Volume 25, Issue 2 (2025)
DOES TECHNOLOGY POSE PROFOUND MEANINGS BEYOND THE OBVIOUS?
Affiliation Details
  • Asna Husin: Scopus ID (56451725100), Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh
  • Karim Douglas Crow: McLean Center for the Study of Culture and Values, Catholic University of America, Washington DC

Abstract

Technology and social responsibility is an issue of extreme importance for our time, especially as AI scientists and academics expressed deep concern over the potential impact of AI in their open letter of March 2023. Our paper focuses on debates over two basic questions:  ‘Is it possible to live without technology in our digital age?’ and ‘Does technology carry deeper profound meanings beyond its application as an instrument for betterment of our life?’ We first present a general observation, then some reflections on efforts to answer these questions by referring to available data in literature, the web, views of individual thinkers expressed in books and academic or popular news outlets. These may reveal our understanding of the impact of technology, our reliance on smart phones and the internet, as well as human reliance on technology to enhance communal responsibility or the lack thereof.

10

TOTAL VIEWS

4

DOWNLOADS

ALTMETRICS

References

Agar, Jon. “What is technology?” Annals of Science 77, no. 3 (2020): 377-382. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00033790.2019.1672788.

Al-Tabari, Abu Ja‘far Muhammad b. Jarir. The History of al-Tabari: General Introduction and From the Creation to the Flood. Translated by Franz Rosenthal, vol. 1. New York: State University of New York Press, 1989.

Al-Tusi, Abu Ja‘far Muhammad b. al-Hasan. Tafsir al-Tibyan. Edited and corrected by Ahmad Habib Qasir al-‘Amili, vol. 1. Najaf: Maktabah al-Amin, 1381/1962.

Anderson, Monica, and Jingjing Jiang. “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2018.” Pew Research Center (May 31, 2018). https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/.

Arif, Syamsuddin. “Rethinking the Concept of Fitra: Natural Disposition, Reason and Conscience.” American Journal of Islam and Society 40, no. 3-4 (2023): 77-103.

Bala, Arun. The Dialogue of Civilizations in the Birth of Modern Science. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.

Boyle, Mark. “My Advice after A Year Without Tech: Rewild Yourself.” The Guardian (March 19, 2018). https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/a-year-without-tech-debt-gadgets-reconnect-nature.

Bray, Francesca, and Barbara Hahn. “The Goddess Technology Is A Polyglot’: A Critical Review of Eric Schatzberg, Technology: Critical History of A Concept.” History and Technology 38, no. 4 (2022): 275-316. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07341512.2023.2196795.

Burckhardt, Titus. Mirror of the Intellect: Essays on Traditional Science and Sacred Art. Translated by William Stoddart. New York: State University of New York Press, 1987.

Chittick, William C. Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul: The Pertinence of Islamic Cosmology in the Modern World. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2007.

Coulter, Martin. “AI Pioneer Says Its Threat to World May Be 'More Urgent’ Than Climate Change.” Reuters (May 5, 2023). https://www.reuters.com/technology/ai-pioneer-says-its-threat-world-may-be-more-urgent-than-climate-change-2023-05-05/.

Dobrin, Seth. “The Potential Dangers as Artificial Intelligence Grows More Sophisticated and Popular.” Interview with Geoff Bennett of the The NewsHour (April 5, 2023). https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-potential-dangers-as-artificial-intelligence-grows-more-sophisticated-and-popular.

Futureoflife. “Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter.” Future of Life Institute, March 22, 2023. https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/.

Hakemy, Sulaiman. “Israel, Gaza and AI Machines: Is This the Automation of War Crimes?” The National News (April 05, 2024). https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/2024/04/05/israel-gaza-ai/.

Hinton, Geoffrey. “Godfather of AI’ Discusses Dangers the Developing Technologies Pose to Society.” Interview with Geoff Bennett of the The NewsHour (May 5, 2023). https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/godfather-of-ai-discusses-dangers-the-developing-technologies-pose-to-society.

