Technology and Society 1177208

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
POLSIS, School of Government & Society College of Social Sciences!
St"dent I# $o% &rn!' 1177208
Programme of &t"dy' () *+! Political Science and Sociology
,ear of &t"dy' -
rd

.od"le title' Technology and Society
.od"le /anner
code'
08 2-0871SO2 -12
.od"le leader' #r 3o&& )//innett
Seminar teacher' #r 3o&& )//innett
S"/mi&&ion date' 17%02%2010
)&&ignment title' +o4 ha& the emergence of cy/ernetic organi&m&
tran&formed o"r conce5t of 6the h"man78
9:ten&ion' no
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Technology and Society 1177208
Feedback
Overview of subissio!
#e;nition of <"e&tion, integration of theoretical and em5irical material 4here a55ro5riate, engagement 4ith
relevant theme& and i&&"e&, engagement 4ith relevant academic literat"re!
"ua#i$% of researc& a!d a!a#%sis
2larity and de5th of arg"ment, &co5e of arg"ment, originality of a55roach, range of &o"rce& "&ed, critical "&e of
&o"rce&!
Evide!ce of ke% ski##s
Str"ct"re, clarity of e:5re&&ion, 5ro5er referencing and accom5anying /i/liogra5hy, formatting, evidence of
&"&tained re&earch!
'o$e!$ia# areas for i(rovee!$
+o4 co"ld a f"t"re &"/mi&&ion /e enhanced8!
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Technology and Society 1177208
+o4 ha& the emergence of cy/ernetic organi&m& +o4 ha& the emergence of cy/ernetic organi&m&
tran&formed o"r conce5t of 6the h"man78 tran&formed o"r conce5t of 6the h"man78

he my&terie& of being have /een a central foc"& for 5hilo&o5her& &ince
ancient time&% +o4ever, 4ith the ever=more gro4ing develo5ment of
$(I2S $ano, (io, Info, 2ogno, Synthetic! technologie& there i& a
5lethora of ethical, &ociological and 5olitical i&&"e& 4hich need& to /e addre&&ed%
Thi& e&&ay e:5lore& the 4ay in 4hich, follo4ing +eidegger, modern technology
limit& h"man&7 5otential to reveal them&elve& a& a"thentic /eing&, 4ith a
5artic"lar foc"& on deaf 5eo5le and the /ionic ear% >ir&tly, the 6ontological
di?erence7 in +eidegger7& 4or@ 4ill /e laid o"t to ena/le "& to foc"& on the
ontological <"e&tion, namely, 4hat it mean& to /e h"man, or a being towards-
death% >"rther, thi& e&&ay &ee@& to analy&e the im!5o&&i/ility that cy/ernetic
enhancement& of the ontic the h"man /ody, the /eing=di&a/led! can change the
meaning of the ontological of (eing, #a&ein!, or the 4ay in 4hich one em/race&
death% 2ontrary to +eidegger7& conce5tion of (eing and death, the main foc"& of
tran&h"mani&t& i& to actively engage 4ith death and life enhancement, 4hich, it
4ill /e &een, rai&e& <"e&tion& a/o"t their a"thenticity% $onethele&&, 2ritical
#i&a/ility &cholar& 5oint to ethical concern&' the /ionic ear &"/&tantively alter&
and threaten& deaf c"lt"re, the Sign Lang"age and the meaning of 6o5timal life7
and di&1a/ility% There i& no do"/t that the cochlear im5lant1/ionic ear i& aporetic'
it re5re&ent& an a"gmentation of h"man a/ility, /"t it i& al&o a threat, 4hen "&ed
in&tr"mentally to e&ta/li&h a hierarchy of a/ilitie& and an ae&thetic of o55re&&ion%
T4o other dilemma& ari&e' ;r&tly, it i& <"e&tiona/le the e:tent to 4hich cy/ernetic
organi&m& are either a form of h"/ri& or a &o"rce for h"man li/eration% Secondly,
it i& de/ata/le 4hether 5ro&thetic& can /e "nder&tood a& real em/odiment 4hich
"n5ro/lematically re5lace& h"man 6ill&7, or 4hether they m"&t /e &een a& a
T
