The mythical Explanations of the Technology and Technological Gnosticism: on the construction and criticism of the discourse about the technology as salvation

Article Sidebar

PDF (Português (Brasil))
Published: Dec 30, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32334/oqnfp.2023n53a984
Keywords:
Technology, Technological Gnosticism, Promethean Tradition, Faustian Tradition, Transhumanism, Salvific Discourse

Main Article Content

Vanessa Mocellin
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)

Abstract

This paper aims to approach the construction of the salvific discourse of the technology through authors Hermínio Martins and Paula Sibilia, seeking to identify the criticism they present in such discourse. In order to reach the intended goal, the main arguments of the two traditions of the domination of nature should be addressed: The Promethean tradition that resumes the meaning of the Prometheus myth about granting the science that empowered human domination, and the Faustian tradition that unfolds the meaning of the Faustus myth on thinking the technical development as unbounded. These two traditions are the starting point of the development of the main concept of the technological gnosticism, which could be interpreted as the bridge between the aspirations and technological achievements and the gnostic ideal of transcending the human condition, as well as its implications to the generation of present-day technologies.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 31 No. 53 (2023): Philosophy of Technology Dossier
Section
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Copyright Notice

The author of the article or book reviews submitted and approved for publication authorizes the editors to reproduce it and publish it in the journal O que nos faz pensar, with the terms “reproduction” and “publication” being understood in accordance with the definitions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license. The article or book reviews may be accessed both via the World Wide Web – Internet (WWW – Internet), and in printed form, its being permitted, free of charge, to consult and reproduce the text for the personal use of whoever consults it. This authorization of publication has no time limit, with the editors of the journal O que nos faz pensar being responsible for maintaining the identification of the author of the article.

Author Biography

Vanessa Mocellin, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)

He holds a PhD in Philosophy (2023) and a Masters in Philosophy (2012), both from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). He has a BA in Philosophy (2010) and a BA in Philosophy (2012), both from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). She also has a Specialization in Education (2021) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). She is currently studying for a degree in Pedagogy at the International University Center (UNINTER). She has worked as a tutor in the subjects Ontology I, History of Philosophy I, History of Philosophy II, History of Philosophy III, Philosophy of Science I, Philosophy of Science II, Philosophy Teaching Seminar, Supervised Internship in Philosophy Teaching I and in the subject Political Philosophy II on the distance learning Philosophy degree course at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). She also worked as a tutor in the subject of Didactics on the distance learning Spanish Language Degree course at the same university (UFSC). She has also worked as a teacher (Teacher Trainer I) through the Open University of Brazil (UAB) program on the distance degree course in Philosophy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), in the subjects of Ontology III and Political Philosophy III. She has experience in Philosophy, with an emphasis on Ontology, Philosophy of Technology, Philosophy of Religion and History of Philosophy, and in Education, with an emphasis on Philosophy of Education and philosophy teaching methodology. She is currently a substitute professor in the Department of Specialized Studies in Education (EED) at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), in the area of Philosophy of Education/Theories of Education.

References

BENEDIKT, Michael. Cyberspace: Some Proposals. In: Cyberespace: First Steps. 1ª ed.

Londres: The MIT Press, 1992. pp.119-224.

BOSTROM, Nick. A history of Transhumanist Thought. In: Journal of Evolution and

Technology. vol.14 (1) pp.1-25. Oxford: Abril, 2005.

COMTE, August. Curso de filosofia positiva. Comte: Os pensadores vol. XXXIII. 1ª ed.

São Paulo: Abril Cultural, 1978, p. 33-227.

DAVIS, Erik. Techgnosis: myth, magic and mysticism in the age of information. 2ª ed.

New York: Harmony Books, 1998. p. 353.

DURKHEIM, Émile. As formas elementares da vida religiosa. 3ª ed. São Paulo: Martins

editora, 2003.

ESPINOZA, Baruch. Ética. Baruch Espinoza: Os pensadores. Vol XVII 1ª ed. São Paulo:

Abril Cultural, 1973, p.79-313.

ÉSQUILO. Prometeu cadeeiro. Tragédias. 1ª ed. São Paulo: Iluminuras, 2009. p. 359-

FELINTO, Erick. A religião das máquinas: Ensaios sobre o Imaginário da Cibercultura.

