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Responsibility for the Social Role of Technologies

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Part of the book series: Philosophy of Engineering and Technology ((POET,volume 4))

Abstract

Technologies influence the way people act: when listening to an mp3 player or a mobile phone, people are less inclined to talk to for instance shop keepers at stations, and behave more “autistic” when using public transport. Internet and mobile phones have deeply influenced the way people communicate with each other and how they define, begin and maintain friendships. Some of these influences are desirable: people of European countries are more involved with wars, starvations and natural disasters that take place in other, less rich parts of the world, just by watching television. Consequently, they are more inclined to provide (financial) aid. But watching too much television is also to blame for the lack of sufficient exercise, and as a consequence many people in the west become obese by eating snacks while watching television.

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Correspondence to Katinka Waelbers .

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Waelbers, K. (2011). Responsibility for the Social Role of Technologies. In: Doing Good with Technologies:. Philosophy of Engineering and Technology, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1640-7_1

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