Martin Heidegger's The Question Concerning Technology: An Analysis
925 Words4 Pages
Martin Heidegger states in his lecture on “The Question Concerning Technology” that “we, as humans, remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it.”(Krell 7) Technology in the modern world has changed the way humans live in unimaginable ways to that of the world in which Heidegger lived. Yet, he believed and had the intuition to deduce that technology was ever growing and would continue to change the world whether society followed closely behind or not. One of the definitions that is given by Heidegger is the idea that “technology is a means to an end.”(Krell 8) This statement is correct in many ways, as man turned to machines to change their lives, which can been seen in the development of the telephone,…show more content… By 1995, Microsoft, Windows, and Apple had established more reliable operating systems and gave way to personal computers for at home use. The evolution of the computer is potentially one of the fastest growing and changing technological advancements experienced in the history of mechanization. However, with this came a rapid demand for more convenient devices which would make day to day life easier for the average person. After the establishment of PCs and Apple computers in the vast majority of homes throughout the industrialized world, also came the smartphone. Smartphones could be dubbed as a handheld computer based on the numerous amount of functions and application embedded in them. These devices are no longer just used to communicate via telephone and one could argue that these mini computers have become an extension of the human. As Heidegger described, “technology is human activity”(Krell 8), in other words, the programs such as the internet which rose along with the computer have been integrated into human life causing people so vastly depend on these devices. This, however, has its many perks and