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6ready=to=hand7 5iece of e<"i5ment% Altimately, it 4ill /e arg"ed that 4hat need&
to /e re&i&ted i& the fa&ci&tic tendency inherent in
tran&h"mani&t1a/lei&t1"tilitarian a55roache& to h"man& a& re&o"rce& to /e
e:5loited in the name of 6life enhancement7%
Tec&!o#o)% as a )if$
+"man&7 5reocc"5ation 4ith technology ha& /een doc"mented &ince ancient
time&B one of the mo&t ill"&trative in&tance& can /e fo"nd in +e&iod7& Theogony
and Works and Days, namely the .yth of Promethe"&% Promethe"&, Ce"&7& &on,
&tole ;re from hi& father and gave it /ac@ to h"man& a& a gift, im5roving their
condition% +o4ever, the &tory doe& not end here% Ce"& ha& +e5hae&t"& create
Pandora 4ho give& h"man& a co"nter=gift' 4hen &he o5en& a Dar, h"man ill& Ey
o"t&ide of it% Fith their voice& removed, the&e ill& can &ilently and "ne:5ectedly
a?ect h"man&% +o4ever, the &5irit of +o5e or 6e:5ectation7! remain& clo&ed
4ithin the Dar (eall 1GG1'-H0!% +o5e i& an am/ig"o"& &tate' it i& neither 4holly
5o&itive nor negative, /"t it give& h"man& the 5o&&i/ility to deal 4ith h"man
mi&ery% >"rthermore, Promethe"&, in 6Promethe"& (o"nd7 claim& that he
5revented h"man& from 6fore&eeing their o4n death7 /y giving them ho5e,
5lacing h"man& /et4een the condition of "ncon&cio"& /ea&t& and the certainty of
the god&% Th"&, ho5e i& a 6nece&&ary ill"&ion7 4hich ma@e& life /eara/le 2lay
200G'102=G!%
+o4 are 4e to "nder&tand the gift of technology from Promethe"&, and the
am/ig"ity of ho5e8 Fith the advancement of modern technology, more attention
ha& /een given to the &ocial creation of h"man im5erfection&, and the
develo5ment of technology a& remedy% Treating h"man di?erence and di&1a/ility
a& de;ciency, Fe&tern &ocietie& have incor5orated a @ind of 6Promethean &hame7,
&"/Decting h"man& to cor5oreal im5rovement and 6enhancement7 /y "&ing
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technology /oth a& a tool and a& a reference for 5erfection Lie&&mann
2011'12H!% Technology ha& /ecome the ne4 god' it& @no4ledge i& 6certain7,
&cienti;c, 5roviding h"man& 4ith the 5romi&e of overcoming the 5recario"&
condition of h"man e:i&tence and even death% The end=re&"lt i& the ri&e of neo=
ca5itali&m a& a ne4 6religion7% The .yth of Promethe"& ill"&trate& ho4 thro"gho"t
time, &ociety ha& not e&ca5ed from the am/ig"ity of technology and the ho5e of
"nder&tanding and overcoming death%
T&e *ues$io! of Bei!)+$owards+dea$&
+eidegger i& one of the ;r&t 5hilo&o5her& to di&c"&& the role of /eing and
technology in a &y&tematic 4ay% >or the 5"r5o&e of thi& &ection, 4e &hall mainly
foc"& on hi& 5ortrayal of being a& #a&ein% Thro"gh 5henomenology, he arg"e&
again&t the "tilitarian and in&tr"mental 5erce5tion of nat"re and &ociety a&
6&tanding re&erve7 +eidegger 1GGH'-22!% Let "& &tart from the event of /irth%
)ccording to +eidegger, a& h"man& 4e are thro4n into the 4orld 4hich, a& it i&
foreign to "&, e:erci&e& a feeling of an:iety "5on "&, 4hich lead& to the feeling of
care% Thi& condition i& called #a&ein /eing=there!, an ontically di&ting"i&hed
entity 4hich 6in it& very (eing, that (eing i& an i&&"e for it7 1GH2'-2!B in other
4ord&, #a&ein i& the only mode of /eing 4hich i& concerned 4ith it& o4n
e:i&tence existentiell!% In di&c"&&ing the nat"re of /eing, +eidegger 5re&ent& the
6ontological di?erence7 /et4een /eing the ontic! and (eing the ontological!% P"t
