Concepts as artefacts
Three insights that conceptual engineering can draw from the philosophy of technology
Samuela Marchiori (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
In conceptual engineering, concepts are often likened to artefacts, yet engagement with the extensive theorisation of artefacts in the philosophy of technology literature remains rare. After advancing an account of concepts as akin to socio-technical artefacts that sets itself apart from Thomasson’s work on concepts as abstract cultural artefacts (Thomasson 1999, 2007, 2021), this paper draws on the philosophy of technology scholarship on socio-technical artefacts to develop three insights for conceptual engineering. First, alongside functions, concepts, like artefacts, bear affordances and produce side effects, enabling uses beyond their intended purpose. Second, (re-)engineered concepts are inherently value-laden, reflecting the priorities and biases of their designers and the socio-technical contexts in which they operate. Third, conceptual engineering would benefit from greater methodological systematicity, drawing on the structured approaches employed in the philosophy of technology for the evaluation, design, and implementation of artefacts. Together, these insights suggest that exploring a closer alignment with the philosophy of technology scholarship on socio-technical artefacts can refine the theoretical understanding of concepts as artefact-like, enrich the conceptual engineering toolkit, and open new and promising directions for research and practice.
help_outline