ª ed. Porto Alegre: Sulina, 2005, 142 p.

FM-2030. Are You a Transhuman?: Monitoring and Stimulating Your Personal Rate of

Growth in a Rapidly Changing World. 1ª ed. New York: Grand Central Pub, 1989.

p. 227.

FERKISS, V. Technology and culture: gnosticism, naturalism and incarnational integration.

In: CrossCurrents, vol. 30, no. 1, p. 13–26. Chapel Hill, NC: University of

North Carolina Press, 1980.

GEHLEN, Arnold. Man in the age of technology. Tradução de Patricia Lipscomp. 1ª ed.

New York: Columbia University Press, 1980.

GOETHE, J.W.V.. O Fausto I. 1ª ed. São Paulo: Editora 34, 2016.

HARAWAY, Donna J.. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: the reinvention of nature. 1ª ed.

New York: Routledge, 1991. p. 287.

HARAWAY, Donna J.. Ciencia, cyborgs y mujeres: La reinvención de la naturaleza. 1ª ed.

Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra, 1995, 431 p.

HEIDEGGER, Martin. A questão da técnica. Ensaios e Conferências. 3ª ed. Petrópolis,

RJ: Vozes; Bragança Paulista, SP: Universitária São Francisco, 2006. p.11-38.

HUXLEY, Aldous. Admirável mundo novo. 22ª ed. São Paulo: Globo, 2014. 314p.

IHDE, Don. Technology and the lifeworld: from garden to earth. 1ª ed. Bloomington,

IN: Indiana University Press, 1990. 244 p.

JONAS, Hans. A religião gnóstica. 1ª ed. Lisboa: Universidade de Lisboa, 2021, 440p.

JONAS, Hans. Ensaios Filosóficos: Da crença antiga ao homem tecnológico. 1ª ed. São

Paulo: Paulus, 2017, 533 p.

JOUVENEL, Bertrand De. Les débuts de l’État moderne: une histoire des idées politiques

au XIXe siècle. Paris: Fayard, 1976.

MARTINS, Hermínio. Experimentum Humanum: Civilização Tecnológica e Condição

Humana. 1ª ed. Belo Horizonte: Fino Traço editora, 2012. 454 p.

MORAVEC, Hans. Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence. 1ª ed.

Londres: Harvard University Press, 1988. 214 p.

NOBLE, David F.. La religión de la tecnología: la divinidad del hombre y el espíritu de

invención. 1ª ed. Barcelona: Paidós, 1999. 298 p.

NOBLE, David F.. The Religion of Technology: The Divinity of Man and the Spirit of

Invention. 1ª ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1997. 273 p.

RIBEIRO, Gustavo Lins. Tecnotopia versus tecnofobia: o mal-estar no século xxi. Série

Antropologia, Brasília, v. 248, p.1-15, 1999.

ROUSSEAU, Jean-Jacques. Emílio ou Da educação. 1ª ed. Bauru, SP: Edipro, 2022.

p.

ROUSSEAU, Jean-Jacques. O contrato social: Princípios do Direito Político 1ª ed. Bauru,

SP: Edipro, 2017. 128 p.

SIBILIA, Paula. O homem pós-orgânico: corpo, subjetividade e tecnologias digitais. 3ª

ed. Rio de Janeiro: Relume Dumará, 2002. 228 p.

SPENGLER, Oswald. La decadência de Occidente. Tomo I e II. 2ª ed. Madrid: Espasa

Calpe, 2007.

SPENGLER, Oswald. O homem e a técnica. 1ª ed. Lisboa: Guimarães, 1980. 119 p.

STENGER, Nicole. Mind Is a Leaking Rainbow. In: Cyberspace: First Steps. 1ª ed.

Londres: The MIT Press, 1992. p. 49-58.

TIPLER, Frank J. La física de la inmortalidad. 1ª ed. Madrid: Alianza, 1999.

WHITE, Lynn. Las raíces históricas de nuestra crisis ecológica. In: Filosofía y tecnología.

Organizadores: MITCHAM, Carl. MACKEY, Robert. 1ª ed. Madrid: Ediciones Encuentro,

p. 357-370.