Albert Borgmann (born 1937) is an American philosopher, specializing in the theology of technology. He was born in Freiburg, Germany, and is a professor of philosophy at the University of Montana.

Contents 1 Philosophy 2 Published works 2.1 Books 2.2 Essays 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links

[edit] Philosophy

Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life (1984) contributed to the emerging philosophical discussions of issues surrounding modern technology. Moving away from a Heideggerian viewpoint, Borgmann introduced the notion of the device paradigm to explain what constitutes technology's essence as opposed to Heidegger's Gestel (enframing). The book, published at the height of the Cold War, contrasts technology along the axis of liberal democratic ideals versus Marxist lines of thought. For Borgmann technology is something to be overcome and religion, especially some form of Roman Catholism, is to be humanity's saving grace.

Crossing the Postmodern Divide (1992) is a techno-religious book characterized in terms of hyperreality and hyperactivity. Hyperactivity is described as a pathological syndrome of the child and workaholic. Borgmann extends hyperactivity to society as a whole, and defines it as "a state of mobilization where the richness and variety of social and cultural pursuits, and the natural pace of daily life, have been suspended to serve a higher, urgent cause" (p14). The salvation of mankind is a return to the Christian God.

Holding onto Reality (1999).

[edit] Published works

[edit] Books

• Philosophy of Language: Historical Foundations and Contemporary Issues (1977) ISBN 902471589X
• Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life: A Philosophical Inquiry (1984) ISBN 0226066290
• Crossing the Postmodern Divide (1992) ISBN 0226066274
• Holding onto Reality: The Nature of Information at the Turn of the Millennium (1999) ISBN 0226066231. See the introduction to the book.
• Power Failure: Christianity in the Culture of Technology (2003) ISBN 1587430584
• Real American Ethics: Taking Responsibility for Our Country., University of Chicago Press (2006) ISBN 0-226-06634-7 ^[1]. See an excerpt from the book.

[edit] Essays

• "The Question of Heidegger and Technology: A Critical Review of the Literature," (with the assistance of Carl Mitcham), Philosophy Today 23 (1987): 97-194.
• Chapter by Borgmann in Buchanan, Richard and Victor Margolin, editors Discovering Design: Explorations in Design Studies. University of Chicago Press (1995) ISBN 0-226-07815-9
• Kinds of Pragmatism (Fall 2003)

[edit] See also

• Device paradigm
• American philosophy
• List of American philosophers

[edit] References

1. ^ "Borgmann, Albert Real American Ethics: Taking Responsibility for Our Country. 232 p. 6 x 9 2006". University of Chicago Press. 2006-08-17. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/presssite/metadata.epl?mode=synopsis&bookkey=203877. 

[edit] Further reading

• Higgs, Eric et al., Technology and the Good Life University of Chicago Press, 2000. ISBN 0-226-33387-6.
• Techné: Journal of the Society for Philosophy and Technology, Fall 2002. Special issue discussing Holding onto Reality.

[edit] External links

• Brief Biography (College of Arts and Sciences, University of Montana)
• An interview/dialogue with Albert Borgmann and N. Katherine Hayles on humans and machines (1999)
• Albert Borgmann on Taming Technology Interview by David Wood, August 2003.