entry #4: Feenberg on technology

Perhaps Feenberg, Heidegger and others who study the philosophy of science have an interest in this realm because it is a phenomena which appears to be progressing and inflitrating itself exponentially in our lives. As Heidegger asserts in his inquiry, the development of technology alongside our acceptance and participation within it requires the process of "preparing a free relationship to technology." As Feenberg drew from Heidegger, the instrumentality of technology raises issues of how we can justify using the planet's natural reserves for developing technologies which will eventually be impossible to live without. As a university student, I was forced to purchase a computer in order to keep up with the accelerated flow of information, and cannot fathom writing an essay out by hand or not using the internet for research. Heidegger claims that we need to be aware of our responsibility in this newfound area of human activity, and to realize our indebtedness as a result of our endeavors. In some ways this is reminiscient of Nietzschean form of guilt, in that we take from the earth and "re-order the world" in such a way that we need to break away from our dependencies and form a free relationship with technology, as Feenberg discussed.

entry #3: Nietzsche's joyful pessimism

As a child, I was constantly railed on by my parents and friends that my pessimism wasn't going to take me anywhere in life. Yet I like being pessimistic! I cling to those who are pessimistic around me, for we perpetually challenge ourselves and refuse to simply accept any form of indoctrination. Pessimism is thus integral my own personal philosophy. The acceptance of one's existence, according to Nietzsche, depends on our will to "grasp the nature of the world" around us. In this sense, I can subscribe to his "joyful pessimism" because pessimism is the act which prevents the ready acceptance of unchallenged beliefs. Coming to terms with one's own existence, or affirming existence in general, necessitates a critical outlook on the world in accordance to perspectivism. Furthermore, the pessimism required to affirm existence is an objective endeavor in the sense that we should not get 'too attached' to this self-reflection of our own existence, because it becomes enshrouded by bias. This is somewhat reminiscient of Kierkegaard's conception of the existing spirit, in that coming to terms with human existence transforms it into an indifference.