Catastrophic Technology
A Reply to Critics
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24030335 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Caroline Ashcroft (0000-0002-6636-323X, University of Oxford, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-12 |
| Publication date | 2026-08-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | History of European Ideas (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0191-6599 • E-ISSN: 1873-541X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01916599.2026.2690874 |
| OpenAlex | W7202380946 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 4 |
In this reply to comments on Catastrophic Technology, I explore five areas of discussion: (i) the differences between the ideas of the thinkers of catastrophic technology; (ii) that this is a specifically Western narrative; (iii) the engagement between environmentalism and ideas of catastrophic technology; (iv) questions of science and expertise (and scientific agency versus technological determinism); and finally, (v) universal history and temporality, where I also respond to Callum Barrell's invitation to say more on the temporal signatures of catastrophic technology, by outlining three interconnected concepts of a catastrophic technology's effect on time, that can be found in the thought of Hannah Arendt, Hans Jonas, and Günther Anders.
Agency (philosophy) · Catastrophic failure · Climate science · Environmentalism · Digital Media and Philosophy · Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations · Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
| Highly cited | No |
|---|