| Research Abstract |
Technology has a great influence on environment and life today, and it becomes an important task to change our view of technology. As the first step toward a renewal of philosophy of technology, we tried, in this research, to make a foundation of a new perspective of technology; we developed a philosophy of technology that regards technology as an activity which mediates human activities and gives new forms to them. By presenting concepts such as "culture of technology" and "hermeneutics of technology", we made clear that technology shows flexibility and ambiguity in each situation and historical, social context. This point of view is hitherto unnoticed in most of the theories of technology, e.g., instrumentalism of technology or substantialism of technology. Technology has, on one hand, some "micro" dimensions such as bodilihood (interface between machine and human being, bodily skill, and so on), system of social relevance concerning preferability of technologies. On the other hand, it has some "macro" dimensions such as meanings of technology in social structure, guideline of technological activities, and so on. Concepts such as "culture of technology" and " hermeneutics of technology" combine these two dimensions and make clear the anthropological meanings of technology; namely, technology is an activity that is done intersubjectively and inter-corporeitively. This research opens a view that transcends the dichotomous understandings of technology- nature and technology - society. In this way it enables us to treat problems of technology much realistically. For example, we understand social and political meanings of technology and will make an assessment of them, which cannot be reduced to a mere problem of engineer's morality. This shows clearly the possibility of public decision-making in the realm of technology. (In this research this is called "narrative of technology").
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