Project 1- Hearing-Aids and Philosophy of Technology
In Martin Heidegger’s “The Question Concerning Technology” it’s undeniable that humans will have a reliance or perhaps over-reliance on modern or contemporary technology. Over the decades and centuries, we have become more and more comfortable and reliant upon the integration of technology in our everyday lives. Whether that recognition comes to rationalization or thought to us without first being asked to consider it, is a question of its own. I’d like to bring into consideration of how that reliance upon technology can influence perspectives and the way this peculiar philosophical take on technology is impactful.
The concept of enframing to pull something into standing-reserve has been noted several times in the translation. However, does that process change, or is viewed differently when one has an influenced perspective in life brought unto via technology, like hearing aids in my instance? I personally think the perspective and critical thinking involving Heidegger’s work are altered by the personal reliance and dependency on hearing aids when pulled into consideration. This could be due to the many psychological impacts of having to deal with a different lifestyle dependent on the devices and how actions are approached.
When revisiting the concept of enframing and running the danger of calling ourselves into standing-reserve, is there a subconscious difference of insight for myself vs others. Is my ability to rationalize or conceptualize things different because of experience, knowledge, or technological dependence/influence? Can this projection upon ourselves on technology be rationalized or accepted without discourse akin to how there’s a status quo with who has air pods, iPhones vs androids, etc? So how does one pull objects and ideas into a standing-reserve in hopefully the same light or insight as one not concerned or affected by a similar disposition or projection? Maybe one does and it’s just not acceptable to believe that it may be the same and the extra wonderment about the self-projection brings about a different perspective. I think there is a considerable factor to that which brings about a significant impact on perspectives on critical thinking and views whether as a whole it should be worried or stressed about.
Speaking from personal accounts and collections of perspectives from others in similar positions; when we pull into determining ourselves as who we are or in comparison to others, do we see ourselves as the same or perhaps, unfortunately, less as given by our disadvantages? So then to apply a more rational perspective of hearing loss and technology assistance, we can see how the question mentioned beforehand impacts our perspectives and interactions with others, technology, and the world. The due impact from the reality that humans from a psychological perspective, are deeply affected by their self-perceptions when affected differently from others, some have more negative effects than others.
With hearing loss, it brings about a more conscious, careful, or considerate approach to how I interact in society; calculated listening or a focus on auditory/visual cues. Hearing aids greatly facilitate that lifestyle attenuation, and with that consideration, how does that impact me philosophically as a human in relation to the technology in Heidegger’s works? There is also a noticeable esteem and confidence inhibition when comparing oneself to reach the perceived expectations of society when having a limitation, or reliance on assistance to feel up to par on normalcy.
Onto the subject of relating or comparison to “Normal”, (In quotes as socially speaking, normal can be subjected on biological/technical and accepting accounts). If one is afflicted by a different physiological or psychological mindset and relies upon or is influenced by technology, are they any less or more than ones in situations not affected in the same light? The answer depends on the value of biological differences/impairments and whether a distinction should be considered. (There’s a schism I feel in this area; Some place a negative emphasis on the conditions while others embrace and positively identify around it). Regardless of differentiating opinions, hearing loss has become more noticeable and socially prevalent. A result from more commonly impacting technology (Loud noises, greater auditory isolation, still widespread harmful overuse of antibiotics in places) in the causation of loss or greater availability of responding to and assisting the loss, encouraging visibility/recognition. Placing a focus on the side that is more negative, subjectively, there’s a “slower/reduced” reaction rate to events and communications in life with hearing loss or deafness. For some, there’s less concern to trying to match others of unimpacted hearing, whilst others may try to emulate it as closely as possible with technology. Those who feel the need to match normal hearing or feel as involved and accepted out of a relatable “Hyper-focus” based on anxiety or self-consciousness probably have a stronger dependence on that technology and it begs the question if it blinds the rationale that we are still the same humans.
Heidegger mentioned humans propositions themselves up to be the “lords of the Earth” and questioned the validity of such emphasis and belief in ourselves. I believe it calls to an idea or consideration that while humans may be conventionally-speaking, the most technologically adept and mastered. Where do we still stand as just humans to nature and ourselves when we’ve surpassed simple lifestyles and moved so far “forward” from other species with the advancement and reliance of technology? We hold ourselves with such high esteem and in comparison to every other species on this planet. Most certainly technology has played a crucial role in defining that aspect of perspective for us. So how impactful is the consideration of biological assistance via technological inventions, if we stop to rationalize how it shapes us? Incredibly. I think the constant revolution around technology further blinds us in a sort of ignorance and accentuates pride in our abilities, increasingly lauding our position of a “false lord”.
Technology affects us to define ourselves in comparison to others; for example, status comparisons of who owns an iPhone and who owns an android. There’s a clear social construct that creates a sort of discrimination or identifying bias that lingers in application with other forms of technology/actions. Which I believe auditory assistance devices can be applied in a smaller niche. I feel like there’s a self-inflicted application of self-projection upon the technology of hearing aids among those affected. Whether or not that’s due to a psychological basis of my own experiences with others and me, or if it’s delving into a philosophical sense. Could be more so a sociological and psychological application seeing as self-images and perceptions of others upon oneself play a large role in the willingness to accept the use of that technology.
Lastly, there’s a hidden conceptual impact that is drawn out into realization when rationalized about technology and philosophy regarding technological reliance/self-projection. There has always been a psychological impact from comparisons and trying harder to feel normal. However, when looking at the concepts brought forth in “The Question Concerning Technology” I realized that there’s a broader issue of where we humans stand amongst each other and in nature with ourselves when applying all sorts of technological means and accomplishments. As we develop further into coexisting with and relying on technology, we should be mindful of who we are as humans first with each other and nature lest we lose ourselves being caught up in mindlessness moving forward. I’m not entirely sure how there could be a solution to this as we are already so integrated into this present lifestyle and perceptive thinking.
