technological knowledge is involved in engineering. And the issue is considered how engineers and others can or cannot influence the development of technology. These characterisations are complemented by ethical analyses of the moral status of technical artefacts and the possibilities and impossibilities for engineers to influence this status when designing artefacts and the sociotechnical systems in which artefacts are embedded. The running example in the book is aviation, where aeroplanes are examples of technical artefacts and the world aviation system is an example of a sociotechnical system. Issues related to the design of quiet aeroplane engines and the causes of aviation accidents are analysed for illustrating the moral status of designing, and the role of engineers therein. Table of Contents: Technical Artefacts / Technical Designing / Ethics and Designing / Technological Knowledge / Sociotechnical Systems / The Role of Social Factors in Technological Development / Ethics and Unintended Consequences of Technology
E-Book Content
A Philosophy of Technology From Technical Artefacts to Sociotechnical Systems
Copyright © 2011 by Morgan & Claypool
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
A Philosophy of Technology - From Technical Artefacts to Sociotechnical Systems Pieter Vermaas, Peter Kroes, Ibo van de Poel, Maarten Franssen, and Wybo Houkes www.morganclaypool.com
ISBN: 9781608455980 ISBN: 9781608455997
paperback ebook
DOI 10.2200/S00321ED1V01Y201012ETS014
A Publication in the Morgan & Claypool Publishers series SYNTHESIS LECTURES ON ENGINEERS, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY Lecture #14 Series Editor: Caroline Baillie, University of Western Australia Series ISSN Synthesis Lectures on Engineers, Technology, and Society Print 1933-3633 Electronic 1933-3641
Synthesis Lectures on Engineers, Technology, and Society Editor Caroline Baillie, University of Western Australia The mission of this lecture series is to foster an understanding for engineers and scientists on the inclusive nature of their profession. The creation and proliferation of technologies needs to be inclusive as it has effects on all of humankind, regardless of national boundaries, socio-economic status, gender, race and ethnicity, or creed. The lectures will combine expertise in sociology, political economics, philosophy of science, history, engineering, engineering education, participatory research, development studies, sustainability, psychotherapy, policy studies, and epistemology. The lectures will be relevant to all engineers practicing in all parts of the world. Although written for practicing engineers and human resource trainers, it is expected that engineering, science and social science faculty in universities will find these publications an invaluable resource for students in the classroom and for further research. The goal of the series is to provide a pla