Question

A. What was the thesis of Andrew Feenberg’s book Questioning Technology?

B. Designing for sustainability, what are the concepts that we need to consider to ensure that are design will not have an adverse effect in the environment.

Answer 1

PART A: The thesis of Andrew Feenberg's book "Questioning Technology"

• This book deals with the "study of the philosophy of technology".
• The importance of technology is seen in areas such as: Environmentalism, information technology, medical fields etc.
• The author shows that technological design is central to the structure of modern societies (social and political).
• The technology and its effectiveness depend on the cultural and political structure under which it was designed.
• The varieties of theory are developed based on various combinations (Autonomous, human-controlled, Neutral and value laden).
  • For e.g.: The combination Neutral-Autonomous refers to determinism.
• People cannot deny the importance of technology in their life.

PART B: Designing for sustainability - The concepts that we need to consider to ensure that are design will not have an adverse effect in the environment.

• The design concept has now changed from elimination of pollution towards the elimination of causes of pollution which led to the concept of "Designing for sustainability".
• Designing for sustainability includes the practices by which there will be no harm in the present as well as future generation.
• Researches are undergoing to develop products with less harm to nature. For this, the following concepts are to be taken care of:
  • "Life cycle approach"- deals with the whole cycle of development of product.
  • “Functional approach" - which deals with the impact of product in nature.
  • Another design namely, "Cradle to Cradle (C2C)”, checks important environmental aspect such as energy consumption.
• The researchers must check the role of social equity and cohesion in their design.
• The researchers should take care of strategies and pathways of product design inorder to determine the most suitable ones.