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Our Technology Fetish

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Philosophy of Computing

Part of the book series: Philosophical Studies Series ((PSSP,volume 143))

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Abstract

We have a technology fetish. That is, we have an excessive and irrational devotion or commitment to new technologies. This fetish matters. New technologies are too often developed and accepted with little critical thought. After a discussion of the fetish it will be argued that it is not inevitable and that something should be done about it because of potential harms. Finally, suggestions are made for alleviating the potential for those harms. Monitoring and surveillance technologies and artificial intelligence are used to illustrate the argument.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the editors of this volume and the anonymous reviews of this chapter for their helpful comments.

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Correspondence to John Weckert .

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© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Weckert, J. (2022). Our Technology Fetish. In: Lundgren, B., Nuñez Hernández, N.A. (eds) Philosophy of Computing. Philosophical Studies Series, vol 143. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75267-5_8

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