Technological System and the Problem of Desymbolization
Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Chapter › peer-review
Authors
This paper focuses on what Jacques Ellul calls a technological system, especially on the aspects of symbolization and desymbolization which characterize the technological evolution that separated human from nature. Ellul’s conceptualization of a technological system suggests a new way to mediate on the relation between human beings and, following the vocabulary of Gilbert Simondon, the technical reality. The technical reality constitutes the world which we dwell, that can only be reinvented by admitting that we are actually being-in-the-technological-system.But it is also essential to evaluate the technological system according to a technical reality which never remains static, and this requires reinvestigating Ellul’s technological system in contemporary terms. This article is divided into three parts, the first part discusses the relation between a technological system and desymbolization in Ellul’s thought; the second part evaluates the technical system and desymbolization through a discussion of Ellul’s inspiration by Gilbert Simondon, looking at the technological system that we confront today; lastly, it examines the technical system from the perspective of another French philosopher, Bernard Stiegler who was also inspired by Simondon. These steps aim to re-access Ellul’s thought in the contemporary technical reality.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Jacques Ellul and the Technological Society in 21st Century |
Editors | Helena M. Jerónimo, José Luís Garcia, Carl Mitcham |
Number of pages | 10 |
Place of Publication | Dordrecht |
Publisher | Springer |
Publication date | 2013 |
Pages | 73-82 |
ISBN (print) | 978-94-007-6657-0 |
ISBN (electronic) | 978-94-007-6658-7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2013 |
- Digital media - Technological System, Technical System, Technical Object, Artificial Object, Technological Object
- Philosophy