more &im5ly, /eing i& the h"man a& an entity, ac@no4ledged a& &"ch thro"gh
&elf=a4arene&&B (eing i& &igni;ed /y all /eing& = it i& the e:5erience of h"manity
4ithin all /eing& $ichol&on 1GGH'-H-!% So, the /irth of /eing& #a&ein! i& al4ay&
em/raced /y the o5enne&& of (eing, (eing having ontological 5rimacy
+eidegger 1GH2'-2!% >"rther, (eing encom5a&&e& three mode&' &"/&tance,
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Technology and Society 1177208
e<"i5ment and #a&ein #o/re& 2000'2--!% Fe &hall e:5lore the mode of (eing of
e<"i5ment called 6readine&&=to=hand7! later in the e&&ay, 4hen di&c"&&ing
technology%
#a&ein i& not an i&olated entity% In /eing=4ith .it&ein!, 6the they7 emerge = 4e
4ill &ee in a moment ho4 #a&ein i& related to 6the they7% To come /ac@ to the
conce5t of an:iety' 4e are often reminded /y +eidegger a/o"t the 5o&&i/ility of
death, that i&, #a&ein7& /eing=to4ard&=death% #a&ein i& concerned 4ith
contem5lating death, a& it recogni&e& it a& the possibility of the impossibility of
any existence at all +eidegger 1GH2'-07B em5ha&i& in original!% Thi& acco"nt i&
a recognition of one7& nothingne&& and an a55eal to an e?ort to free o"r&elve& to
4or@ on o"r 65roDect&7 the freedom of ma@ing 5lan& for the f"t"re! and to engage
in li/erating e:5erience&% +o4ever, death i& al4ay& 4itne&&ed /y 6the they7 4ho
try to tran<"ili&e it& e?ect& of an:iety% The creation of morality, ethic&, religion,
D"&tice and other &tr"ct"re& are tho&e on the /a&i& of 4hich an:iety i& mediated
for #a&ein, to accommodate it in the 4orld 4hich i& rendered a& foreign%
)ltho"gh thi& accommodation of #a&ein /y .it&ein in the 4orld red"ce& the
enco"ntering of the 4orld a& inho&5ita/le, there i& a ri&@ 4hich .it&ein 5o&e& to
#a&ein% Indeed, 6everyday (eing=4ith=one=another maintain& it&elf /et4een the
t4o e:treme& of 5o&itive &olicit"de I that 4hich lea5& in and dominate&, and that
4hich lea5& forth and li/erate&7 +eidegger 1GH2'1JG!% Th"&, 6the they7 can
/ecome a di&traction for #a&ein, giving it the ill"&ion of 6feeing in the face of
death7 +eidegger 1GH2'2G8B em5ha&i& in original!% To /e more &5eci;c, let "&
loo@ at the ca&e of the deaf=#a&ein% The hearing aid and 6the they7 e:i&t
&"55o&edly for the deaf=#a&ein to feel 6at=home7 +eidegger 1GGH'-18! in the
6foreign 4orld7% +o4ever, /eing=4ith can create de5endencyB altho"gh &ociety
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Technology and Society 1177208
and e<"i5ment red"ce the feeling of an:iety, thi& de5endency can tran&form care
into control% Tran&h"mani&m or 6h"man 2%0 a5ologi&m7 (a/ich 201-'J1!! i& the
5hilo&o5hy 4hich advocate& 5reci&ely for the creation of 6ina"thentic #a&ein7,
&"/Dect to 6technological ventrilo<"i&m7 Finner, cited /y Schra"/e 200J'82!% The
logic of thi& normative 5hilo&o5hy of h"man enhancement i& "nderlined /y
hedoni&tic "tilitariani&m (o&trom 200J'1H!, a& it 5rioriti&e& ha55ine&& and
5romi&e& a tran<"illi&ation of death% #i&c"&&ing tran&h"mani&m 4ill hel5 "&
f"rther analy&e the change in the meaning of di&1a/ility and 6the h"man7%
Overcoi!) dea$& a!d &ua! e!&a!cee!$
)ccording to the Tran&h"mani&t organi&ation !manity" 4e/&ite, they 64ant
5eo5le to /e /etter than 4ell7% Th"&, tran&h"mani&t& try to a55ro5riate h"man
4ell/eing in order to create a 65aradi&e engineering7 9ttinger 200G'120!% )&
