Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HAAA (How Artifacts Acquire Agency: Towards a Philosophy of Automation)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-01-16 bis 2024-01-15
The primary objective of this project was to develop a new philosophical approach to the study of automation which recognises the essential role played by human operators. This objective was intended to address a bias within existing philosophy of technology which overlooked the necessary role play by human operators in the operation of technologies promoted as forms of automation and by doing so open up new avenues for research on the philosophical study of automation. This project is thereby intended to increase our understanding of the relationship between human action and automating technologies in order to enable us to approach discussions surrounding automation and the future of work in a more effective and informed manner. The secondary objective of this project was to establish the ER as a leading voice in the philosophy of technology with a view towards enabling him to achieve his long-term goal of a permanent position within philosophy.
Early in the duration of the project the ER developed the proposed new approach to the study of automation in a journal article and a book chapter in an edited volume on postphenomenology and feminism. The journal article was awarded the early career researcher award by the society for the philosophy of technology (SPT) and showcased in a presentation at their biannual conference. It was accepted for open access publication by the journal Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology nd printed in 2023. The book chapter deepened my approach to automation by utilising historical research on the use of early vacuum cleaners to demonstrate the ways in which human agency is eradicated from our understanding of the function of technologies.
Together, the journal article and book chapter satisfied the achievement of the primary objective of the project: to develop a new philosophical approach to automation based around the key theoretical terms of erasure, repositioning and material/human agency. For this reason focus of the project shifted in the second year towards addressing the second objective: establishing the ER as a leading voice in philosophy of technology. This objective was considered to be best addressed by expanding the research focus beyond automating technologies to include the analysis of hidden forms of human agency on which other forms of technology may depend. This widening of the project’s objectives was undertaken in response to a growing realization that the problem this project was proposed to address runs deeper than originally assumed and has hindered the development of philosophical reflection on one of the most common forms of technical practice: maintenance. By widening the project’s objectives to consider not only automation, but the maintenance of technology more generally, the ER could more effectively address the secondary objective of this project to establish himself as a leading voice in the philosophy of technology. The work on maintenance which comprised the activities of the project in the second year utilized the theoretical and methodological approach outlined in the grant proposal, exploring processes of erasure and repositioning of human agency in order to establish and sustain images of technology as operating independently of human involvement.
In April 2022 I applied for and was awarded the chance to establish a special interest group through the society for philosophy of technology on the topic of maintenance and philosophy of technology;
(https://www.spt.org/sigs/maintenance_and_philosophy_of_technology/(öffnet in neuem Fenster))
The main activities of the group consisted in monthly online lectures given by philosophers and researchers from other disciplines on the topic of maintenance. This group has attracted wide attention and its activities are currently ongoing, there are now 258 members on the mailing list and to dates we have given 19 online lectures.
Together with the supervisor of this project, Prof. Mark Coeckelbergh, I issued a call for papers for an edited volume on the topic of maintenance and philosophy of technology in early 2022. The result is an edited volume which is currently going to print at Routledge;
(https://www.routledge.com/Maintenance-and-Philosophy-of-Technology-Keeping-Things-Going/Young-Coeckelbergh/p/book/9781032326863(öffnet in neuem Fenster))
Throughout the duration of the project I also organised several panels on the topic of maintenance philosophy of technology at international conferences, including POTC 2022, fPET 2023 & SPT 2023. Each of these panels featured a selection of four different presentations on the topic and proved to be instrumental in raising awareness and interest surrounding this new theme.
Early in 2022 I also negotiated with the publishers of the journal Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology to produce a special issue on the topic of maintenance and philosophy of technology, titled ‘Technology overtime philosophical perspectives on maintenance’. The call for submissions drew an enthusiastic response and we enough quality submissions to warrant the conversion of this to a double special issue which is expected to be published in volume 29, issues 1&2 2025.
(https://www.pdcnet.org/techne/Calls-for-Submissions(öffnet in neuem Fenster))
Early in 2023 I issued a call for presentations for a two day international workshop to be held at the university of Vienna with the title ‘maintaining artifacts: technology, time and human practice’. The workshop was held on October 24 & 25 2023 and included 18 presentations all of which were given in person.
