Is There a French Philosophy of Technology? General Introduction

Abstract

The existence of a French philosophy of technology is a matter of debate. Technology has long remained invisible in French philosophy, due to cultural circumstances and linguistic specificities. Even though a number of French philosophers have developed views and concepts about technology during the twentieth century, “philosophy of technology” has never been established as a legitimate branch of philosophy in the French academic landscape so far. This book, however, demonstrates that a community of philosophers dealing with various issues related to technology and built up on the legacy of the previous generations has emerged. In gathering scholars with quite diverse theoretical backgrounds and matters of concern, this volume outlines a coherent, albeit heterogeneous, philosophical trend. Five chief characteristics are identified in this introduction: (i) a close connection between history and philosophy, with a focus on the temporalities of technology, (ii) the prevalence of the anthropological approach to technology whether it be social anthropology or paleoanthropology, (iii) a focus on technological objects that we characterize as a “thing turn” à la française, (iv) the dignification of technoscience as a philosophical category, and (v) a pervading concern with ethical issues based on the anthropological interpretation of technology and quite distinct from current trends in applied ethics.