This is Technology Ethics

1WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY (FROM AN ETHICAL POINT OF VIEW)?

1.1 A Hut in the Black Forest

1.1 Around 100 years ago, in the Black Forest of Southern Germany, there stood a small and simple three‐room cabin, to which an eccentric philosopher would retire in order to escape from the modern world. From 1922 onward, he went there to work on philosophical texts about the nature of “being,” and he felt deeply inspired by these surroundings. The philosopher in question was Martin Heidegger. He composed some of his most well‐known writings in this cabin, which he called “die Hütte” (the hut). While in his Hütte, Heidegger would sometimes dress up in traditional farmers’ clothing. And he would wander about in the Black Forest and ponder abstract philosophical questions, far away from bothersome modern technologies and other distractions.

1.2 This might seem like a strange place to start this book, and a strange choice of philosopher. However, it makes sense to start a book about technology ethics with Heidegger and his hut for a number of reasons. One reason is that one of the most‐cited writings about what technology is was written by Heidegger (most likely in the cabin!). Another reason is that it is good to have a reminder early on about the following. Even though we usually think about the latest and most advanced forms of cutting‐edge technology when we hear the word “technology,” even the simplest and oldest forms of technology are also technologies.

1.3 For example, Heidegger would go ...