A Comparative Analysis of Theories: Technological Determinism and the Theory of Wallis Winner - Coursework Example

A Comparative Analysis of Theories

Technological Determinism

The concept brought to light by Thorstein Veblen, encompassed the school-of-thought that technology brought about the society’s nature. Critics of the theory such as Karl Maxx agreed with the definition of the theory with the proof that society was changed from and old-fashioned one to employing capitalism due to technological advancement (McDavid 12).

Langdon Winner broke down the theory of technological determinism into two sections for a better understanding of its precise meaning. The scholar documented that the nature of a society is influenced by the technology available and the sources of changes in society root from a shift in technology. In the midst of understanding the theory, Winner came up with a concept known as technological drift. According to him, man is caught up in adjusting to a new technology that they are unaware of the unexpected changes it may cause. The resultant effect a society surrounded by unpredictable consequences along with an unsure environment makes humans slaves to technology. In summary, technological drift seeks to prove that the environment of existing and new technologies has power over the control of man (Potts 53).

‘The medium is the message’ is a statement known to many in the context of technological determinism. Professor Marshall McLuhan aimed at illustrating that the mind of an individual is influenced by the communicated medium. To bring more understanding to the famous quote by the philosopher, the example of the light bulb and its uses today is accurate. Intellectuals argue that surgeons can operate to operate on their patients precisely with the help of the light bulb. Thus, was it not for this medium, work in the theater rooms would not be satisfactory.

Other scholars disagree with the concept of discussion by stating that humans choose to utilize new and existing technologies as opposed to them having forced effect on the society. For instance, man invented the television and chose to view it.

Autonomous Technological Determinism

The subcategorized notion is said to be weaker in perception compared to the theory mentioned above. The scholars look at technology as a party that serves as a mediator. Regardless of its impact on the society, human beings are the forces behind its actions (Hess 121).

For instance, for the wheel to reduce the effort applied in an agricultural activity, the farmer is the one in control of the technology. Overtime, when man is busy trying to understand a new technology, they overlook the existing one thus; it reduces from being in control of human beings. At this point, the particular technology is the one in control of man. For instance, the introduction of smartphones took communication a notch higher. The society, at that time, was completely immersed in how to go about the various features of the new devices. As the years have come to pass, human beings are now trying to adapt to the latest applications which define today’s smart device. For the past three years or so, the term technology rage has been used widely. The psychological reaction to a failing technology can classify as autonomous technological determinism because humans have let go of their power to the technology itself. Consequently, man is likely to be frustrated by the outcome of technology controlling itself. For instance, when a homeowner automates its lock system to unlock itself using stored information, one day the automated technology is likely to look the owner out of the use, which results in a frustrated being.

As documented earlier, it takes time before man releases their power to control technology to itself. The main source of autonomous technological determinism is the continuous introduction of new technologies to an existing one. The illustration of the introduction of a variety of application to a smart device accurately lays out the intricacies of time being a determinant of the unprecedented result.

Technological Somnambulism

Sleep walking through the digital era best sums up the meaning of the concept. Besides, it is similar to autonomous technological determinism in the context of the ability of technology to control man. Langdon Winner is behind the technological somnambulism theory, which came up when he was advocating Technological Philosophy in his write-up, Technology as a form of life (Scharff and Dusek, 5).

Winner argues that we are willing to sleepwalk through the system which reconstructs the human existence conditions. The challenge that comes with a sleepwalking society is the inability of humans to address the profound effect of technology. Besides, the changes in society due to technological shifts are given little to no attention. The focus of man in this advent age of technology is whether the introduced technology is of convenience and the important aspects of technology are viewed as secondary consequences.

The concept attempts to illustrate that today, society is caught up in using technology for a shallow benefit as opposed to understanding the bigger picture of technological advancement over the years. In addition, Winner’s concept acts as a wakeup call for society to take full responsibility for existing and new technologies before they have total control over human existence (Brucato, 34).

Technological Determinism versus Technological Somnambulism

When technology is praised for the evolution of society, it proves that it is more of a good than evil. On the other hand, when the society is blamed for being ignorant about technological advancement, the wrongdoing is solely based on human intervention. Therefore, the main distinguishable factor about the two concepts is that the power they exert on each other is opposing. Besides, technological determinism is solely based on the impact it has on society while technological somnambulism revolves around the reaction of technology on human’s shallow utilization of it.

Another difference between the two notions lies on the individuals who coined them. The first notion as mentioned earlier is credited to a professor who provoked another scholar to bring up the second notion with the intention of understanding how the society and technology correlate. In summary, the differences between the two theories are evident in the subjects which they address. McLuhan’s theory is based on the opinion of societal change while William’s ideology seeks to illustrate the challenges thriving from technological advancement.

Detailed Illustrations of Technological Determinism

The Light Bulb

When the technological tool was developed, man could switch it on and off for a variety of uses. For instance, before its invention, various games had to be cut short when dusk fell during a match. The production of light bulbs provoked an era of endless sports durations because people had the ability to see what they were doing regardless of the darkness that befalls earth when the sun sets. Besides, as mentioned earlier in the essay, medical professionals are now capable of working intricately due to the illuminating benefits of the light bulb. Before it invention, it is highly probable that the surgeons were prone to error because the eyesight of man cannot equate that produced by electric current.

The Wheel

Pre-industrialization, man would manually plow the fields with the use of an improvised tool and their bare hands. Thus, it would take him substantial days to cover an area. The introduction of the wheel provoked farmers to build carts, which they used for plowing land. The effort required for doing the same activity on a field using an ox-drawn cart with wheels reduced immensely.

The technological tool of discussion shaped the society in the context of capitalism kicked in. Over time, the wheel has brought about other inventions such as the car which in turn have triggered the development of infrastructure thus, making more areas urbanized.

The Television

Marshall McLuhan categorizes the television as a hot technology because its audience is only exposed to a passive role. When the television was first invented and mass-produced, the family and village would come together to unravel the new technology. The society and that time changed to that one which relied on information from modern means as opposed to traditional channels.

Today, people are inclined to copy what they view entertainers depict. For instance, women in this new age are pressurized to conform to what celebrated individuals look like with the intention of fitting in.

The Video Game

The mentioned philosopher also categorized the mentioned technology as a cool one because of man’s ability to interact with the device. When engaging with such a technology, humans are likely to make informed decisions as to what outcome they require. The invention of the first console triggered specialist in the information technology industry to establish a technology, which seems realistic. Today’s games in the market have features, which equate to the original thing. For instance, the FIFA game is identical to its predecessor, the premier league sport itself.

Conclusion

The essay looks into distinguishing between technological determinism and the theory of Wallis Winner. For a profound understanding of both concepts, other notions have been examined. Technological drift and autonomous technological determinism make it easier for a layperson to conclude the theory of technological somnambulism. The illustrations of the subject matter seek to create a profound understanding of how society integrates with technology.