Technology and Freedom

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy ask how technology affects our freedom. Are we free to choose particular technologies? Are we free to reject them? And is democracy powerful enough to deal with technology?

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Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.

00:01:52 What is technology?
00:02:21 Gutenberg's printing press (~1440) and its effects
00:02:45 Ian Mortimer: Human Race: 10 Centuries of Change on Earth
00:04:48 Plato, ancient Greek philosopher (428-348 BC) on writing
00:05:06 Plato, Pheadrus (on writing)
00:07:55 Can we predict the effects of technologies?
00:09:15 Obvious and non-obvious effects
00:11:56 Precautionary principle
00:15:06 Technology itself vs its use
00:16:29 What is a technology?
00:20:37 Tools vs machines
00:22:26 E.F. Schumacher: Small is Beautiful
00:22:49 Lewis Mumford (1895-1990)
00:25:54 Becoming a slave to the machine
00:26:59 Machines and social power
00:28:01 Bruno Latour (1947-)
00:28:39 Invisible regulation and democracy
00:30:58 Machines as unyielding and blind agents
00:32:03 Ransomware
00:34:15 The blindness of bureaucracy
00:39:06 The importance of social reputation
00:43:11 The inhumanity of supermarkets
00:45:21 Charlie Chaplin: Modern times (movie)

Philosophers and theories mentioned:

00:02:45 Ian Mortimer: Human Race: 10 Centuries of Change on Earth
00:04:48 Plato, ancient Greek philosopher (428-348 BC) on writing
00:05:06 Plato, Pheadrus (on writing)
00:11:56 Precautionary principle
00:22:26 E.F. Schumacher: Small is Beautiful
00:22:49 Lewis Mumford (1895-1990)
00:28:01 Bruno Latour (1947-)

Accented Philosophy - Every Tuesday (or thereabouts :)).