+eidegger7& ina"thentic /eing& /elieve that 6death certainly come&, /"t not right
a4ay7 1GH2'-02!, tran&h"mani&t& &ee@ to al4ay& defer it, to deny the 5o&&i/ility
that it can occ"r at any time%
Tran&h"mani&m i&, in a 4ay, the materiali&ation of the Promethean mythology,
5romi&ing h"man& the role of the 6god&7% In it& normative a55roach, it &ee@& to
tran&form the 6(eing=To4ard&=#eath7, to e:tend h"man &en&e&, a/ilitie& and
f"nction&% Tran&h"mani&m attem5t& to challenge the my&terie& of life 4ith the
end goal of overcoming and managing life and death% They 5ortray technology a&
li/erating, /"t they treat it in&tr"mentally for the 5"r5o&e of creating
/iomediated /odie& /y introd"cing 65o&t/iological thre&hold into life it&elf7
2lo"gh 2008'2!% >ollo4ing thi&, one co"ld infer that tran&h"mani&t& advocate for
the 5o&&i/ility of e<"i5ment /ecoming 5art of #itsein$ having it& o4n
technological 6life7 and 5o4er% The corn"co5ian characteri&tic of tran&h"mani&t&
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Technology and Society 1177208
di?erentiate& them from the .alth"&ian inE"ence of e"genici&t& altho"gh they
&hare &imilar idea& ina&m"ch a& they all advocate again&t h"man variation in
term& of a/ility, 5erceiving di?erence in /inary term&, and th"& treating di&a/ility
a& "nde&ira/le%
,i-ere!ce a!d dis.abi#i$%
There are t4o main de;nition& of di&a/ility' the individ"al or 6medical7! model
and the &ocial model Sha@e&5eare 200H'1J!% Tran&h"mani&t& give a normative
val"e to the medical a55roach% +o4ever, 4ithin deaf comm"nitie& o5inion& are
&5lit /et4een the t4o de;nition&% >ollo4er& of the medical model 5erceive
technology a& a 4ay to 6c"re7 deafne&&% On the other hand, they ignore the fact
that the lo&& of hearing doe& not mean a total ina/ility to comm"nicate' deaf
5eo5le ada5t and develo5 &en&ory and vi&"al ca5a/ilitie& 4hich allo4 them to
interact 4ith hearing and non=hearing 5eo5le .erlea"=Ponty 2002'-8-! and 4ith
the 4orld it&elf% In&tead of ac@no4ledging the diver&ity of a/ilitie& in them&elve&,
tran&h"mani&t& &ee di&a/ility a& a 6lac@7 or a 6lo&&7 4hich need& to /e remedied
for a 5er&on to /ecome 6tr"ly h"man7 in a heterogeneo"&ly fa/ricated &ociety
Schillmeier 2007'JG0=H!% Thi& di&co"r&e come& a& contradictory to the
e:5erience& and de&ire& of the deaf comm"nity% )gain&t the medical model,
2ritical #i&a/ility &cholar& 4ho ado5t a 5henomenological a55roach to di&a/ility
advocate for the &ocial model of di&a/ility% )ccording to them, &ociety di&1a/le&
5eo5le thro"gh 5ractice& and the hierarchical con&tr"ction of a/ilitie&, leading to
the develo5ment of a/lei&m and a"di&m Fol/ring 200G'108=G!% They &tre&& that
deafne&& i& D"&t another 4ay of /eing 4ith di?erent /odily ca5acitie&%
Fhen di&c"&&ing a/o"t deaf 5eo5le one o"ght to ma@e a di&tinction' ;r&tly, 6#eaf7
refer& to &elf=de;ned mem/er& of the deaf comm"nity7& c"lt"reB &econdly, 6deaf7
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Technology and Society 1177208
5eo5le do not nece&&arily &elf=de;ne a& 5art of #eaf c"lt"re, /"t they
neverthele&& live in a hearing 4orld 4hich they ;nd foreign, a& it doe& not
accommodate their need&% Since the 1G80&, #eaf comm"nitie& have organi&ed
cam5aign& again&t the 4ide&5read cochlear im5lant&% La/elled a& di&a/led, they
reDect the hearing 4orld7& attem5t& to 6adD"&t7 them, and &ee@ to /e recogni&ed
a& a di?erent c!lt!re S5arro4 200J'100!% #eaf c"lt"re re5re&ent& a &hared
