Heidegger, Technology and the Question Concerning Technology

Abstract

For some time, technology, embodied in the man as well as in the machine, is the current sign of our relation with the world and the way contemporary society behaves. Heidegger helps us clarify our compromise with the aspects of the age of technology and the challenges we must face, and win, if we want to establish a new relation with this phenomenon. Among Heidegger’s heritage we can specially appoint the distinction between technology and the question concerning technology. Whereas the question concerning technology is a philosophy issue, the technology itself does not put any problem to our capacity of reflection – it simply works or not. If exists, the historical and philosophical problem is located in the question concerning technology, and it leads us towards the human being’s future in the sphere of our civilization. The question here is to know if we will maintain our status as human beings in an era which technology has become more important than the man himself.