Jacques Ellul and the Technological Society in the 21st Century (Philosophy of Engineering and Technology Book 13)

This volume rethinks the work of Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) on the centenary of his birth, by presenting an overview of the current debates based on Ellul's insights. As one of the most significant twentieth-century thinkers about technology, Ellul was among the first thinkers to realize the importance of topics such as globalization, terrorism, communication technologies and ecology, and study them from a technological perspective. The book is divided into three sections. The first discusses Ellul’s diagnosis of modern society, and addresses the reception of his work on the technological society, the notion of efficiency, the process of symbolization/de-symbolization, and ecology. The second analyzes communicational and cultural problems, as well as threats and trends in early twenty-first century societies. Many of the issues Ellul saw as crucial – such as energy, propaganda, applied life sciences and communication – continue to be so. In fact they have grown exponentially, on a global scale, producing new forms of risk. Essays in the final section examine the duality of reason and revelation. They pursue an understanding of Ellul in terms of the depth of experience and the traditions of human knowledge, which is to say, on the one hand, the experience of the human being as contained in the rationalist, sociological and philosophical traditions. On the other hand there are the transcendent roots of human existence, as well as “revealed knowledge,” in the mystical and religious traditions. The meeting of these two traditions enables us to look at Ellul’s work as a whole, but above all it opens up a space for examining religious life in the technological society. Front Matter....Pages i-vi Introduction: Ellul Returns....Pages 1-14 Front Matter....Pages 15-15 How The Technological Society Became More Important in the United States than in France....Pages 17-34 The Technological Society: Social Theory, McDonaldization and the Prosumer....Pages 35-47 Are We Still Pursuing Efficiency? Interpreting Jacques Ellul’s Efficiency Principle....Pages 49-62 Technological Acceleration and the “Ground Floor of Civilization”....Pages 63-72 Technological System and the Problem of Desymbolization....Pages 73-82 Against Environmental Protection? Ecological Modernization as “Technician Ecology”....Pages 83-96 Front Matter....Pages 97-97 Propaganda and Dissociation from Truth....Pages 99-113 An Unseasonable Thinker: How Ellul Engages Cybercultural Criticism....Pages 115-128 Fukushima: A Tsunami of Technological Order....Pages 129-144 From “the Contaminated Blood Affair” to the Mediator Scandal: Public Health, Political Responsibility, and Democracy....Pages 145-158 Homo Energeticus : Technological Rationality in the Alberta Tar Sands....Pages 159-175 Front Matter....Pages 177-177 The Reception of Jacques Ellul’s Thought in French Protestantism....Pages 179-189 Radically Religious: Ecumenical Roots of the Critique of Technological Society....Pages 191-203 Truth, Reality and the Ten Commandments: Not for Theology Alone....Pages 205-218 Social Intolerability of the Christian Revelation: A Comparative Perspective on the Works of Jacques Ellul and Peter L. Berger....Pages 219-228 Postmodernity, the Phenomenal Mistake: Sacred, Myth and Environment....Pages 229-241 Back Matter....Pages 243-262 This Volume Rethinks The Work Of Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) On The Centenary Of His Birth, By Presenting An Overview Of The Current Debates Based On Ellul's Insights. As One Of The Most Significant Twentieth-century Thinkers About Technology, Ellul Was Among The First Thinkers To Realize The Importance Of Topics Such As Globalization, Terrorism, Communication Technologies And Ecology, And Study Them From A Technological Perspective. The Book Is Divided Into Three Sections. The First Discusses Ellul's Diagnosis Of Modern Society, And Addresses The Reception Of His Work On The Technological Society, The Notion Of Efficiency, The Process Of Symbolization/de-symbolization, And Ecology. The Second Analyzes Communicational And Cultural Problems, As Well As Threats And Trends In Early Twenty-first Century Societies. Many Of The Issues Ellul Saw As Crucial - Such As Energy, Propaganda, Applied Life Sciences And Communication - Continue To Be So. In Fact They Have Grown Exponentially, On A Global Scale, Producing New Forms Of Risk. Helena M. Jerónimo, José Luís Garcia, Carl Mitcham. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.