Sounds like he builds upon Max Weber's criticism of modernity. Weber said that we would be trapped in an iron cage by the ideas fashioned by modernity, namely: efficiency, overrationalisation, and planning.
Just found your channel. Thank you so much for doing this, I just graduated with my BA and entering grad school (hopefully) soon. Ellul's book was recommended to me by my research mentor, and I'm incorporating his work into my writing sample on the presence of Taylorism in the modern University. Your lectures are very high quality and there's no superfluidity or posturing. Thank you so much, again.
Technique is a process, a method as you said - one which can become self-modifying and self-sustaining (autonomous). Humans can influence process, but have ultimately lost control over the fundamental direction of process, which is increasing complexity, energy consumption, and waste. These are the characteristics of any process governing a thermodynamic system (both physical and cultural) which is operating far from equilibrium, reference "Into The Cool" on applying non-equilibrium thermodynamics to culture.
Here is the definition "Technique is the totality of methods, rationally arrived at and having absolute efficiency (for a given stage of development) in every field of human activity."
In addition to "method", I believe technique can be explained as optimization but in relation to a single variable or type of variables (e.g. performance stats). I'm wondering if seeing it as "perfection of a craft" but within an intellectual silo as Vanderburg put it, where it's stripped of its context within its society and environment.
Optimization is what comes to mind for me as well. I think in our digital age of product refinement that feels more intuitive. My concern is that as our economy optimizes to more and more skilled labor its leaving alot of ppl obsolete and left behind.
Technique is a dead end. It may evolve and become faster, bigger, smaller, more efficient but there is never any reference to the practitioner or how it will threaten the features of his/her life. It is distinct from the human as the improvements and changes suggest itself even though the user mistakenly takes credit for them. Space, time and matter are the raw materials apart from human thought and feelings.
I haven't read this book. I think Ellul maybe painter himself in a corner by thinking of a broad concept like productivity to define what pure technique doesnt concern itself with. One technique I've personally observed would be my conversation with a friend who worked as a contracted engineer for a large oil company. When I asked her what her role was there. She said her team and for the most part the whole engineering wing in her office about 10 engineers were essentially useless supervisors. Another example is the mass lay offs they had during the oil down turn. These jobs were mostly a technique political, financial and Economic for jobs and spending to trickle down to the service sector. It's very strange because this maybe a point Wendy Brown overlooked. This strange built in surplus labor to bolster up a local economy. It's very apparent in public sectors, some say it could be as large as 30 percent of the upper middle class.
The good news is that as the technique grows exponentially it will cease to perform its function as there is no integration and uniformity. Medical techniques are unavailable to most, Agricultural techniques produce products that lack nutrition and degrade health, Transportation techniques create more distance, pollution and takes millions in accident victims, etc., etc...........
I think Ellul's analysis is more relevant now than ever before.
Brave new world, the triumph of technique over life itself
Sounds like he builds upon Max Weber's criticism of modernity. Weber said that we would be trapped in an iron cage by the ideas fashioned by modernity, namely: efficiency, overrationalisation, and planning.
Interesting that this came out the same year as Heidegger's Question Concerning Technology
Just found your channel. Thank you so much for doing this, I just graduated with my BA and entering grad school (hopefully) soon. Ellul's book was recommended to me by my research mentor, and I'm incorporating his work into my writing sample on the presence of Taylorism in the modern University. Your lectures are very high quality and there's no superfluidity or posturing. Thank you so much, again.
Another wonderful lecture! Thank you so much from a fellow professor.
Technique is a process, a method as you said - one which can become self-modifying and self-sustaining (autonomous). Humans can influence process, but have ultimately lost control over the fundamental direction of process, which is increasing complexity, energy consumption, and waste. These are the characteristics of any process governing a thermodynamic system (both physical and cultural) which is operating far from equilibrium, reference "Into The Cool" on applying non-equilibrium thermodynamics to culture.
Thank you so much for this.
Here is the definition "Technique is the totality of methods, rationally arrived at and having absolute efficiency (for a given stage of development) in every field of human activity."
This idea of Technique sounds very similar to Spengler's "Technics" from "Man and His Technics"
He uses Technique because technology, in his view, is a way to manipulate and enslave rather than liberate.
In addition to "method", I believe technique can be explained as optimization but in relation to a single variable or type of variables (e.g. performance stats). I'm wondering if seeing it as "perfection of a craft" but within an intellectual silo as Vanderburg put it, where it's stripped of its context within its society and environment.
Optimization is what comes to mind for me as well.
I think in our digital age of product refinement that feels more intuitive.
My concern is that as our economy optimizes to more and more skilled labor its leaving alot of ppl obsolete and left behind.
Great analysis, good services when I think of technique I think of 2001 space Odyssey
Please add that this is an explanation, not the text.
Technique is a dead end. It may evolve and become faster, bigger, smaller, more efficient but there is never any reference to the practitioner or how it will threaten the features of his/her life. It is distinct from the human as the improvements and changes suggest itself even though the user mistakenly takes credit for them. Space, time and matter are the raw materials apart from human thought and feelings.
Nothing knew under the sun.
I haven't read this book. I think Ellul maybe painter himself in a corner by thinking of a broad concept like productivity to define what pure technique doesnt concern itself with. One technique I've personally observed would be my conversation with a friend who worked as a contracted engineer for a large oil company. When I asked her what her role was there. She said her team and for the most part the whole engineering wing in her office about 10 engineers were essentially useless supervisors. Another example is the mass lay offs they had during the oil down turn. These jobs were mostly a technique political, financial and Economic for jobs and spending to trickle down to the service sector.
It's very strange because this maybe a point Wendy Brown overlooked. This strange built in surplus labor to bolster up a local economy. It's very apparent in public sectors, some say it could be as large as 30 percent of the upper middle class.
Ellolz
See, sin is a sickness🤫
The good news is that as the technique grows exponentially it will cease to perform its function as there is no integration and uniformity. Medical techniques are unavailable to most, Agricultural techniques produce products that lack nutrition and degrade health, Transportation techniques create more distance, pollution and takes millions in accident victims, etc., etc...........
You obviously haven't read the book.