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Resumo

Alfred Gell's "Technology and Magic" (1988) explores the intertwined relationship between technology and magic, arguing that technological efficacy is often perceived and experienced through a lens of magical thinking. He challenges the conventional dichotomy between technology as rational and magic as irrational, demonstrating how both involve agency, intentionality, and a desire to control the world. Gell uses ethnographic examples, including the Trobriand Islanders' canoe-building practices, to illustrate how technical skill and magical rituals are integrated to ensure successful outcomes. He introduces the concept of the "abduction of agency," where the efficacy of technology is attributed to external forces or entities, blurring the lines between human action and supernatural intervention. The article suggests that understanding technology's social and cultural context requires acknowledging the role of magical thinking in shaping perceptions of its power and effectiveness.

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