Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Is Technology a Science? Recent Developments in German Philosophy of Technology and Engineering

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Philosophy and Engineering

Part of the book series: Philosophy of Engineering and Technology ((POET,volume 26))

  • 640 Accesses

Abstract

Only in recent years in Germany can studies of the philosophy of science regarding technology be observed. This contribution discusses firstly the problems with the semantic meaning of terms like technology and techniques in German. This has to do with the not yet clarified borderlines between science and engineering. The German National Academy of Science and Engineering has delivered a contribution to this discussion by giving definitions, also with respect to philosophy of science as well as to ethical issues. After a short sketch of significant phases in the history of philosophy of technology and engineering in Germany, the borderline discussion between the so-called epistemic-oriented science (formerly named as pure sciences) and action-oriented sciences allows one to classify different types of knowledge and relations between theories of technologies. In Germany, topics like acceptance problems, responsibility of engineers, and distrust in large-scale technologies seem to have their roots in conflicts between the interests and value systems of the stakeholders involved, and in deficient methods of communication.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Achterhuis, H. (Ed.). (2001). American philosophy of technology. The empirical turn. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aristotle. (1984). Physics, Book II. In J. Barnes Gaye (Ed.), The complete works of Aristotle (Vol. 1). Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon, F. (1629). The new Organon or true directions concerning the interpretation of nature. In J. Spedding, R. L. Ellis, & D. D. Heath (Eds.), The works of Francis Bacon (Vol. VIII). Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Comp: 59 ff. Also in: https://archive.org/stream/worksfrancisbaco08bacoiala#page/40/mode/2up.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon, R. (1859). Epistola de secretis operibus, artis et naturae et de nullitate magiae. In J. S. Brewer (Ed.), Fr. Rogeri Bacon Opera quaeda hactenus inedita (Vol. I). London: 523 ff. English in: Bacon, R. (2006). Letter to William of Paris on the secrete works of art and nature and the nullity of magic. In J. Morra, M. Smith (Eds.), Visual culture – Critical concepts in media and cultural studies (pp. 40–41). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunge, M. (1967). Scientific Research II – The search for truth. Berlin/Heidelberg/New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Federspiel, R., & Salem, S. (2007). Zur Gründungsgeschichte der Deutschen Akademie der Technikwissenschaften. Stuttgart: Fraunhofer Verlag. Also in: www.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Publikationen/Projektberichte/Gruendungsgeschichte_final.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Federspiel, R., & Salem, S. (2011). Der Weg zur Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Berlin: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Grunwald, A. (2002). Technikfolgenabschätzung. Eine Hinführung. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, D., & Janich, P. (Eds.). (1998). Die kulturalistische Wende. Zur Orientierung des philosophischen Selbstverständnisses. Frankfurt a.M: Suhrkamp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harz, M., & Vesper, A. (2013). Acceptance of technology? Energy Procedia, 40(2013), 312–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heidegger, M. (1977). The Question concerning Technology (trans: Lovitt, W.). New York: Harper Torchbooks. German: Die Technik und die Kehre. Opuscula 1, Pfullingen: Neske 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubig, C., Huning, A., & Ropohl, G. (Eds.). (2013). Nachdenken über Technik. Berlin: Edition Sigma, 3rd and extended edition.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janich, P. (1996). Konstruktivismus und Naturerkenntnis. Auf dem Weg zum Kulturalismus. Frankfurt a.M: Suhrkamp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonas, H. (1984). The Imperative of Responsibility: In Search of Ethics for the Technological Age. University of Chicago Press. German: Das Prinzip Verantwortung. Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kapp, E. (1877). Grundlinien einer Philosophie der Technik – Zur Entstehungsgeschichte der Cultur aus neuen Gesichtspunkten. (Reprint 1978, Düsseldorf: Stern-Verlag).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kistler, E. (2007). Die Legende von der Technikfeindlichkeit – Kehrt der Popanz der Technikfeindlichkeit zurück? In Kornwachs, Klaus (Ed.), Bedingungen und Triebkräfte Technologischer Innovationen. Beiträge aus Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft (pp. 71–81). acatech diskutiert. Stuttgart: Fraunhofer IRB Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Köcher, R. (2009). Technikfeindlich und innovationsmüde? Die Reaktion der Bevölkerung auf den wissenschaftlich-technischen Fortschritt. In R. Köcher (Ed.), Allensbacher Jahrbuch der Demoskopie 2003–2009 (Vol. 12, p. 481). Berlin: De Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kornwachs, K. (2012). Strukturen technologischen Wissens. Berlin: Edition Sigma.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kornwachs, K., Renn, O. et al. (2011). Akzeptanz von Technik und Infrastrukturen. Anmerkungen zu einem gesellschaftlichen aktuellen Problem. Acatech (Ed.), Position Nr. 9. Berlin: Springer. Also in: http://www.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Publikationen/Stellungnahmen/acatech_bezieht_Position_Nr9_Akzeptanz-von-Technik_WEB.pdf

