Science and Technology in Society
Community in the networked society
History of Technology
Tech and Society
Politics of Technology
Theorizing STS
Relationships in-and-with 21st century technosiences
does not exist in a social vacuum
a material substance
used in one setting does not mean use in another
influenced by multiple factors
socio-technical perspective
influenced by society
the way we view economy
not pure, neutral
"technology has knowledge"
embodying and reflecting society elements
utopian vs. dystopian
utopian: binding ourselves to the perceptive risks
dystopian: regressive force
missing out on the positive benefits
Feenburg's Categorization
using science as tech to explore the world
as a force for good
determinism
instrumentalism
substantivism
critical theory
technological determinism
tech directs and shapes social interactions
social determinism
creates specific uses for the tech
focused on the technological pov
structures and controls society
almost like the utopian/dystopian view
humans controlled and neutral
proposes that tech can be used for the +/- uses
7 periods of technology
stone age
ancient technology
the renaissance
enlightenment & revolution
industrial revolution
electric times
3rd and 4th industrial revolution
SCOT
relevant social groups
people who relate to tech and have a shared meaning of technology
existing tech can fail the adaptation into a group
older products become obsolete
interpretive flexibility
closure and stability
wider context
artifacts are not neutral in a socio-cultural context
tech means different things to different people
multi social settings
tech becomes a flexible tool when it gains prominence in society
social construction becomes embedded in the meaning
ANT
Actor Network Theory
a specific tech in stabilized around a term or object
norms and values help understand their value towards society
"everything in the world is a continuously generated effect of the webs of relations within which they are located"
seen as multi-dimensional, not linear
social or economic system
information society
system in which a specific tech is embedded
technical arrangement as forms of order
inventions, designs, or arrangements
become a way or settling issues in some communities
the bridge and the bus
grouping of lower class individuals
inherently political technologies
some tech that exist within specific social and political environments
their nature is to require a particular political order
otherwise the tech cannot exist
gemeinschaft and gesellschaft
- the idea of a community
- loose connections through bonds that are mainly goal oriented
the nation state
community lost
community saved
community liberated
the decline caused by industrialization and urbanization
when you are not connected to your community
people are bound to that community and the idea system
creating a pastoral community
family and friends are the main focus point
the community becomes grey and transformed into a whole new community
naive in thinking the world is the same as it was 200 years ago
social capital
Technology, Connection, and Absence
sums of valuable resources can be obtained through the social networks
utopian, dystopian, supplemental perspective
the final perspective sees what it actually happening
"rich get richer"
networked individualism
trade in social capital
internet allows a build and enhance social networks
multiple networks,
variety of roles
want to expand their networks
key figures
Artificial Intelligence & Transhumanism
Big Data and Surveillance Society
Ethics of Technology
Walter Ong
Harold Innis
Eric Havelock
primary and secondary morality
transforming power of media in human affairs
social reconstruction
2 groups
digital immigrants
digital natives
those born into a world full of technology
introduced to the internet later on in their lives
technology is neither good nor evil
Technology, Imperialism, Colonization, and Empire
civilizing mission
tech nutrality
linked to the idea of empire building
bring peace and order to areas where there were wars and conflicts
Europeans considered their continent to be the most progressive and advanced
technologies
telegraphs
railways
steam boats
justifications
European superiority
time, work, and nature
strong christian movement
rational/scientific thought would triumph over knowledge
justification for colonizing people
strong religious views
Europe was a dominant Christian society
believed to bring an end to Hinduism
cast system's would be abolished
mechanized clock
planetary predictions were too strong
new tech was becoming part of the natural world
steam powered many different systems
steam gun boats
Anglo war in 1820
allowed the British to bring reinforcements and supplies
opium war
blocked the Chinese canal
money was the motive
the indian mutiny
soldiers had to bite open the cartilage of their new rifles before insertion
had remnants of pork or beef fat
the soldiers went to destroy the telegraph lines first
opened up new territories
reinforced notion of being on time
helped colonizers keep charge of their districts
suppress growing rebellions
created markets for consumer goods
related to critical theory
only those who could afford cars could go under the bridge
how do networked, bounded, and limited individuals connect at different stages of life?
