Interpretation Of Nature And Technology: Historical Materialism

Nature and technology are two important concepts in the western philosophy history. In modern times, with the more and more extensive use of the technology, nature becomes the absolute and abstract hylic noumenon in the normal social consciousness. Though any consciousness is nothing but being that be known, so the modern idea of nature is be constructed by the mode of production, especially by the capital industry. Since the complex of radical socioeconomic changes in modern age, such as the Industrial Revolution that took place in England in the late 18th century, which are brought about when extensive mechanization of production systems results in a shift from home-based hand manufacturing to large-scale factory production, technology and science have been more and more important in the industry system. The modern idea of nature is influenced by modern technology and science.The first chapter of this paper researches the concept of nature from the Middle Ages to modern times. The intention of this chapter is to expose that every generation has its own idea of nature and nature has different meaning to them, and the modern conception of nature is not the only one. The second chapter studies the metaphysical foundation of modern technology and science, though which refuses metaphysics in modern times. In the third chapter, I study the historical and social background of technology, trying to expose the relation between technology and the mode of production. It's important to study the period from late middle ages to the early modern times because in that period great changes took place. The last chapter researches the essence of technology and nature. Nature is the condition and object of man's practice, and technology is the alienation of sensuous activity. The object and the activity will unite in the non- alienative labour. In the appendix, I talk discuss the ontology foundation of the nature theory of Frankfurt School.