identity, 5olitic&, in&tit"tion&, hi&tory and val"e &y&tem, and it ha& it& o4n
lang"age = the Sign Lang"age Peter& 2000'J80!% +o4ever, thro"gh the creation
of cochlear im5lant& and /ionic ear&, the deaf are &een increa&ingly more a&
atomi&tic individ"al& 4ho 6altho"gh lac@ing7 hearing, they have the 5o&&i/ility to
overcome their 65hy&ical 4ea@ne&&7 4ith the 6gift7 of cy/ernetic organi&m&% Thi&
vie4 doe& not con&ider that the 6choice7 of 4earing an im5lant i& in e?ect a
conditioning im5o&ed /y &ociety' deaf 5eo5le7& ref"&al to "&e an im5lant co"ld /e
inter5reted a& ho&tility or ina/ility to &ee their real 6condition7 S5arro4
200J'1-7!%
Placed /et4een t4o "neven and com5eting o5tion&, the deaf=#a&ein i& 5"&hed to
con&ider 6o55ort"nity co&t&7 2ro"ch 1GG7'18!, a& 5re&&"re i& /eing 5"t on the
di&1a/led to "&e a"gmented technology% +earingne&&, 5laced in /inary o55o&ition
4ith deafne&&, i& 5ortrayed a& the de&ired 6choice7 4hich deaf 5eo5le have to
ma@e in order to /ecome 5art of the hearing 4orld% +o4ever, thi& im5lant
dilemma create& the deaf a& 6hy/rid& de&tined to live in the t4ilight Kone7
2am5/ell 200G'GJ!, ina&m"ch a& the condition for /eing a mem/er of the
hearing 4orld re&t& on technology a& mediation% It i& once again the deaf 5er&on
4ho carrie& the /"rden of trying to engage 4ith the dominant &ociety% 3eferring
/ac@ to +eidegger7&, doe& thi& con&tant &tr"ggle mean that the deaf=#a&ein i&
more a"thentic than the a/le=/odied #a&ein /eca"&e the former i& actively
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Technology and Society 1177208
concerned 4ith their e:i&tence8 The&e are com5le: <"e&tion& 4ith no &im5le
an&4er&% $everthele&&, it i& im5ortant to ac@no4ledge that the e:i&tence of the
cy/ernetic organi&m it&elf create& need& Schra"/e 200J'82! 4hich are indeed
fa/ricated /y the &cienti;c 4orld for the deaf% 2y/ernetic organi&m&, then, are not
5rod"ced only a& ready=to=hand e<"i5ment I they al4ay& &ym/oli&e &omething
more%
T&e bio!ic ear
>or +eidegger, for an e<"i5ment to /e gen"ine and a"thentic, it m"&t 64ithdra47
it&elf, that i&, the "&er ha& to /e a/&or/ed /y the ea&e of "&ing the e<"i5ment%
Thi& e<"i5ment doe& not ma@e it&elf felt, /"t it reveal& aletheia!B it reveal& not
the innerne&& of a thing, /"t a ne4 di&5o&ition and e:5an&ion of that 4hich had
4ithdra4n from "& and 4hich o5en& it&elf 4ithin the realm of 5o&&i/ility ."le&
2012!% )re eLcient cy/ernetic organi&m& to /e &een a& li/erating or, on the
contrary, /loc@ing h"man 5otentiality from revealing it& e&&ence a& existentiell8
Thi& dilemma /ecome& even more com5le: 4hen h"man attri/"te& are attached
to cy/ernetic 5ro&thetic&, a&, for e:am5le, the /ionic ear can allegedly 6hear 4ith
s!perh!man 5otential7 $et/"rn 201-B my em5ha&i&! I it i& im5lied here that
deafne&& cannot /e an attri/"te of a 6&"5erh"man7% The e:change val"e of
technological im5lant& i& tran&lated into the a/ility to re5licate h"man /ody
organ&, ae&thetic& and even 5erce5tion1a?ect% >"rthermore, the 5ro&thetic i&
5re&ented in a 4ay 4hich treat& hearing a& an e&&ential <"ality of 4hat it mean&
to /e 6h"man7% Thi& a55roach neglect& the variety of other 4ay& of
comm"nication develo5ed /y deaf 5eo5le, and it ignore& the val"e of the Sign
Lang"age%
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Technology and Society 1177208
