The Essentialist Perspective in the Conception of Technology
Abstract
Technological pessimism is a perspective that, since the middle of the 20th century, became popular both in intellectual circles and in popular culture, becoming one of the most common ways of thinking about technology. In this paper we will characterize the essentialist thought style, showing how it permeates this perspective of technology, endowing it with autonomy, and as an intrinsic source of dire consequences, both for society and for nature. A historical reconstruction of the essentialist perspective will be made, characterizing its formulation in Aristotle’s philosophical thought. From there, we will investigate the way in which the essentialist perspective is deployed before technology in academia, as well as in popular culture. Finally, the case of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be presented as a space of debate where we can see the essentialist thought style mobilized.
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