The Trouble with Technology

John O'Connor, Technological University Dublin

Keynote at Changemakers in Sustainability: New Visions of Europe Higher Ed by Empowering Internationalism and Mobility. QS Higher Ed Summit: Europe on 11–12 July 2024, Barcelona.

doi:10.21427/kqdj-yx49

Abstract

In contemporary education, technology is either hailed as the panacea for affordable mass education or dreaded as a threat to our humanity. At the European Culture and Technology Laboratory, technology is understood in the context of the Ancient Greek origin of the word: technē—meaning a system or a method of making or doing, an art or a craft; a technique or a practice, even a way of thinking. The tools humans use are not merely a means of intervention in our environment but also a way of becoming human and thus, technology has a fundamental impact on our identity and our very being. Approaching technology from this perspective may elucidate the anxiety surrounding the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and virtual reality, which can appear to challenge the essence of human existence. However, it is crucial to remember that all technology stems from human creativity and ingenuity. Drawing a parallel to Plato’s criticism of writing in favour of discourse and memory—where he argued that writing would make people ‘seem to know much while for the most part they know nothing’—those who today seek to curtail the inevitable progression of technological development, rather than harness it effectively for the benefit of society, may appear short-sighted from a future standpoint.