  • Kornwachs, K., Dangelmeier, W., Höhn, B. R., König, W., Lindemann, U., Wengenroth, U., Pahl, P. J., & Poser, H. (2013). Technological sciences: Discovery – Design – Responsibility. Acatech (Ed.), Impulse Vol. 2, Berlin: Springer. English Translation. 2014. In: www.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Publikationen/Stellungnahmen/acatech_IMPULS_Technological_Sciences_WEB.pdf

  • Kroes, P., & Meijers, A. (Eds.). (2000). The empirical turn in the philosophy of technology. Amsterdam: JAI Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luhmann, N. (1995). Social Systems. Stanford: Stanford University Press. German: Luhmann, N. (1984). Soziale Systeme. Frankfurt a.M: Suhrkamp

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. W., III. (1972). The limits to growth. New York: Universe Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plato. (2005). Timaeus. In E. Hamilton & H. Cairns (Eds.), Collected dialogues (Bollingen series LXXI, pp. 1151–1211). Princeton: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, F. (1978). Analytische Technikphilosophie. Freiburg: Alber.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocco, M. C., & Bainbridge, W. S. (Eds.). (2002). Converging technologies for improving human performance. Nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science. Arlington: National Science Foundation (NSF/DOC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocco, M. C., Bainbridge, W. S., Tonn, B., & Whitesides, G. (Eds.). (2013). Convergence of knowledge, technology and society – Beyond convergence of cognitive nano-bio-info-cognitive technologies. Cham, Heidelberg etc.: Springer Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ropohl, G. (1979). Eine Systemtheorie der Technik – Zur Grundlegung der Allgemeinen Technologie. München/Wien: Hanser, 1st. ed.; 2009. Universitätsverlag Karlsruhe 3rd ed.; Also in: http://digbib.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/volltexte/1000011529

  • Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI). (2002). Ethische Grundsätze des Ingenieurberufs. In C. Hubig, J. Reidel (Eds.). (2003) Ethische Ingenieursverantwortung. Handlungsräume und Perspektiven der Kodifizierung (pp. 79–82). Berlin: Edition Sigma. Also in: http://www.vdi.de/fileadmin/media/content/hg/16.pdf. English Version: Fundaments of Engineering Ethics. http://www.vdi.de/fileadmin/media/content/hg/17.pdf

  • Weidlich, W. (2002). Sociodynamics – A systematic approach to mathematical modelling in the social sciences. London: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Humboldt-Center for Humanities, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

    Klaus Kornwachs

  2. National Academy of Science and Engineering, Munich, Germany

    Klaus Kornwachs

Authors
  1. Klaus Kornwachs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Klaus Kornwachs .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

    Diane P. Michelfelder

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA

    Byron Newberry

  3. Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA

    Qin Zhu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kornwachs, K. (2017). Is Technology a Science? Recent Developments in German Philosophy of Technology and Engineering. In: Michelfelder, D., Newberry, B., Zhu, Q. (eds) Philosophy and Engineering. Philosophy of Engineering and Technology, vol 26. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45193-0_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation