Günter Ropohl
Encyclopedia
Günter Ropohl is a German philosopher of technology.
and philosophy at Stuttgart
University, where he was a scholar of the philosopher Max Bense
. After his PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in 1970, he wrote his Habilitation
thesis in Philosophy und Sociology at Karlsruhe University 1978 under the supervision of Hans Lenk
. His work deals with the systems theory
of "Technik" (engl. technique), leading to the concept of general technology.
In 1979, Ropohl became Professor at the Universität Karlsruhe (TH). Soon after, in 1981, he became Professor for Allgemeine Technologie (general technology) and philosophy of technology
at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main, Germany (until 2004). In the 1980s, he visited his colleague and friend Carl Mitcham
in the United States. From 1983 to 1991, i.e. during the period of the Cold War
, he was course director and visiting lecturer at the Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik (Croatia
). In 1988, he was invited as visiting professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester NY.
Ropohl is a honorary member of the German Engineering Association (VDI
), due to his interdisciplinary engagement for the philosophy of technology. He is co-editor of an anthology of the classics in the philosophy of technology in a Continental-European tradition. Ropohl published 14 monographs, (co-)edited another 14 books and published more than 180 articles.
, i.e. he regards techniques as societal structures. Ropohl is a critic of the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann
and votes for the recognition of material culture
. His definition of (German) "Technik" includes a) the utility
, b) artificiality and c) functionality
. In the focus of his work is the combination of technique as artefact and action
, whereas knowledge
insinuates the meta-concept of technology
. Therefore, he differentiates between engineering sciences and technical sciences.
Ropohl is well known in the German speaking academia for his writings on the concepts of Technik and Technologie, the ethics of technology
, technology assessment
, professional ethics for engineers and on the societal need for educating towards technology literacy.
Biography
Günter Ropohl studied mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
and philosophy at Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
University, where he was a scholar of the philosopher Max Bense
Max Bense
Max Bense was a German philosopher, writer, and publicist, known for his work in philosophy of science, logic, aesthetics, and semiotics...
. After his PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in 1970, he wrote his Habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
thesis in Philosophy und Sociology at Karlsruhe University 1978 under the supervision of Hans Lenk
Hans Lenk
Hans Lenk is a German rower who competed for the Unified Team of Germany in the 1960 Summer Olympics.He was born in Berlin.In 1960 he was a crew member of the German boat which won the gold medal in the eights event....
. His work deals with the systems theory
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
of "Technik" (engl. technique), leading to the concept of general technology.
In 1979, Ropohl became Professor at the Universität Karlsruhe (TH). Soon after, in 1981, he became Professor for Allgemeine Technologie (general technology) and philosophy of technology
Philosophy of technology
The philosophy of technology is a philosophical field dedicated to studying the nature of technology and its social effects.- History :Considered under the rubric of the Greek term techne , the philosophy of technology goes to the very roots of Western philosophy.* In his Republic, Plato sees...
at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main, Germany (until 2004). In the 1980s, he visited his colleague and friend Carl Mitcham
Carl Mitcham
Carl Mitcham is a philosopher of technology. Born in 1941, Mitcham is currently Professor of Liberal Arts and International Studies at the Colorado School of Mines and a professor at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee....
in the United States. From 1983 to 1991, i.e. during the period of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, he was course director and visiting lecturer at the Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik (Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
). In 1988, he was invited as visiting professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
, Rochester NY.
Ropohl is a honorary member of the German Engineering Association (VDI
VDI
VDI may refer to:* VDI, a code for Vidalia Regional Airport* VDI , the virtual disk image file used in VirtualBox systems* Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, the Association of German Engineers* Virtual Desktop Infrastructure; see...
), due to his interdisciplinary engagement for the philosophy of technology. He is co-editor of an anthology of the classics in the philosophy of technology in a Continental-European tradition. Ropohl published 14 monographs, (co-)edited another 14 books and published more than 180 articles.
Philosophy
A central concept in his work is sociotechnical systemsSociotechnical systems
Sociotechnical systems in organizational development is an approach to complex organizational work design that recognizes the interaction between people and technology in workplaces. The term also refers to the interaction between society's complex infrastructures and human behaviour...
, i.e. he regards techniques as societal structures. Ropohl is a critic of the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann
Niklas Luhmann
Niklas Luhmann was a German sociologist, and a prominent thinker in sociological systems theory.-Biography:...
and votes for the recognition of material culture
Material culture
In the social sciences, material culture is a term that refers to the relationship between artifacts and social relations. Studying a culture's relationship to materiality is a lens through which social and cultural attitudes can be discussed...
. His definition of (German) "Technik" includes a) the utility
Utility
In economics, utility is a measure of customer satisfaction, referring to the total satisfaction received by a consumer from consuming a good or service....
, b) artificiality and c) functionality
Function (engineering)
In engineering, a function is interpreted as a specific process, action or task that a system is able to perform .-In engineering design:In the lifecycle of engineering projects, there are usually distinguished subsequently: Requirements and Functional specification documents. The Requirements...
. In the focus of his work is the combination of technique as artefact and action
Action
Action may refer to:* Action theory , concerning the processes causing intentional human bodily movements* Social actions, person taking account of others* Action , a characteristic of a stringed instrument...
