Outline of Ellul’s overall worldview (with respect to technology):
History is a world-process that we must respond to on a personal level
Every age has its own synthesis to make
Human culture has developed into a “technical milieu”
Techniques, or arts and crafts, are themselves ok and necessary, but do not constitute Technique
Technique is defined as the ubiquitous valuation of means as ends, that is, efficiency for its own sake, at a societal level
It is totalitarian and determinative and etc…
TC: Automatic, self-augmenting, monistic, linked together, universal, autonomous,
TB: Ambivalent, unpredictable, double feedback, internal contradictions, no culture, absurd, unreasonable, wasteful, information overload, diversion
It is destructive to the human being and the planet
There is the real risk of the complete destruction of the world if Technique persists
However, at decisive, internally incoherent points in history, fundamental changes are made (syntheses)
But history is comprised of individuals
Therefore individuals must act to synthesize
Since we cannot ignore or abandon Technique (or at least technical means), must work to synthesize it with human values
The occurrence of the historical situation of Technique resulted from man’s depraved relationship to the Christian God
God is perfect, totally in control, keeps his promises, and provides security for man
However man does not trust that God is perfect, in control, or will keep his promises
So man equips himself with techniques to protect him and bring about his own will
But in this condition man’s true needs do not get met
But the historical situation of Technique was of course brought into existence by the omnipotent God for his own perfect purposes.
The technical milieu makes evident man’s incapacity to truly control his destiny or know what is good for him
It provides an opportunity for the recognition of his need for God and submission to him, despite God’s alien otherness
Outline of Heidegger’s overall Worldview (with respect to technology):
The world is an objective “other” the phenomenological existence of which is created by man
The world and man are essentially dynamic
The individual’s responsibility is to respond to world history in the way appropriate to his time and place
The world historical situation of the modern age is “Enframing”
Poiesis (the act of revealing, or bring into appearance, truth) is the calling and essence of man
Art and craft are the venue for revealing truth
Enframing reveals the truth in only a limited, technical way
It becomes totalitarian in that it occludes man from the fact that there are other ways of reveling and charges toward Enframing everything until man forgets his essence as one who reveals
However, the closer man and history approach to the precipitous moment in history where man’s essence is forgotten, the more acutely man can here the call of being beckoning him back home into his essence
Man’s response to this situation must be one of synthesis, since he cannot resist or abandon Enframing (or at least technical means)
He must work to synthesize technical means with essential values
“Single manifold”, truth, beauty, piety, radiance
The occurrence of this historical situation is a “granting”, a gift (from the transcendental god?)
This is “because” it contains within it the “saving power”
The saving power is the fact that it draws attention to man’s precipitously dangerous situation
This frees man up to choose a new way of revealing and renew his humanity
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