In Search of a Critical Theory of ICT Evaluation: From Heidegger to Habermas

摘要

How do we critically evaluate the information and communications technology (ICT) that is central in both our everyday lifeworlds and in the steering media of money and power? Market oriented world views tend to dominate debates and the purpose of this paper is to challenge such purely instrumental views and to tentatively seek a more comprehensive foundation on which to begin to build a critical theory of ICT evaluation. With a nod to Aristotle, our points of departure are Harvey's pragmatic and historical analysis of recent industrial society, Heidegger's tool analysis, and Habermas' theory of communicative action. We argue that critical space be opened up that includes normative (lifeworld) as well as instrumental (system) forms of rationality.