In The %!estion Concerning Technology, +eidegger tal@& a/o"t t4o mode& of
revealing /ringing into light! /y technology% >ir&t, 5re=modern technology
techn&! reveal& the 4orld in a 4ay &imilar to art poiesis!, not a& man"fact"ring,
/"t a& 6/ringing=forth7 +eidegger 1GGH'-18=G!% In modern &ocietie&, technology i&
6not technological7, /"t rather a mode of revealing thro"gh 6challenging=forth7,
that i&, /y "&ing nat"re a& a re&o"rce, a &tanding re&erve 1GGH'-20=-!% The
latter7& rai&on d7Mtre i& to &ee@ nat"re7& 6re5orting7 in a &cienti;c, mea&"ra/le
manner 1GGH'-28!% 2on&e<"ently, technology7& 5"r5o&e /ecome& an
acc"m"lation of 5o4er 1GGH'--0!% In modern Fe&tern &ocietie&, the
5reocc"5ation 4ith &cience and the develo5ment of technology ha& changed the
4ay in 4hich the 4orld can /e "nder&tood%
+o4ever, a& /eing&, 4e are al4ay& in the 4orld, and th"& 4e are directly a?ected
/y thi& in&tr"mental rationality and the e:5loitative 5ractice& "5on nat"re% Fithin
/oth the material and ideational realm&, 5o4er &ho4& it&elf thro"gh the
con&tr"ction of di&1a/ility and di?erence% Th"&, even 4hen the deaf=#a&ein i&
a/&or/ed /y the 5ro&thetic e<"i5ment &"ch a& the /ionic ear, the eLcacy of it i&
revealed a& a form of control% The 4ay in 4hich h"man& are challenged=forth /y
technology to reveal them&elve& a& re&o"rce& in the realm of ordering i& called
enframing +eidegger 1GGH'-2J!' The deaf 5er&on i& challenged=forth to 6re5ort7
and grant medical and technical e:5ert& 5o4er, for the latter to a&&e&& the
cy/ernetic organi&m7& eLcacy to order &o"nd, ae&thetic& and a?ect&% The&e
6intellect"ali&t&7 "&e 6D"dgement7 a& a 4ay of a&&e&&ing the e:5erience& of the
5atient, in&tead of treating &en&ory e:5erience& a& valid .erlea"=Ponty
2002'-G!% +ence, the /ionic ear i& not only a tool for 6im5roving7 or creating
hearing, /"t it &ym/oli&e& &omething more than that, for 6not only that /y mean&
of 4hich &omething el&e i& e?ected i& a ca"&e6 +eidegger 1GGH'-1-!%
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Technology and Society 1177208
Technological enframing of /eing& a?ect& 5erce5tion, identity, 5olitic&, ethic&,
.it&ein /eing=4ith! and the h"man=o/Dect relation&hi5%
)ltho"gh Promethe"& o?ered the gift to h"man& in order to enhance their live&,
4e have not /een a/le to overcome the 6Promethean di&cre5ancy7% To 5"t it more
&im5ly, &ociety7& a/ility to di&cern the technological enframing of their live&
al4ay& lag& /ehind the fa&t 5rod"ction of ne4 cy/ernetic&% GNnther )nder&
e:5lain& thi& di&cre5ancy a& an e?ect of modern ca5itali&m 4hich inE"ence& and
limit& o"r imagination, a& 4e /ecome more &5eciali&ed and concerned 4ith
&5eci;c &ection& of the 5roce&& of 5rod"ction Schra"/e 200J'81!% .ore than the
o/Decti;cation of h"man&, the develo5ment of modern technology and the
ado5tion of technocratic and tran&h"mani&t di&co"r&e& and /elief& have
tran&formed the 4ay 4e &ee o/Dect&' they have /ecome treated 6a& if they 4ere
O5eo5leP7 )nder&, cited /y Schra"/e 200J'81!, /l"rring the di&tinction /et4een
#a&ein and o/Dect&%
"ues$io!i!) $ec&!o#o)%
(y not trying to di&cover the 64hat7 of h"man /eing& a& 6&"/&tance&7, +eidegger
foc"&e& on the nat"re of 6/eing7 4hich incl"de& h"man /eing& 4ith a/ilitie& from
the 4hole &5ectr"m% +o4ever, +eidegger doe& not give an ela/orate acco"nt of
the 6ontic=existentiell 1GH2'-2!, nor a/o"t &"/Dectivity, attracting m"ch critici&m
