Religion, Technology, and Culture

My presentation is on J. Newmans view of Religion and Technology in the 21st Century

Here is an overview of what I will present:

Religion as a form of technology:
To define religion as technology, Newman firsts looks at a more abstract level of analysis
Because most people would be perplexed to hear religion as a form of technology, Newman asks the readers to open up and benefit from the perspective being recommended.
Kohanski’s philosophy of technology draws attention to the “techniques used in the organization of religious institutions”.
Kohanski reminds us that if we undervalue mental plans in relation to physical and material ones, we will be stuck with narrow paradigms of technology such as the electronic communications media.
Feibleman’s quote I felt was appropriate because in general people underestimate the skill and creative process needed for religion, and only focus on those economic material goods that define “technology”.

Artifacts of Technology and Artifacts of Religion
Richard Deitrich associated religion as “technology with artifacts”
The argument of techne: the production of a cathedral or a statue may on several levels involve tools, machines, electronic devices, scientific knowledge, and utilization of casual relationships regarding energy and matter.

Technique, Skill, Method, and Procedure, a part of religion?
Newman stresses that technology can be found in every aspect of religion
Although this technology may not necessarily be the production of material items, it may be a condition, a state of affairs, or a way of understanding.
Religion is a way of understanding, therefore religion is a production, and a production is created by technology, therefore religion is a form of technology.

Religion as a form of culture and experience
The term technology often reminds people of the material objects made by hand, but in technology the hands are at the service of the brain, mind or soul.
Ultimately God is the creator
When god wrote the “ten commandments” on two stone tablets, this represents the “work of god”, who created this unique form of guidance with his own hands!
None the less; in a form of a gift, God’s creation is truly a product of his soul, his mind, his power.

Shallowness of Materialism
The Hebrew sages
Like other religious educators of ancient Greece and ancient Asia, the Hebrew sages believed that their God could not be portrayed in a drawling, painting, or statue. But could only be captured by the mind, although he was no mere abstraction.
Ancient Jewish Technology
The crafting of Ancient Jewish technology including metaphysical and moral ideas would surpass the materialistic items.
This represents a techne: “knowledge of how to make things that have been vastly more influential than the technology that has resulted in pyramids or computer chips”.
The Jewish sages realized that it would not be enough to adapt to earlier religious conceptions to accommodate the cultural needs of their people.
They focused on commanding a new vision.

Where does Religion fit in to Technology?
This is one of the most important reasons why technology is such a progressive cultural force.
The facts remains that the value inherent in technologies are generally indicated by the roles that the technologies have been designed to perform.
Newman gives the example; Religion today still performs many of the roles that it performed in ancient times. However it no longer performs certain roles that it once performed and it now performs certain roles that it did not perform long ago.

The common field of Religion, Culture and Technology
People are hesitant to state Religion as a form of Technology, and more comfortable claming religion as a form of culture.
Although, in recent years, cultural theorists weren’t entirely clear about the precise relations of religion and culture but they do know that religion should be treated as MORE than just the several aspects of culture.
T.S Eliot- insists that no culture can develop except in relation to religion
Paul Tillich- a protestant theologian insists that “Religion is the substance or essence of culture, and culture is the form of religion
KK definition of culture- a very precise and complex view of culture
The definition of culture could go on considerably, therefore, Newman suggests that culture “involves things that have been created and promoted by human beings in the expectation that those things may be appropriated or taken up by other human beings.
Culture’s force- culture is derived from the French term that is in turn derived from the Latin word Cultura. Therefore, Culture involves nurture- caring for, looking after etc.
FR Cowell’s definition of culture is normative.
Talks about enhancing the quality of life

Technology and Culture
Vanderburg suggests that technology encompasses culture.
“This reduces the role of traditional culture and helps to illuminate how technique can come to replace or supersede culture as the foundation of social ecology.”
Both technology and culture similar in that they are improving human productions.
Newman says that Appreciating the similarities between Religion, Technology and Culture can “help us to get beyond those habits of popular usage that lead us to accept uncritically the association of religion and culture with the old and back-ward-looking and of technology with the new forward looking.”
Faith commitment is generally a commitment that states the importance to recognize the appreciation of features that religion and technology share with each other that other forms of culture do not.
Religion can be either a form of technology or a form of culture; depending on how one may regard the three concepts the most general and inclusive.
JC Shairp convinced himself that “Religious and Cultural endeavors are in the last analysis merely secondary technologies.”
The virtue of tolerance is an important application of knowledge or understanding

What then is to be believed?
A world view may in fact bring disagreements, but it will be a matter of personal faith.
Newman states that the “tools for building a faith may help us…”
Also Freedom and creativity will result from a world view

Thanks,
Taylor Neagli