An Exploratory Approach to Our Normative Language About Technical Artifacts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52712/issn.1850-0013-913Keywords:
technological artefact, proper technological functions, intrinsic evaluation, instrumental valuesAbstract
This paper explores the characteristics of the normative language we employ in technologically evaluating technological artefacts. Speaking in general terms, the intuition to be defended could be put as follows: the language we employ in evaluating technological artefacts involves the attribution of instrumental values, and the clue to interpret this normative field lies in the notion of utility or correct use of a technological artefact. This paper is organized in three parts. Firstly, a definition of technological artefact is presented. Besides, it is explored the intuition that our evaluative language concerning technological artefacts involves, basically, the proper technological functions of such artefacts. Secondly, the question of what it means to intrinsically evaluate the proper technological functions of an artefact is explored. Finally, the general traits of this process of evaluation are characterized.
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