for "ndermining the everyday e:5erience& of the 6lived /ody7 )ho 200J'7!%
2on&e<"ently, follo4ing +eidegger7& acco"nt of #a&ein, one cannot di&ting"i&h
/et4een "nmediated hearing and the hearing 5rovided /y cy/ernetic 5ro&the&i&B
nor can one di&ting"i&h /et4een the di?erent e:5erience& felt /y hearing and
deaf 5eo5le in relation to thi& di&1a/ility% The mo&t that can /e &aid, in a
+eideggerian fa&hion, i& that the relation&hi5 /et4een /eing& and ready=to=hand
11
Technology and Society 1177208
e<"i5ment varie&% Indeed, di?erent form& of e<"i5ment create de5endency and
other& give the &en&e of li/eration to their "&er% Th"&, in a hearing 4orld 4hich
doe& not accommodate the a/ilitie& of deaf 5eo5le, they ;nd e<"i5ment a&
6"nready=to=hand7% It i& here 4here .erlea"=Ponty7& 5henomenology of 5erce5tion
com5lete& +eidegger7& 4or@ on f"ndamental ontology% S5ace doe& not allo4 for
an ade<"ate ac@no4ledgement of the richne&& of .erlea"=Ponty7& acco"nt of the
5henomenology of 5erce5tion, yet it i& im5ortant to mention hi& f"rther
develo5ment of +eidegger7& tho"ght%
)ccording to .erlea"=Ponty, #a&ein7& 6initiation into the 4orld7 come& thro"gh
5erce5tion .erlea"=Ponty 2002'-00!% In other 4ord&, 5erce5tion ta@e&
5recedence to the intellect"al "nder&tanding of the 4orldB thi& 5er&5ective hel5&
"& add another level of "nder&tanding of the mode of /eing of the deaf=/orn%
>"rthermore, he &tate& that 4e are 6in the 4orld thro"gh o"r /ody, and Q%%%R 4e
5erceive the 4orld 4ith o"r /ody7 .erlea"=Ponty 2002'2-G!, the /ody /eing the
6&"/Dect of 5erce5tion7 and 6the vehicle of /eing in the 4orld7 .erlea"=Ponty
2002'G0!% >ollo4ing thi& a55roach, f"rther re&earch o"ght to <"e&tion the ta@en
for granted readine&& to hand of 5artic"lar o/Dect& 4hich are not 5re&ent=to=hand
for di&a/led 5eo5le%
,asei! a!d $ec&!o#o)% + &ow are we $o $&i!k abou$ /$&e &ua!0
!ow1
Technological develo5ment enco"rage& a 5olitic& of e:cl"&ion, a& &ocietie&
envi&ion di?erence and a/ility in hierarchical 4ay&% The &5irit of +o5e from the
Promethean .yth can /e tran&lated into the c"rrent 5reocc"5ation 4ith h"man
enhancement and 6gaining time7 for the &a@e of ca5ital acc"m"lation 2lo"gh
2008'17!% The h"man i& th"& 5erceived in term& of 5rod"ctivity and ine<"ality,
12
Technology and Society 1177208
"nder the h"/ri& of ca5itali&t technocracy% >inally, +eidegger7& ontology ha& the
5otential of o?ering a 4ay of thin@ing a/o"t /eing h"man 4hich avoid& the
e:cl"&ionary categorie& enco"ntered in other 5olitical, 5hilo&o5hical and ethical
5roDect&%
Fhen "&ing technology, 4e m"&t ta@e into con&ideration o"r mode of /eing in the
4orld, ho4 4e relate to 6the they7 and 4hat role 4e 5lay a& 5art of 6the they7 of
other&% The f"t"re technology 4hich 4e o"ght to envi&age 4o"ld not /e "&ed to
di&cover the innerne&& of life and death a& a mean& to an end% Thi& technology
4o"ld need not im5ede 4ith the freedom of 6letting=thing&=/e7 4hat they are
Soc@leman& 1G8J'1J8!, namely #eaf=#a&ein, and 4ith their revealing a& &"ch%
Th"&, 4hen 5rod"cing and "&ing technology, medical and technology &5eciali&t&
&ho"ld ta@e into acco"nt the e:i&tence of di?erent mode& of /eing and the
a/ilitie& and &en&e& of deaf=#a&ein, in&tead of concealing and deval"ing their
a/ilitie&% ) technology 4hich doe& not reveal the e&&ence of a /eing for #a&ein, it
i& (eing!, enframe& "&%