percentage of social media app usage in canada - 2017
top 10 devices used
The End of Absence
Kids these days
Communities
Absence
Technology
what our lives were before technology
two boys on the bus did not talk face-to-face
"we don't want to be alone
and yet don't want the hastle
that fellow humans
represent either, the digital
filter is an ideal compromise"
(Harris, 29)
they chose to communicate with each other digitally
By Michael Harris
become accustomed to leading a lesser authentic version of ourselves
a magazine doesn't do enough justice as the pull towards an electronic device
we lack what our ancestor's may have taken for granted
silence in our minds
ELIZA
code designed to produce text in same structured dialogue as humans
purpose was to create an ideal conversationalist
a tool of change
help us learn and develop from our past interactions
technopoles
how does society react to the technology?
centers of innovation
create new designs and keep their place in the global market
3 Questions
how can we find a way to contradict the pull tech has on us?
why can't we program all the information we forget into our phones?
how can we reconnect to the life we had before technology?
taking advantage of the tech at hand
reduce the time and energy towards our devices
can we escape a withdrawl?
can we grow and develop without it?
"new surveillance"
capitalism
connected to the 4th industrial revolution
surveillance is a multi-faced term
"watching over"
Surveillance capitalism
using data to improve and predict products, and anticipate when this will be done
Liquid surveillance
data flows between corporations, and government agencies
Snowden Case
exposed the corrupt liquid surveillance
"knowledge is power and power is control if you have mass amounts of data against people"
rationalism
a means of a disciple
used as a way to facilitate production
to monitor employees and whether or not they were working
can be used for power and control
movement towards the more rule-based forms of socialization
what are they based on so we can make rational choices
power
the main unit of analysis in many institutions
if we're not being observed then we are subjected to control
the ability to observe leads to power
"i'm being observed and i need to do the right thing otherwise I will be punished"
attention economy
"treats human attention as a scarce commodity and applies economic theory to solve information management problems"
creates a spread of extremist views
5V's of Big Data
volume, velocity, variety, veracity, value
points of resistance
point to potentials users
"Sousveillance"
form of counter surveillance
acknowledging that you know someone is watching, and you're watching back
privacy and protection strategies
all occur at micro-levels
online privacy depends on social norms and expectations and individual preferences
4th industrial evolution
Bentham’s model of the Panopticon
the visibility of power
the unverifiability of power
transhumanism
spoke of the book during this lecture
existential risk
key concepts
transhumanism, singularity, tech determinism, and future expectations
narratives
science fiction inspires technological evolution
"The more scientific and technical data we have, the more uncertain we become and the more the more we can see opportunities for risk or any existential risk"
trans-veganism
super-intelligence
smart AI
the matrix or the terminator
will potentially learn to keep its capabilities to itself
"The Godfather of AI"
fear over AI's capabilities
50% chance AI will be smarter humans in 5-15 years
super intelligence
how have they impacted the world, knowledge, understanding
advocating for human advancement through science and tech
humans surpassing their current limitations
super-longetivity
super-happiness
smaller trajectory
AI technology will integrate with the human body
enhancing cognition
preventing the agent
making a future with more/less A-future-I
by genetically altering the human body
defined by Nick Bostrom
"An intellect that gravely exceeds the cognitive performance of humans
narrow AI
strong AI
can only focus on one task
has a mind of its own
applies its intelligence to any problem; not constricted
singularity
a future period in which the pace of technological change will be rapid
its impact so deep human life will be universally transformed
"intelligence explosion"
criticized for being overly specular
By: Dea Lall
central themes
target groups
sociotechnical approach
technological equality
complex linkages between tech and society
the role within colonialism and imperialism
rapid tech advances
unprecedented social change
direction and type of effects
ethical dilemmas and changing uses
STS
tech inequality
help further develop transformations
tech as human destiny
innovation
irresponsible
modern
RRI
neglecting fundamental and ethical principles
market mechanisms
lack of precautionary measures & foresight
tech is produced in an uncontrolled way
gap between and innovation
global-digital divide
net neutrality
same access to internet all around
tech constrains our freedom
tech as progress
transhuman
tech-utopianism
questions to ask
"we're becoming products of tech"
need to critically question the role of tech
is technological change always necessary?
does it approve humanity?
are there unintended consequences?
does it reflect capitalist notions of society?
only a handful of corporations, and large demands
responsible research & innovation
steer and respond to tech and its development
need a sustainable development and society
will have to use specific ways
anticipation
inclusion
reflexivity
responsiveness
what will happen in the future
getting a wider perspective of ideas
what am i doing and why?
how are you going to do things differently?
feenburg's categorization