Introduction: Articulating the Phenomenological Legacy of the Philosophy of Technology

In the introduction, it is motivated why it is important to articulate the phenomenological legacy of the philosophy of technology. We introduce some of the key concerns within philosophy of technology, link those to the general project of phenomenology, and distinguish the phenomenological method from the scientific method. We introduce key figures in the history of phenomenology (e.g., Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty) and show how their mode of inquiry remains to influence contemporary philosophical reflections on technology. We discuss how phenomenology is typically used in such analyses and identify two different functions of phenomenology in the philosophy of technology: (1) a vehicle to articulate human (embodied) experiences in their interaction(s) with technology, and (2) a way of presenting technology as a general phenomenon that shapes how human beings understand themselves, others, and the world around them. In conclusion, we provide a summary of the chapters and discuss how they relate to the project of the book.