I’ve wrestled with naming my approach to history, philosophy, and the philosophy of history. For the moment, I’ve come upon the phrase “technological determinism”. Ironing out my approach to these subjects is important in light of the minefield of different, more-or-less entrenched ideas about the world. Being able to name this approach is useful for those who might want to place what I’m saying in context with other writing, as it will be more apparent why I might take particular turns when other people don’t. This is also the reason that it’s useful to me; I like to know where I am on the road as well as where I’m going.
I place the term technological determinism most directly opposite “economic determinism”, though I wouldn’t say one excludes the other. To begin with, “technology” to me is not only the mechanical, motorized, or electronic technology that we usually think of, but also of philosophical technologies such as new concepts, different ways of reading, new mediums, etc., mental technologies like economic systems, even emotional technologies like the notion of love languages. More than anything else, it’s these technologies that provide (and close off) different opportunities to those who have access to them. The Internet makes it possible for people around the world to care for one another in a way that was simply not possible with any form of technology beforehand, including television. It’s the technology which allows our ideas about the world to change.
There is another reason in particular that I separate technological determinism from economic determinism. The concept of economy, as a general phenomenon, does not progress or regress. Material circumstances may change but that doesn’t affect the concept of economy, just like a year with a short winter does not mean there was no weather. It makes the process seem as though it is outside the direct control of people. Technologies, however, can obviously be suppressed. This is true for both physical and conceptual technologies. Ideas can be outlawed and people persecuted for them, just like specific types of machines can be banned, types of trade (and their subsequent networks of knowledge) abolished and put out of the reach of those who once depended on them. As many around the world have experienced, in times of political crisis, regular people’s contact to critical support from other countries can simply be shut off by their governments. No Internet, no phones, just at a word. This fact clearly changes what is possible in these situations. Have the economics changed? Arguably. Has the technological situation changed? Without question.
This concept has the benefit of generally lining up with previous progressive/dialectical theories of human history because, as time has gone on, humans have generally created more sophisticated technologies. It would also help us to better grasp the possible consequences of limiting technologies. I will have to do a more thorough elaboration and support of the concept itself at some point in the future.