(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL (September) - ecology,
echnological determinism or social choices? (fr, it, pt)[machine
translation]
Nuclear GMO, via the Internet, the major technical innovations have profoundly affected
the social relations, in a way that sometimes we experience these changes do we impulsons
them. The technique could she not escaped us? ---- The technical objects are not alone,
the company determines, and at two levels. The technique is primarily influenced by the
social imaginary: it feeds on the culture, myths, thought patterns, desires. These play a
role in the nature of research started, interpretation patterns of natural phenomena, or
of realized technical objects. ---- The inventor of a technical object is considering a
function and a given use, which is not absolutely neutral, but depends largely on social,
norms and prevailing values. The technique is then linked to the economic, commercial
choices, as well as political decisions, particularly on loans for research and
development. Political decisions may depend on non-technical or non-economic factors, such
as the desire for prestige or posterity.
Of the AC electric chair
However, the use does not always follow the design. A technical process or a technical
object, can be used for a purpose for which it was not originally intended. Thus, the
video camera was not originally intended for police purposes. Another example is the
electric current. To demonstrate the danger of alternating current and direct current
recommended as part of common usage, Edison electric shocks administered to animals. The
alternating current became widespread anyway, but his demonstrations eventually led to the
invention of the electric chair.
And the technical evolution is also a social choice case. There are flexible social
choices (on technical or product), and stiffer social choices. The rigidity of the second
comes from the fact that they do not apply to single technical objects, but techniques
that work with each other. The overall operation is generally part of the duration. Edit
Item sometimes involves changing everything. This is for example the case of the choice of
thermal and fossil energy, railway and train, automobile and roads.
Expected effects, unintended effects
Changing these techniques throughout society, is possible but requires a major effort,
including time and energy expended. Technical innovation, that is to say, the modification
of a part of a technical package, made to work with the other, in the same way as the old
technique, however, is possible, and frequently used. For example, the replacement of a
nuclear power plant with the turbines, which are connected to the same supply channels energy.
In return, the technique does not leave indifferent society. First, a technique produces a
range of fringe effects. Some are volunteers expected, others unexpected. Volunteers
effects, like the unintended effects may be positive or negative (negative voluntarily
taking over the logic of social domination, and would be unlikely in the context of an
emancipated society). Then, the technique takes the user to bend in a number of
requirements for its use. A social life where multiple technical objects are present
causes the individual to adopt a certain lifestyle, certain practices. He at no time chose
this technical world.
In continuation of Castoriadis, one could speak of "technical legacy." This is similar in
effect to report autonomy / heteronomy it analyzes about institutions. The individual
finds himself, from his birth in a world he did not choose. Autonomy is the development of
the ability to question, criticize and therefore, reject, or adopt, to appropriate what is
given initially. The re-interviewed institutions, be it only for confirming, so does part
of the independent partnership project. As part of an advanced democracy, it could be the
same for the technical life style and social effects related to the introduction of new
technical objects or systems.
The technique is part of the social
Technical and social oppose as two separate bodies, one of the two dominant other, would
be a mistake. The technique, like the institutions, the economy, culture, social
relations, are an integral part of the social. Social choice and technical determinism
operate as against two-trends in a dynamic development process. The challenge for society
is the ability to guide the technique based on social needs and let it evolve to open new
horizons, while ensuring that the technology meets four fundamental ecological criteria:
sustainability, sustainability, risk mitigation and respect for natural balances.
A liberated imagination technique of domination, serving the needs of the population, as
part of the democratic process of a self-instituting society, sustainable, durable,
protected risks and respecting natural balances, directly contradicts the capitalist
logic, bureaucratic, and modern pharaonisme.
Capitalism, due to the acceleration of production and consumption linked to the
accumulation of market imperatives, can seriously consider decay requirements that go
against it. Authoritarian choices on techniques can not meet or to social and political
autonomy demands or those of emancipation of the art on the imagination of domination.
Balanced and harmonious relationship between technology and society, supposes to get rid
of capitalism, bureaucracy and state.
Floran (AL Marne)
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Determinisme-technique-ou-choix
