Most of the writing is on the progressive/environmentalist/feminist/postmodern side of contemporary philosophy. While not anti-technology per se, there is a deep suspicion of technology as a force in its own right that stems from Martin Heidegger’s (1889–1976) The Question Concerning Technology. By contrast, more optimistic views of technology stem from the writings of John Dewey (1859–1952).

Key issues are: whether technology can be controlled independently of radical economic and political changes; whether technology can correct its own excesses; and the roles played by technology in the history of science. Contemporary books of interest include: Michael Adas, Machines as the Measure of Men: Science, Technology, and Ideologies of Western Dominance (1990); Eric Higgs’ anthology Technology and the Good Life (2000); and Hans Achterhuis, American Philosophy of Technology (2001).