Philosophy of Technology

What is your philosophy of technology?

Such a large question. I needed some help. I needed to get some inspiration from the twitterverse. So I posted the message below to my Twitter account:

Question: what is your philosophy of technology? (What is the role of technology and the role of humans regarding technology?) [126 characters]

Here's a response:

ajanaya: @LMamak I like Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics. Substitute "A robot" for technology.

When I posted the same question on Facebook, I got this response:

Joe Sinness: i don't want technology to prevent me from having real social interactions - - - translation, lets hang out soon so i can see your new pup

So let's consider the first one:

Asimov's Laws of Robotics, modified
1. [Technology] may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. [Technology] must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. [Technology] must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

And when Asimov himself modified these principles to tools, he said that a tool should be safe, efficient, and intact.

I can pretty much agree with that. Any technology I use should be safe (e.g. not include malicious code, ideally non-toxic, environmentally friendly), be efficient and/or fun to use (e.g. make my life either easier or more enjoyable), and not break (e.g. code bugs, down networks, abrupt business dissolution).

Now let's consider the second response. Joe is saying he doesn't want technology to interfere with his primary method of social interaction -- face-to-face -- or at least not interfere to the degree that in-person meetings are wholly prevented. And I agree with his point on broad terms; the cost-benefit relationship between me and technology must be worth it. People must consistently come before machines. As technology changes society, for the upheaval to be worth enduring, those changes must benefit society greater than they cost it.

And it's worth noting that Joe has harnessed technology to work for him in a way that's in harmony with his philosophy: He Facebook-messaged me so that we can hang out in the real world.