Any suggestions for undergrad senior paper?

Matti March 24, 2018 at 04:10 2950 views 6 comments

Hi! I made an account in order to see if anyone had any suggestions for my senior philosophy paper/project which I’ll be completing next term!

The paper is usually taken from a previous class and then improved/lengthened/etcetera in order to be presented at the end of the term to a panel of professors.

But, as of right now, I can’t think of any of my previous papers which really capture what I’ve most enjoyed/am interested in from my philosophical studies. I know I’ll choose one as my base, but I’m giving myself a lot of room for growth on where I take it.

The one I will most likely deal with is about whether technology is a part of human nature, where I originally used the writings of Aristotle, Plato, Spengler, Heidegger, and Marx (I argue that it is). So, it’s based on the side of philosophy of technology. But, I would love to be able to incorporate some other things I enjoyed from my time in school.

I really enjoyed my time studying Nietzsche, German Idealism/Romanticism, Existentialism, & Spinoza. So, I suppose the question is whether anyone has any reading suggestions/opinions on whether any of that can be connected to the philosophy of technology, specifically the question of just how much technology is a part of human nature. It doesn’t matter their perspective, just that they have one. Or, if anyone knows of other philosophers who may have an interesting perspective on that topic, I would love to hear about it!

It’s a very broad question, but I was hoping to have some time this spring break to think it over and try and expand my knowledge of the subject, and any input that would aid me in that would be appreciated!

- M.

Comments (6)

Streetlight March 24, 2018 at 04:39 #166109 0 likes

The philosopher that might be most relavent to an investigation like that might be Bernard Steigler, especially his Technics and Time trilogy, where, like you, he argues that technology is indeed part of 'human nature' (although of course to say this is to complicate what we mean by human nature). Steigler is a hard read though and alot of what he says is grounded in some serious phenomenology and deconstruction (i.e. Husserl and Derrida). There's alot of good secondary literature on him though, which might be a good place to at least explore and see if he's what you're after (if you can find it, the collection Steigler and Technics, edited by Christina Howells and Gerald Moore, is excellent).

Otherwise, David Wills (esp. his Dorsality and Prosthesis), Donna Haraway (Simians, Cyborgs, and Women), Katherine Hayles (How We Became Posthuman), Andre Leroi-Gourhan (Gesture and Speech), and Gilbert Simondon (On the Mode of Existence of Technical Objects), might also all be of relevance as well.

Deleted User March 24, 2018 at 04:47 #166112 0 likes

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Wayfarer March 24, 2018 at 09:14 #166125 0 likes

Also Jacques Ellul for the contra.

Nicolas Kiroy March 24, 2018 at 18:40 #166248 0 likes

You could also include a section on the future of technology and entanglements with human nature. A good source for that would be Ray Kurzweil.

Sir2u March 24, 2018 at 19:35 #166273 0 likes

The morality of bio-technology used to improve the human beyond the scope of normal humanity.

Hanover March 24, 2018 at 22:14 #166290 0 likes

I'd write about the dehumanizing effects of technology, from the teenagers who disengage from direct contact with family and friends to corporate micromanagement of employees of everything measurable to my not petting my playful dog while I type this message. Has happiness been lost in search of happiness?

I had this thought on the way home from the gym today actually, especially with regard to workplace technology. The more our occupations are objectively measurable, the less we'll be permitted the freedom of personal expression, else we won't acheive the result expected. What couldn't be measured in years past is easily captured by technolgy. In fact, if a worker is superior in a way not capable of clear measurement, technolgy will dictate the skill irrelevant. It is much the same way that spell check will change our speech if an otherwise legitimate word is not included in its dictionary.

Yeah, write about that.