Ethics on Earth©

Introduction to Günther Anders

Günther Anders (1902–1992) was a German philosopher, essayist, and cultural critic. His thought traversed the major crises and transformations of the 20th century. Anders was deeply influenced by phenomenology, Marxism, and existentialism. He was a student of Edmund Husserl. Anders was also a contemporary of figures like Hannah Arendt (his first wife) and Martin Heidegger. His work remains unique for its prescient engagement with technology, mass media, and the ethical ramifications of modern industrial society. Unlike many philosophers of his time, Anders did not take a more abstract route. Instead, he directly confronted the concrete horrors of the age. These included events and issues from the Holocaust to Hiroshima and from alienation to automation.

Anders’ philosophy centered on the belief that the human capacity to produce had outpaced the imagination. Additionally, humans struggled to take responsibility for the consequences of that production. In his magnum opus The Obsolescence of Man (Die Antiquiertheit des Menschen), he argues that modern technology has made human beings morally obsolete. It also renders them existentially obsolete. Anders did not merely critique technological tools. He exposed the deeper transformations in human perception, agency, and ethics that technology enforces. His writing is aphoristic and polemical. It is also uncompromising. He sought to awaken his readers to the silent complicity that modern life engenders.

Anders’ thought is especially relevant today. Humanity faces the existential threats of climate change, artificial intelligence, and nuclear proliferation. He saw these dilemmas as rooted in our inability to comprehend the magnitude of our own inventions. He advocated not only for moral awakening but for a renewed sense of imagination and responsibility. His work challenges both technological optimism and passive despair, insisting instead on the ethical imperative to resist dehumanizing systems. Through this lens, one of his most compelling ideas emerges: Promethean Shame.

Promethean Shame

The concept of Promethean Shame (prometheisches Scham) describes a modern psychological condition. In this state, human beings feel ashamed not of their failures. Instead, they feel inferior compared to the perfection and power of their technological creations. Anders observed that instead of being proud of their ingenuity, people often develop feelings of inadequacy. They feel this way in the face of machines that are faster, more precise, tireless, and increasingly autonomous. This inversion of shame has shifted from moral to technical comparison. It reveals how deeply technological standards have reshaped our sense of self-worth. They have also affected our agency.

Promethean Shame expresses a tragic irony. As our tools become more powerful and intelligent, we feel more diminished as their creators. For Anders, this self-alienation is not merely psychological but has profound ethical implications. It discourages responsibility. It weakens political action. It fosters a submissive acceptance of systems we no longer feel capable of mastering or judging. It also reflects the dangerous gap between what we can make and what we can imagine. More urgently, it highlights what we are willing to take responsibility for. In an age of climate disruption and nuclear risk, Anders’ diagnosis of Promethean Shame remains a sobering and timely warning.

It refers to humanity’s experience of inferiority when confronted by technology’s superior efficiency and perfection. Machines execute tasks faster, more accurately, and more reliably than humans, triggering a psychological sense of inadequacy. This shame, according to Anders, drives humans to adapt. Humans increasingly emulate the precision and reliability of machines. This behavior gradually erodes authentic humanity.

Promethean shame underscores an ethical and existential crisis. Humans strive to overcome their natural limitations by mirroring machines. In doing so, they paradoxically lose their distinctive human traits. These include vulnerability, empathy, and creativity. Anders sees this transformation not merely as psychological. He views it as indicative of a deeper ontological displacement. In this view, human nature itself becomes secondary to technological supremacy.

The core of Anders’ philosophical project is understanding that technology has fundamentally altered the human condition. It shapes consciousness, morality, and social interaction in unprecedented ways. Anders articulates a stark phenomenological critique. He maintains that modern humans experience what he terms “promethean shame.” This is a sense of inadequacy in the face of machines that outperform human capabilities. It reshapes our self-understanding.

He is widely recognized for his critical reflections on technology. His work explores its profound impact on humanity. Babette Babich’s extensive analysis of Anders’ thought, “Günther Anders’ Philosophy of Technology: From Phenomenology to Critical Theory,” came out in 2022. It provides a comprehensive exploration of his major philosophical contributions. The analysis is both insightful and extensive.

Phenomenological Roots and the Technological Shift

Originally grounded in phenomenology, Anders’ philosophy examines how technology shapes experience, perception, and embodiment. Anders argues that technology is not just an external tool. It has penetrated deeply into the structure of human life. It reshapes our very modes of perception and thought. The shift from manual labor to mechanization shows a move from a bodily, experiential relationship with reality. This has changed to a disembodied, mediated experience.