>inally, in the 4ord& of t4o di&1a/led activi&t&'
#o not tell, correct, and lead%
Li&ten, &"55ort, and follo4%
#o not 4or@ on me%
For@ 4ith meT
S"nc and Uan der Slift!%
2ord cou!$3 45678 2ord cou!$3 45678
Bib#io)ra(&%3 Bib#io)ra(&%3
)ho, S%, )% 200J! 6The .i&&ing #ialog"e (et4een +eidegger and .erlea"=Ponty'
On the Im5ortance of the Colli@on Seminar&7 in (ody ) Society, vol% 11, no% 1,
55% 1=2-%
1-
Technology and Society 1177208
(a/ich, (% 201-! 6O, S"5ermanT Or (eing To4ard& Tran&h"mani&m' .artin
+eidegger, GNnther )nder&, and .edia )e&thetic&7 in Di*inatio, vol% -H, no% 1,
55% 01=GG%
(eall, 9%, >% 1GG1! 6+e&iod7& Promethe"& and #evelo5ment in .yth7 in +o!rnal of
the istory of ,deas, vol% J2, no% -, 55% -JJ=71%
(o&trom, $% 200J! 6) +i&tory of Tran&h"mani&t Tho"ght7 in +o!rnal of -*ol!tion
and Technology, vol% 10, no% 1, 55% 1=-0%
2am5/ell, >%, S% 200G! Conto!rs of .bleism/ The 0rod!ction of Disability and
.bledness% London' Palgrave .ac.illan%
2lay, *%, S% 200G! esiods Cosmos% 2am/ridge' 2am/ridge Aniver&ity Pre&&%
2lo"gh, P%, T% 2008! 6The )?ective T"rn' Political 9conomy, (iomedia and (odie&7
in Theory$ C!lt!re and Society, vol% 2J, no% 1, 55% 1=22%
2ro"ch, 3%, )% 1GG7! 6Letting the #eaf /e #eaf' 3econ&idering the A&e of
2ochlear Im5lant& in Preling"ally #eaf 2hildren7 in The astings Center
1eport, vol% 27, no% 0, 55% 10=21%
#o/re&, .%=)% 2000! 6Tool=(eing' +eidegger and the meta5hy&ic& of O/Dect&
revie4!7 in Technology and C!lt!re, vol% 0, no% 1, 55% 2-2=0%
9ttinger, 3%, 2%, F% 200G! 2o!ni*erse/ Toward a Self-Centered 0hilosophy of
,mmortalism and Cryonics% >lorida' Aniver&al P"/li&her&%
+eidegger, .% 1GH2! (eing and Time% O:ford' (lac@4ell P"/li&her&%
VVVVVVVVVVVV 1GGH! 6The W"e&tion 2oncerning Technology7, in Srell, #% ed%!
eidegger/ (asic Writings$ 55% -=-J% London' 3o"tledge%
+"manityX no date! 6)/o"t7 on !manity" 4e/&ite% )vaila/le at'
htt5'11h"manity5l"&%org1a/o"t1 Q)cce&&ed -1%12%201-R%
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Technology and Society 1177208
Soc@leman&, *%, *% 1G8J! eidegger on .rt and .rt Works% #ordrecht' .artin"&
$iDho? P"/li&her&%
S"nc, $% and Uan der Slift, 9% 1GGJ! 6) 2redo for S"55ort7 on C!rb C!t 4e/&ite%
)vaila/le at' htt5'11c"r/c"t%net1di&a/ility1a=credo=of=&"55ort1 Q)cce&&ed
-0%12%201-R%
Lie&&mann, P%, S% 2011! 6Tho"ght after )"&ch4itK and +iro&hima' GNnther )nder&
and +annah )rendt7 in -nrahonar, vol% 0H, no% 1, 55% 12-=-J%
.erlea"=Ponty, .% 2002! 0henomenology of 0erception% London' 3o"tledge%
."le&, F% 2012! 6+eidegger, $at"re Philo&o5hy and )rt a& 0oietic 9vent7 on
Transformations +o!rnal 4e/&ite, no% 21% )vaila/le at'
htt5'11444%tran&formation&Do"rnal%org1Do"rnal1i&&"eV211articleV0H%&html
Q)cce&&ed 01%01%2010R%
$et/"rn, #% 201-! 6(ionic 9ar Fith S"5erh"man Potential, +ot O? the Printer7 on
3os .ngeles Times 4e/&ite, 2 .ay% )vaila/le at'
htt5'11article&%latime&%com1201-1may1021&cience1la=&ci=&n=-d=5rinta/le=
cy/org=ear&=201-0J02 Q)cce&&ed -0%12%201-R%
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9veryday Life7 in -n*ironment and 0lanning/ Society and Space, vol% 2J, no% 1,
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Schra"/e, 9% 200J! 6OTort"ring Thing& Antil They 2onfe&&P' GNnther )nder&7
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The +o!rnal of 0olitical 0hilosophy, vol% 1-, no% 2, 55% 1-J=J2%
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