The Gods and Technology: A Reading of Heidegger (SUNY series in Theology and Continental Thought)

The Gods and Technology is a careful and original reading of the principal statement of Martin Heidegger's philosophy of technology, the essay Die Frage nach der Technik ("The question concerning technology"). That essay is a rich one, and Richard Rojcewicz's goal is to mine it for the treasures only a close reading of the original German text can bring out. Rojcewicz shows how the issue of technology is situated at the very heart of Heidegger's philosophical enterprise; especially for the late Heidegger, the philosophy of technology is a philosophy of Being, or of the gods. For Heidegger, technology is not applied knowledge, but the most basic knowledge, of which science, for example, is an application. The ultimate goal of this study, and, as Rojcewicz writes, of Heidegger's thought, is practical: to find the appropriate response to the challenges of the modern age, to learn to live in a technological world without falling victim to the thrall of technological things. The Gods And Technology Is A Careful And Original Reading Of The Principle Statement Of Martin Heidegger's Philosophy Of Technology, The Essay Die Frage Nach Der Technik (the Question Concerning Technology). That Essay Is A Rich One, And Richard Rojcewicz's Goal Is To Mine It For The Treasures Only A Close Reading In The Original German Text Can Bring Out. Rojcewicz Shows How The Issue Of Technology Is Situated At The Very Heart Of Heidegger's Philosophical Enterprise; Especially For The Late Heidegger, The Philosophy Of Technology Is A Philosophy Of Being, Or Of The Gods. For Heidegger, Technology Is Not Applied Knowledge, But The Most Basic Knowledge, Of Which Science, For Example, Is An Application. The Ultimate Goal Of This Study, And, As Rojcewicz Writes, Of Heidegger's Thought, Is Practical: To Find The Appropriate Response To The Challenges Of The Modern Age, To Learn To Live In A Technological World Without Falling Victim To The Thrall Of Technological Things.--book Jacket. Introduction -- Ancient Technology -- The Four Causes As Obligations, As Making Ready The Ground -- The So-called Efficient Cause In Aristotle -- Abetting Causality As A Reading Of Heidegger -- Letting, Active Letting, Letting All The Way To The End -- Producing, Bringing-forth, Nature -- Manufacture And Contemplation -- Bringing-forth As Disconcealment -- Disclosive Looking -- Technology And Truth -- The Greek Concept Of Techne -- Ancient Technological Practice As Poiesis -- Modern Technology -- Ancient Versus Modern Technology -- Modern Technology As A Challenging; The Gear And The Capacitor -- Modern Technology As An Imposition -- Modern Technology As A Ravishment -- Modern Technology As A Disposing -- Disposables -- Ge-stell, The All-encompassing Imposition -- The Essence Of Modern Technology As Nothing Technological -- Science As Harbinger -- Science As Mediator -- Causality; Modern Physics -- The Novelty Of Modern Technology -- Asking About And Asking For -- Sent Destiny, History, Chronology -- Freedom -- Hastening -- Doom -- The Danger -- The Highest Danger -- The Occultation Of Poiesis -- That Which Might Save -- The Sense Of Essence -- Enduring -- Bestowal -- The Essence As Something Bestowed -- Bestowal As What Might Save -- The Mystery -- The Constellation -- Transition To The Question Of Art -- Art -- (metaphysical) Aesthetics Versus (ontological) Philosophy Of Art -- Art As Most Properly Poetry -- Art And The History Of Being -- Art And Technology -- Questioning -- Detachment -- Contemplation; Detachment (gelassenheit) -- Openness To The Mystery, Auchtohony, Lasting Human Works -- Phenomenology; Improvisation On The Piety In Art. Richard Rojcewicz. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 239-240) And Index. The Gods and Technology......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 The four causes as obligations, as making ready the ground......Page 24 The so-called efficient cause in Aristotle......Page 28 Letting, active letting, letting all the way to the end......Page 41 Producing, bringing-forth, nature......Page 44 Manufacture and contemplation......Page 49 Disclosive looking......Page 63 Technology and truth......Page 64 The Greek concept of techne......Page 66 Ancient technological practice as poiesis......Page 74 Ancient versus modern technology......Page 76 Modern technology as a challenging: The gear and thecapacitor......Page 80 Modern technology as an imposition......Page 84 Modern technology as a ravishment......Page 87 Modern technology as a disposing......Page 89 “Disposables”......Page 92 Ge-stell, the “all-encompassing imposition”......Page 99 The essence of modern technology as nothing technological......Page 116 Science as harbinger......Page 121 Causality; modern physics......Page 128 The novelty of modern technology......Page 133 Asking about and asking for......Page 136 Sent destiny, history, chronology......Page 138 Freedom......Page 140 Hastening......Page 148 Doom......Page 149 The danger......Page 150 The highest danger......Page 151 The occultation of poiesis......Page 161 That which might save......Page 162 The sense of essence......Page 165 Enduring......Page 169 Bestowal......Page 173 The essence as something bestowed......Page 175 Bestowal as what might save......Page 177 The mystery......Page 183 The constellation......Page 187 Transition to the question of art......Page 191 4. Art......Page 194 (Metaphysical) aesthetics versus (ontological)philosophy of art......Page 195 Art as most properly poetry......Page 200 Art and technology......Page 210 Questioning......Page 216 5. Detachment......Page 222 Contemplation; Detachment (Gelassenheit)......Page 223 Openness to the mystery, autochthony, lasting human works......Page 227 Conclusion: phenomenology, improvisation on the piety in art......Page 235 Notes......Page 242 Cited Works of Heidegger......Page 245 Bibliography of Major Secondary Studies......Page 248 A......Page 250 D......Page 251 F......Page 252 H......Page 253 N......Page 254 R......Page 255 T......Page 256 Z......Page 257 It is especially significant, in Heidegger's eyes, that the epoch of ancient technology coincides with the time of the theory of the four causes. State University of New York Press ISBN-13:,9780791466414