Committed to the decline? Reading Heidegger’s analysis of modern technology

Abstract

Thomas Sheehan deems Heidegger’s analysis of modern technology untenable, because of its commitment to a meta-history of the decline of Western society. Heidegger’s use to this highly theoretical explanation for societies demise, brings Sheehan to the conclusion that there is nothing valuable left in Heidegger’s notion of modern technology since everything that makes Heidegger’s analysis unique lies in this meta-historical narrative. To what extend is the unique characteristic of Heidegger’s analysis of modern technology committed to a meta-history of the decline of the Western world? I propose three readings of Heidegger’s notion of modern technology: a practical reading, a historical reading and a methodological reading. Every reading has a different presupposition about what makes Heidegger’s analysis unique. Next, I evaluate whether the readings can on the one hand, distinguish themselves from another philosophy of technology, for which Habermas’ technoscientific rationality is used as a point of contrast. And on the other hand, if they are committed to a metahistory of the decline of the Western world. The practical reading does not represent what makes Heidegger’s approach unique, but is not committed to a meta-history. Next, the historical reading is committed, although its commitment makes it possible to discern it from Habermas. Finally, the methodological reading is not committed to a meta-history of the decline of Western society and at the same time is discernable from Habermas. This last reading meets Sheehan’s challenge while being able to reinterpret some of Heidegger’s key-notions.