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Document Details : Title: Technology and Imago Dei Subtitle: Technology as a Focus of Theological Anthropology Author(s): SMEDES, Taede A. Journal: ET-Studies Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Date: 2010 Pages: 25-37 DOI: 10.2143/ETS.1.1.2053951 Abstract : Since the 1960s, a new dialogue between theology and the natural sciences has emerged. In this dialogue, technology is hardly considered. Technology still is very much seen as being merely relevant to ethical discussions, although philosophers of technology have long gone beyond the ethical. This article aims to show – although briefly and fragmentarily – how technology is relevant to fundamental theological discussions. In this article technology is considered from the perspective of theological anthropology: the theological reflection on the origin, nature, and destiny of humanity in light of the relationship between God and creation. It explores some of the issues involved in discussing technology in the framework of a theological anthropology. After an introduction, the issue of a ‘natural history’ of the human use of technology is addressed, as well as the question whether technology is the defining characteristic of human beings. Thereafter the ‘naturalness’ of human technology and Andy Clark’s idea of humans as ‘natural-born cyborgs’ is considered. It aims to show, contra to claims that technology is external to human beings, that technology comes quite naturally to humans. Finally there is a brief look at the different theological responses by Philip Hefner and Noreen Herzfeld who both interpret technology within the theological framework of humans as being created in the image of God (imago Dei) but do so in quite different ways. While Hefner accepts the ‘natural history narrative,’ and considers technology as natural, Herzfeld defends the view that there are biological boundaries between humans and machines which have consequences for our attitudes towards technology. |
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