Technological Determinism: What It Is and Why It Matters

Technological determinism often presents a utopian view of technology as progress, emphasizing the benefits of technology for humanity as, for example, when politicians claim predictive algorithms will reduce crime. The simplicity of technological determinism can explain its endurance. It is also what makes most sense of people’s everyday experiences, as the peoples buy and use technological devices with very little grasp of where they came from and how they work. Patients are mainly cast as sources of attitudinal data, as beneficiaries of the technology or even as obstacles to be overcome”. Such a view has consequences for the eventual usefulness of such devices, and even for whether they will be successfully incorporated into complex sociotechnical contexts, involving people with epilepsy, their families, friends and professional care workers.