, whereas knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
insinuates the meta-concept of technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
. Therefore, he differentiates between engineering sciences and technical sciences.
Ropohl is well known in the German speaking academia for his writings on the concepts of Technik and Technologie, the ethics of technology
Ethics of technology
Ethics in technology is a subfield of ethics addressing the ethical questions specific to the Technology Age. Some prominent works of philosopher Hans Jonas are devoted to ethics of technology. It is often held that technology itself is incapable of possessing moral or ethical qualities, since...
, technology assessment
Technology assessment
Technology assessment Technology assessment Technology assessment (TA, German Tenteractive, and communicative process that aims to contribute to the formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology.- General description :...
, professional ethics for engineers and on the societal need for educating towards technology literacy.
Selected publications in English
- Article on systems-theoretical approaches and morphological methods in forecasting, in; Technological Forecastings in Practice, Farnborough/Lexington, MA: Saxon Jouse 1973, pp. 29–38.
- Article in Research in Philosophy and Technology, Vol. 2, ed. P. T. Durbin, Greenwich, CT: Jai Press 1979, pp. 15–52.
- "Information doesn't make sense", in Carl MitchamCarl MitchamCarl Mitcham is a philosopher of technology. Born in 1941, Mitcham is currently Professor of Liberal Arts and International Studies at the Colorado School of Mines and a professor at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee....
and Alois Huning (Eds.): Philosophy and Technology II: Information Technology and Computers in Theory and Practice, Dordrecht/Boston MA 1986, pp. 63–74. - "Deficiencies in Engineering Education", in P. T. Durbin (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Nonacademic Science and Engineering, Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University Press and London/Toronto: Associated University Presses 1991, pp. 278–295.
- "Knowledge Types in Technology", in: M.J. de Vries & A. Tamir (Eds.), Shaping Concepts of Technology. From Philosophical Perspective to Mental Images, Dordrecht 1997.
- "Technological enlightenment as a continuation of modern thinking", in Carl Mitcham (Ed.): Research in philosophy and technology, vol. 17, Technology, ethics and culture, Creenwich CT/London: Jai Press 1998, pp. 239–248.
- Philosophy of socio-technical systems, in: Society for Philosophy and Technology, Spring 1999, Volume 4, Number 3, 1999.
- "Mixed prospects of engineering ethics". European Journal of Engineering Education, 27 (2) (2002), pp. 149–155.
Monographs in German
- Flexible Fertigungssysteme : zur Automatisierung der Serienfertigung. Mainz: Krausskopf 1971 (= Produktionstechnik heute 1, ed. H. J. Warnecke; dissertation Universität Stuttgart 1970)
- Eine Systemtheorie der Technik : zur Grundlegung der Allgemeinen Technologie. München/Wien: Hanser 1979 (Habilitationsschrift Universität Karlsruhe 1978). 2nd ed. 1999, 3rd ed. Karlsruhe 2009.
- Die unvollkommene Technik. Frankfurt/M: Suhrkamp 1985
- Technologische Aufklärung : Beiträge zur Technikphilosophie. Frankfurt/M: Suhrkamp 1991, 2nd ed. 1999
- Ethik und Technikbewertung. Frankfurt/M: Suhrkamp 1996
- Wie die Technik zur Vernunft kommt : Beiträge zum Paradigmenwechsel in den Technikwissenschaften. Amsterdam: G+B Fakultas 1998
- Vom Wert der Technik. Stuttgart: Kreuz Verlag 2003
- Sinnbausteine : Ein weltlicher Katechismus. Leipzig: Reclam 2003
- Arbeits- und Techniklehre : Philosophische Beiträge zur technologischen Bildung. Berlin: Edition Sigma 2004
- Kleinzeug : Satiren – Limericks – Aphorismen. Münster: LIT Verlag 2004
- Allgemeine Technologie : Eine Systemtheorie der Technik. 3rd ed. of the 1979 book, Karlsruhe: Universitätsverlag 2009; http://digbib.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/volltexte/1000011529
- Signaturen der technischen Welt : Neue Beiträge zur Technikphilosophie, Berlin/Münster: LIT Verlag 2009
Books about his work
- Karl Eugen Kurrer: The history of the theory of structures, Ernst & Sohn 2008, pp. 148–152.
- Nicole C. KarafyllisNicole C. KarafyllisNicole C. Karafyllis , is a German-Greek philosopher and biologist. Since 2010, she is Department Chair and Philosophy Professor at the TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig/Brunswick Institute of Technology ....
/Tilmann Haar (Eds.): Technikphilosophie im Aufbruch. FestschriftFestschriftIn academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
für Günter Ropohl. Berlin: Edition Sigma, 2004 (in German; includes a complete list of his publications). - Elisabeth Gräb-Schmidt: Technikethik und ihre Fundamente. Dargestellt in Auseinandersetzung mit den technikethischen Ansätzen von Günter Ropohl und Walter Zimmerli. De Gruyter 2002.
- Friedrich Rapp: "Philosophy of Technology after twenty years: A German perspective", Society for Philosophy and Technology, 1995.
External links
- Josef Bordat: Mensch, Natur, Handlung. Zu Ropohls Systemtheorie der Technik. 2001.
- Private Website (in German) ropohl.de