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I though to myself, is Kaczynski really the poster-child of the view-point that technology can harm civilization? Surely there are thinkers in this area that d

by jonmc12 15y ago

I though to myself, is Kaczynski really the poster-child of the view-point that technology can harm civilization? Surely there are thinkers in this area that did not blow up people. In researching, I found that the Kaczynski was quoted by Kurzweil in The Age of Spiritual Machines, and then re-quoted by Bill Joy in this article - http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy_pr.html http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy_pr.html - interesting.. Are there more authoritative bodies of work in the realm of this point of view? It seems like a very important view for civilization to reconcile - without being flavored by the legacy of a serial killer.

wladimir 15y ago
I guess the reason that they use Kaczynski in the text is because is is very well known with the public. The other thinkers of the same paradigm are probably lesser-known philosophers. After all, going against technology is really unpopular. I vaguely remember reading that one of the reasons the Unabomber did his terrorist acts was to get attention for his manifesto, he thought killing was the only way to get through to the media and the populace...
clammamsham 15y ago
John Zerzan is who you are looking for, and was even a confidant to Kaczynski. Other people with similar views are Derrik Jensen (less so now) and maybe even Daniel Quinn.
gnosis 15y ago
Kaczynski was partially inspired by, and corresponded with, Jacques Ellul[1]. Heidegger[2] is another relatively well known critic of technology.[3] There are many other philosophers who've criticized science and technology. If you are interested, you might want to read about the philosophy of science[4], the field of technoscience[5], and science studies[6]. [1] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Jacques_Ellul https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Jacques_Ellul [2] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Martin_Heidegger https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Martin_Heideg... [3] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Question_Concerning_Technology https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Question_... [4] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Philosophy_of_science https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Philosophy_of... [6] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Science_studies https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Science_studi...

by jonmc12 15y ago

wladimir 15y ago

I guess the reason that they use Kaczynski in the text is because is is very well known with the public. The other thinkers of the same paradigm are probably lesser-known philosophers. After all, going against technology is really unpopular. I vaguely remember reading that one of the reasons the Unabomber did his terrorist acts was to get attention for his manifesto, he thought killing was the only way to get through to the media and the populace...

clammamsham 15y ago

John Zerzan is who you are looking for, and was even a confidant to Kaczynski. Other people with similar views are Derrik Jensen (less so now) and maybe even Daniel Quinn.

gnosis 15y ago

Kaczynski was partially inspired by, and corresponded with, Jacques Ellul[1]. Heidegger[2] is another relatively well known critic of technology.[3] There are many other philosophers who've criticized science and technology. If you are interested, you might want to read about the philosophy of science[4], the field of technoscience[5], and science studies[6]. [1] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Jacques_Ellul https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Jacques_Ellul [2] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Martin_Heidegger https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Martin_Heideg... [3] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Question_Concerning_Technology https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Question_... [4] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Philosophy_of_science https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Philosophy_of... [6] - https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Science_studies https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Science_studi...