Anders emphasizes that technology redefines reality itself. Through the lens of technological mediation, human beings no longer directly confront reality, but rather engage with technologically constructed representations. This mediation produces a profound disconnect or “alienation”—a concept Anders inherits and develops from his Marxist influences. Unlike Marx, however, Anders sees alienation not merely in economic terms. He views it as an existential condition emerging directly from our technological existence.

Nuclear Age and Technological Morality

The nuclear era profoundly influenced Anders’ philosophy. His reflections on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, detailed vividly in his work, highlight technology’s capacity for destruction. Anders views nuclear weapons as symbolic of humanity’s moral collapse under technological advancement. For Anders, the existence and use of nuclear weapons epitomize the ultimate technological threat. It reveals humanity’s ethical impotence. This situation shows our collective vulnerability.

In “The Outdatedness of Human Beings,” (Anders 1956) Anders critiques humanity’s moral incapacity to grasp the full extent of technological consequences. He argues that humans have become morally “obsolete.” Our ethical frameworks are ill-equipped to address the unprecedented scale and scope of technological harm. This ethical inadequacy demands a critical re-evaluation and reformation of moral thought to align with contemporary technological realities.

Media and the Obsolescence of Experience

Anders’ critique extends to media technology, particularly television and later digital media. Media, for Anders, commodifies experience and reduces reality to mere spectacle, creating what he calls the “phantom reality.” This phantom reality supplants genuine human experience, replacing active engagement with passive consumption. Consequently, individuals lose their capacity for genuine reflection, action, and empathy.

Through media technology, Anders argues, the distinction between reality and simulation blurs significantly. Individuals increasingly perceive the world as indistinguishable from its mediated representations, leading to political apathy and moral disengagement. Media thus becomes an agent of depoliticization and moral numbness, numbing humans to critical reflection and ethical accountability.

The Totalitarian Potential of Technology

Another significant dimension of Anders’ critique involves technology’s totalitarian potential. Drawing upon his personal experiences fleeing Nazi Germany, Anders highlights technology’s role in facilitating authoritarian control. Technological rationalization and bureaucratic administration, as exemplified by totalitarian regimes, reduce humans to mere functionaries within a technocratic system. The mechanization of society facilitates the dehumanization and instrumentalization of individuals.

Anders warns that technology inherently carries authoritarian tendencies due to its emphasis on efficiency, conformity, and control. This risk intensifies as societies become increasingly dependent on complex technological systems. These systems often prioritize stability and productivity over individual freedom and human dignity. His philosophy thus cautions against the uncritical embrace of technological progress, advocating instead for vigilance and resistance to technological determinism.

Critical Theory and Anders’ Legacy

Babich situates Anders within the broader tradition of critical theory. He notes Anders’s shared concerns with philosophers like Adorno and Marcuse. This includes their views on instrumental rationality and technological domination. However, Anders distinguishes himself by emphasizing technology’s existential dimensions more explicitly than many of his contemporaries. His existential phenomenological approach uniquely articulates the lived, subjective experience of technological alienation.

Anders’ philosophy remains profoundly relevant in contemporary discussions about technology. His insights anticipate many modern concerns, including artificial intelligence, environmental degradation, and digital surveillance. Anders highlights the ethical, existential, and phenomenological implications of technology. He offers a framework for critically evaluating contemporary technological developments. These advancements significantly impact human life.

Conclusion: Toward a New Technological Consciousness

Günther Anders’ philosophical contributions represent a clarion call for critical awareness. They emphasize ethical responsibility in an age dominated by technological advancement. Babette Babich’s examination underscores Anders’ enduring relevance and the necessity of his critique as humanity grapples with emerging technological dilemmas.

Anders does not advocate a wholesale rejection of technology. Instead, he seeks a renewed consciousness. This consciousness should recognize and actively confront its ethical and existential consequences. His philosophy advocates for a nuanced approach. It emphasizes careful ethical reflection, political vigilance, and deliberate action. These efforts aim to safeguard human autonomy and dignity in a technological age.

In summary, Günther Anders provides a profound philosophical resource for understanding and critiquing the deep entanglements between humans and technology. Humanity might reclaim a genuinely human-oriented technology by recognizing and confronting our “promethean shame.” It requires reevaluating moral frameworks and resisting technological totalitarianism. This technology would serve rather than supplant human flourishing.

References:

Babich, Babette. Günther Anders’ Philosophy of Technology: From Phenomenology to Critical Theory. London: Bloomsbury, 2022.

Anders, G. (2009). The outdatedness of human beings (Vol. 1, K. Kronberger, Trans.). London: Paradigm Publishers.

Anders, Günther. The Outdatedness of Human Beings, vol. 1 & 2. Munich: Beck, 1956 & 1980.