The Technological Society By Jacques Ellul

The Technological Society- Jacques Ellul Prabhash Dhama (A/2392/2011)

The write-up by Jacques Ellul talks about how important a part of our lives science and technology have become. Technology and science combined have give us a world of machines. It gives us a vision of a world where technique would demolition anything in its part that does not propagate its idea or logic, which could even include humanity. what is also surprising is how what he talks about has proven to be more relevant in today's time than days in the days it was actually written in.

Technique has become an integral part of the life of the modern man which integrates it with the mechanical world around it. It is able to practice absolute efficiency in all its fields.

Over the years the relation of science and technique has reversed. The belief that technique is an application of science and thats all that its confined to has changed. It could merely be the material reality of science and is valid for very specific situations. Human beings have been acquainted with 'technique' since the longest while. So many discoveries were made not because oh man's scientific knowledge but due to hit and trial methods when he just developed techniques to achieve what he aimed for which science was later able to explain. Hence it’s right to agree when Ellul says that science has become an instrument of technique.

Talking about how the historical development of technique he suggests that technique is absorbed into man's psychology and also depends on it to an extent. Man has tried to look for answers and achievements. Technique has been able to evolve along two paths, one where the man knows what he wants to achieve and what may be the result of the technique. The other he refers to as magic, where the subsequent developments are

We will ultimately have to accept and adjust to the 'total change' in the world of technology and machines we have created. He defines technique as "the totality of methods rationally arrived at and having absolute efficiency (for a given stage of development) in every field of human activity". The read not only successfully establishes the fact that technique and machines have overtaken our society but has also changed the perception of the reader of his own society. Jacques Ellul comes off as a luddite in some instances whereas on other instances he just limits himself to clear-headed comments on the possible ramifications of the proliferation of technology in Western