User:BlueHoosier1/technological rationality draft

My additions are in italics.

= Draft of Technological Rationality = Technological rationality or technical rationality is a philosophical idea postulated by the  Frankfurt School philosopher Herbert Marcuse in his 1941 article, "Some Social Implications of Modern Technology," published first in the journal Studies in Philosophy and Social Sciences, Vol. IX. It gained mainstream repute and a more holistic treatment in his 1964 book One-Dimensional Man.

The theory posits that rational decisions to incorporate technological advances into society can, once the technology is ubiquitous, change what is considered rational within that society.

Overview
''Marcuse writes that technological progress has the potential to free humanity from its need to work and toil. This newfound freedom from labor offers true freedom to humanity (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: What does "true freedom" entail?). But instead of embracing this freedom, humanity has been subsumed by a new system of reason rooted in technological innovation. This technological rationality encompasses all elements of life and replaces political rationality. (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: What is political rationality?). Technology and industry control the structure of the economy, intellectual pursuits and leisure activities. False needs, which are defined by Marcuse as needs created by technological rationality, become inseparable from true needs, which are needs that are life sustaining. Reason in its pre-technological form collapses as negation and opposition are denied under the new system of rationality (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: Can you expand on what Marcuse means by negation and opposition?). "The facts of life" replace Reason as people grow content with the "good life" offered by technology. This contentment and the subsequent loss of opposition makes humanity one-dimensional and makes humanity less free than before the onset of technological rationality. In this way technological rationality is totalitarian.''

Effects of Technological Rationality
Because of the totalitarian nature of technological rationality, Marcuse attempts to demonstrate in One-Dimensional Man the various ways that this reason has affected all facets of life.

Labor
''Technology, rather than freeing the proletariat class, has instead entrenched their enslavement (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: I think you should explain the nature of this enslavement here.) The worker no longer has to labor as hard due to mechanization, and this decreases the laborers feelings of enslavement. The ratio of white collar to blue collar workers increases as less workers (fewer) are needed to produce goods. Progress has created a "technological veil" between the worker and his or her work, and the distinction between blue collar and white collar worker(s) breaks down (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: Just to be clear, the distinction breaks down because there are fewer blue collar workers now? Might want to reword for clarification). The worker associates himself or herself more strongly with the factory, and the factory owners become "bureaucrats in a corporate machine." The Master-Slave relationship between worker and factory owner breaks (down), and the technician gain(s) new authority.''

Government
''The Welfare State rises in both need and prominence. Increased productivity, the rational goal under technological rationality, requires planning on the scale that only the Welfare State can provide (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: Could you also add the goal of technological rationality to your Overview section?). The new state is less free. It would require the restriction of leisure time, goods and services available, and the cognitive ability to understand and desire self-realization. As long (as) quality of life is better under the new state than the previous one, the people will not revolt. This society is driven to increase production by fear of the Enemy; the state exists as a "defense society." This Enemy could take many forms such as pure communism or pure capitalism, but its constant presence drives the society to greater productivity.''

Art
''Under technological rationality, high art has desublimated. Culture and social reality have flattened from two dimensions into one. Artistic alienation, which inspired the artistic works of the past, has disappeared. Art becomes common and mass-produced, and it is integrated into everyday life. The high culture before technological rationality no longer makes sense to the modern onlooker (PEER REVIEW FROM PETITEPOMMEROUGE: Does Marcuse explain HOW technology rationality destroys high art? This reads matter-of-fact).''

Language
''Operationalism has replaced all meanings. Objects are defined both as what they are and by their function.''

Peer Review by PetitePommeRouge 3/2/19
Hi! I added some comments in bold throughout your writing. I imagine you will eventually add citations and links, so I didn't suggest anything specific there. Great work!!! A much improved Wikipedia article :D