Together, the journal article and book chapter satisfied the achievement of the primary objective of the project: to develop a new philosophical approach to automation based around the key theoretical terms of erasure, repositioning and material/human agency. For this reason focus of the project shifted in the second year towards addressing the second objective: establishing the ER as a leading voice in philosophy of technology. This objective was considered to be best addressed by expanding the research focus beyond automating technologies to include the analysis of hidden forms of human agency on which other forms of technology may depend. This widening of the project’s objectives was undertaken in response to a growing realization that the problem this project was proposed to address runs deeper than originally assumed and has hindered the development of philosophical reflection on one of the most common forms of technical practice: maintenance. By widening the project’s objectives to consider not only automation, but the maintenance of technology more generally, the ER could more effectively address the secondary objective of this project to establish himself as a leading voice in the philosophy of technology. The work on maintenance which comprised the activities of the project in the second year utilized the theoretical and methodological approach outlined in the grant proposal, exploring processes of erasure and repositioning of human agency in order to establish and sustain images of technology as operating independently of human involvement.
In April 2022 I applied for and was awarded the chance to establish a special interest group through the society for philosophy of technology on the topic of maintenance and philosophy of technology;
(https://www.spt.org/sigs/maintenance_and_philosophy_of_technology/(öffnet in neuem Fenster))
The main activities of the group consisted in monthly online lectures given by philosophers and researchers from other disciplines on the topic of maintenance. This group has attracted wide attention and its activities are currently ongoing, there are now 258 members on the mailing list and to dates we have given 19 online lectures.
Together with the supervisor of this project, Prof. Mark Coeckelbergh, I issued a call for papers for an edited volume on the topic of maintenance and philosophy of technology in early 2022. The result is an edited volume which is currently going to print at Routledge;
(https://www.routledge.com/Maintenance-and-Philosophy-of-Technology-Keeping-Things-Going/Young-Coeckelbergh/p/book/9781032326863(öffnet in neuem Fenster))
Throughout the duration of the project I also organised several panels on the topic of maintenance philosophy of technology at international conferences, including POTC 2022, fPET 2023 & SPT 2023. Each of these panels featured a selection of four different presentations on the topic and proved to be instrumental in raising awareness and interest surrounding this new theme.
Early in 2022 I also negotiated with the publishers of the journal Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology to produce a special issue on the topic of maintenance and philosophy of technology, titled ‘Technology overtime philosophical perspectives on maintenance’. The call for submissions drew an enthusiastic response and we enough quality submissions to warrant the conversion of this to a double special issue which is expected to be published in volume 29, issues 1&2 2025.
(https://www.pdcnet.org/techne/Calls-for-Submissions(öffnet in neuem Fenster))
Early in 2023 I issued a call for presentations for a two day international workshop to be held at the university of Vienna with the title ‘maintaining artifacts: technology, time and human practice’. The workshop was held on October 24 & 25 2023 and included 18 presentations all of which were given in person.
As a result of the activities of this project, maintenance is now one of the fastest growing topics in the philosophy of technology. This project succeeded in producing a body of literature which explores preliminary questions relating to the relationship between maintenance and philosophy of technology and it is expected that this interest in the topic will increase over time, especially considering the increasing interests within philosophy of technology on questions surrounding sustainability and the circular economy. The topic currently serves as the basis for further grant applications, developed both by myself and also independently by contributors to the special issue and I have been invited to produce a second edited volume on the topic by the editor of a major publishing house for a series on philosophy of technology. A CFP for this volume will be issued before summer 2024 and publication will be scheduled for after the special issue reaches print in mid 2025.
The work on automation produced during the initial phases of the project has also attracted significant attention after being awarded the early career researcher prize, however it is too early to determine the extent to which this research will succeed in effecting a shift within discussions on automation in philosophy of technology. However, the research activities undertaken within this project on the maintenance of technology more generally has already stimulated interest in challenging conceptions of automation as operating without human involvement within philosophy of technology - both the edited volume and special journal issue produced during this project both contain contributions which detail the hidden labor on which automation, specifically artifcial intelligence systems depend.
The work on automation produced during the initial phases of the project has also attracted significant attention after being awarded the early career researcher prize, however it is too early to determine the extent to which this research will succeed in effecting a shift within discussions on automation in philosophy of technology. However, the research activities undertaken within this project on the maintenance of technology more generally has already stimulated interest in challenging conceptions of automation as operating without human involvement within philosophy of technology - both the edited volume and special journal issue produced during this project both contain contributions which detail the hidden labor on which automation, specifically artifcial intelligence systems depend.