A Comparative Study Of Marx’s And Feenberg’s Critical Theory Of Technology

With the acceleration of social modernization,the development speed of technology has increased,its application scope has expanded,and it has gradually penetrated into all fields of social life.While technology has brought great progress to society,it has also produced certain side effects.In such a social situation,people have philosophical thinking about technology.Marx’s criticism is the soul of Marx’s philosophy of technology,aiming at the overall reflection of capitalist society.Feenberg is the leader of the contemporary Frankfurt School.He continues the critical gene of Frankfurt School and the philosophy of technology of Marx,Heidegger,Marcuse and other scholars.His philosophy of technology with empirical characteristics has a wide influence in contemporary society.They jointly questioned the essence of technology,criti cized the rule of technology,and imagined the development of technology.A comparative study of Marx’s philosophy of technology and Feenberg’s philosophy of technology is conducive to people’s understanding of the contemporary essence of Marx’s philosophy of technology and Feenberg’s contemporary philosophy of technology,and also provides enlightenment for the development of technology in the new era to promote social progress.Marx’s philosophy of technology and Feenberg’s philosophy of technology have rich theoretical connotations.This paper focuses on their common areas of concern,and makes a comparative study of Marx’s philosophy of technology and Feenberg’s philosophy of technology from three dimensions: questioning the essence of technology,criticizing the rule of technology,and envisioning the development of technology,so as to explore their similarities and differences and practical significance.First of all,the comparative study of the essence of technology.Marx and Feenberg think that the essence of technology has double-sided attributes,but they have different understandings of the fundamental connotation of the essence of technology.Marx examined the productive role of technology from a historical perspective,analyzed the essence of te chnology by using the dichotomy of "technology-society",and revealed the social relationship between technology and human beings,that is,the essence of technology is the expression of human nature;Feenberg criticized the traditional view of the essence of technology,and questioned the essence of technology by using social constructionism,revealing that the essence of technology is the sum total of all major regulations.Secondly,the comparative study of the criticism of technological rule.Marx and Feenberg think that technology has a ruling effect,but they have different interpretations of the logic behind the rule of technology.Marx criticized the technological application of capitalism,and the root of the phenomenon of technological domination l ies in capital logic.Feenberg criticizes the technological design of capitalism,and the root of the phenomenon of technological domination lies in the logic of power.Finally,a comparative study of technological development ideas.Marx and Feenberg thou ght that technology had the value of liberation,but they assumed different trends of technological development.Based on the practical need of eliminating technological alienation,Marx proposed that technology should carry forward the rational value of f reedom,and constructed the ideal form of technological development.Based on the experience of resisting technological hegemony,Feenberg put forward the practical scheme of technological democratic intervention,and launched the technological assumption for the development of modern society.The main line of Marx’s philosophy of technology is the criticism of technological domination based on social practice,and the realization of people’s freedom and liberation is the fundamental purpose of his theory.Feenberg’s philosophy of technology highlights the practice orientation,which marks the paradigm shift from essentialism to constructivism,and realizing the democratization of technological society is the fundamental purpose of his theory.Marx’s and Feenberg’s philosophy of technology not only corrected the wrong understanding of the essence of technology and the negative attitude of exaggerating the negative influence of technology in the previous instrumental and substantive theories of technology,but also put forward a feasible scheme for technology to move towards democracy and civilization.It is helpful for us to correctly grasp the essence of technology,attach importance to the role of technology in human and social development,cultivate the cul tural core of technological innovation and development,and actively explore the technological path of science and democracy.