HC 399

Thinking Critically About Technology

Spring Term 2009

Honors College Catalog Description

Is technology good or evil? What is truly good? How does technology help – or hinder – the realization of the good? This course considers the nature and types of value and the central role the concept of value plays in critical discourse. Technology is defined as a means of value creation, then assessments of technology by ancient, modern, and post-modern authors are read and discussed. Students are encouraged to develop principles for assessing technology and are required to write a principled critique of technology.

Instructor

Dr. Ken Funk, Associate Professor of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering

office: Rogers 212
phone: 1-541-737-2357
e-mail: funkk@engr.orst.edu
office hours: MW 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this course, you should be able to

  1. clearly and unambiguously define the term “technology” in its several senses;

  2. define “value”, summarize the major concepts of axiology, describe two or more normative theories of value, and state the importance of axiology to critical discourse, especially that regarding technology;

  3. critically examine pro and con arguments concerning technology; and

  4. clearly articulate a personal, principled critique of technology.

Readings

The course format is reading and discussion (see Schedule). Most of the readings are available on the web and the rest are available in a course packet at the OSU Bookstore, with copies on reserve in the OSU Valley Library. I will provide study questions the week before the reading is discussed and you should read the material and answer the questions before coming to class.

Critical Essay

You will write an essay addressing some variant of the question, What is truly good, and how does technology help or hinder its realization? The essay should be five to 10 pages long, double-spaced. Cite at least three authoritative sources and provide a complete list of references, with full bibliographic information in Chicago (humanities) style (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html). Your essay is due at the time of the final and during the final exam time you will give an informal oral summary of your essay and respond to questions.

Grading

This is a pass/non-pass (P/N) course. To pass this course, you must attend class meetings, participate regularly and substantively in class discussions, and submit an essay meeting the above requirements by the deadline in the Schedule. One unexcused absence is permissible. Any additional absence will be excused only if it is due to factors beyond your control and you take timely action to inform me of the need.

Schedule and Readings

(subject to change)

Week 1 Introduction: Thinking Critically About Technology

Week 2 Axiology Part I: Non-Normative Theories of Value

Hunter Mead, Types and Problems of Philosophy. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1946.

  • Chapter XII, Ethics: What Shall We Do Meanwhile? pp. 241-262

Answer the Study Questions before class: | HTML | RTF |

Week 3 Axiology Part II: Normative Theories of Value

Hunter Mead, Types and Problems of Philosophy. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1946.

  • Chapter XIII, Ethics: But What Is the Highest Good? pp. 263-288

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 4 Pre-Modern Thought on Technology: Pro

Vitruvius, De Architectura, in Lacus Curtius, http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Vitruvius/home.html (accessed 19 February 2008)

  • Book I Preface, Chapter I

  • Book V Preface, Chapters I - VI

  • Book X Preface, Chapters I – X

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 5 Pre-Modern Thought on Technology: Pro/Con

Xenophon, Memorabilia, in the Classic Reader, http://www.classicreader.com/booktoc.php/sid.8/bookid.1792/ (accessed 26 March 2008).

  • Book I Chapters I, III

  • Book II Chapter I

  • Book III Chapters VIII

  • Book IV Chapters III, V, VI, VII

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 6 Modern Thought on Technology: Pro

Francis Bacon, Novum Organum, in the Hanover Historical Texts Project library, http://history.hanover.edu/texts/Bacon/novorg.html (accessed 24 March 2008).

  • Book I, Aphorisms 1 – 68,

  • Book I, Aphorisms 89 – 95

  • Book I, Aphorisms 98 – 100

  • Book I, Aphorisms 108 – 111

  • Book I, Aphorisms 128 – 129

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 7 Modern Thought on Technology: Con

J.L. Hammond and Barbara Hammond, The Rise of Modern Industry. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1926.

  • Chapter XI, The Revolution in Cotton, pp. 178 – 189

  • Chapter XIII, The Curse of Midas, pp. 210 - 232

Steven Binfield, Luddites and Luddism, History, http://campus.murraystate.edu/academic/faculty/kevin.binfield/luddites/LudditeHistory.htm (accessed 25 February 2008).

Poetry on the Industrial Revolution:

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 8 Hyper-Modern Thought on Technology: Pro

Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity is Near, New York: Viking, 2005.

  • Prologue, The Power of Ideas, pp. 1-5

  • Chapter One, The Six Epochs, pp. 7-33

  • Chapter Seven, Ich bin ein Singularitarian, pp. 369-39

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 9 Post-Modern Thought on Technology: Con

Bill Joy, “Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us”, Wired 8.04 (April 2000), http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy.html.

Study Questions: | HTML | RTF |

Week 10 Reflection: Thinking Critically About Technology

Finals Week Final Exam Meeting

Essay presentations and discussion

Revised 31 March 2009