Husin, Asna. “God Is Beautiful and Loves Beauty: A Muslim Reflection.” In Deep Beauty: Experiencing Wonder when the World in on Fire, edited by Rosemary Winslow and Catherine Lee, 308-312 . Norwalk, Connecticut: Woodhall Press, 2020.

Husin, Asna. “Pertanyaan Besar: Pidato Pengukuhan Guru Besar Prof Asna Husin.” Serambi News (March 14, 2023). https://aceh.tribunnews.com/2023/03/14/pertanyaan-besar-pidato-pengukuhan-guru-besar-prof-asna-husin.

Illich, Ivan. Tools for Conviviality. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.

Inglehart, Ronald F. Religion’s Sudden Decline: What’s Causing It, and What Comes Next?. Oxford: University Press, 2021.

Joy, Bill. “Why The Future Doesn't Need Us.” WIRED (April 1, 2000). http://www.wired.com/wired/ archive/8.04/joy_pr.html.

Kemp, Simon. “Digital 2021: Indonesia.” Datareportal (February 11, 2021). https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-indonesia.

Kitazawa, Emily. “People Are Rejecting Technology—What Are Their Solutions?” Shortform (October 18, 2022). https://www.shortform.com/blog/rejecting-technology/.

Memoria. “Informing Ourselves to Death.” Memoria Press (April 16, 2019). https://www.memoriapress.com/articles/informing-ourselves-to-death/.

Mogahed, Dalia, and Azka Mahmood “American Muslim Poll 2019: Secondary Analysis.” Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (IPSU) (November 14, 2019). https://www.ispu.org/muslims-more-private-religious-devotion-less-public-religious-assertiveness/.

Mohamed, Yasien. Human Nature in Islam. Kuala Lumpur: A. S. Noordeen, 1998.

Mohamed, Yasien. “The Idea of Happiness in the Qur’an.” Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research (September 12, 2019). https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/the-idea-of-happiness-in-the-quran.

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. In Search of the Sacred: A Conversation with Seyyed Hossein Nasr on His Life and Thought with Ramin Jahanbegloo. Santa Barbara & Denver & Oxford: Praeger, 2010.

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Islam, Science, Muslims, and Technology: Seyyed Hossein Nasr in Conversation with Muzaffar Iqbal. Islamabad & Lahore & Karachi: Dost Publications, 2009.

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity. New York: HarperSan Francisco, 2002.

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Traditional Islam in the Modern World. London & New York: Kegan Paul International, 1987.

Parker, Kim, and Ruth Igielnik. “On the Cusp of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future: What We Know About Gen Z So Far.” Pew Research Center (May 14, 2020). https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far-2/.

Pew Research. “Being Christian in Western Europe.” Pew Research Center (May 29, 2018a). https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2018/05/29/being-christian-in-western-europe/.

Pew Research. “In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace.” Pew Research Center (October 17, 2019). https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/.

Pew Research. “Religious Beliefs and Practices.” Pew Research Center (July 26, 2017). https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/07/26/religious-beliefs-and-practices/.

Pew Research. “Some Luddites/Refuseniks Will Commit Terror Acts.” Pew Research Center (September 24, 2006). https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2006/09/24/scenario-7-some-ludditesrefuseniks-will-commit-terror-acts/.

Pew Research. “The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society.” Pew Research Center (April 30, 2013). https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-overview/.

Pew Research. “Where Americans Find Meaning in Life.” Pew Research Center (November 20, 2018b). https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2018/11/20/where-americans-find-meaning-in-life/#.

Quadir, Tarik M. “How Technology Affects Man and His Environment.” In Voices of Three Generations: Essays in Honor of Seyyed Hossein Nasr, edited by M. H. Faghfoory and K. O’Brien. Chicago: Kazi Publications, 2019: 271-298.

Quadir, Tarik M. Traditional Islamic Environmentalism: The Vision of Seyyed Hossein Nasr. Lanham: University of America Press, 2013.

Roszak, Theodore. “Shakespeare Never Lost A Manuscript to A Computer Crash.” The New York Times (March 11, 1999). https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/03/circuits/articles/11quil.html.

Sadowski, Jathan. “I’m A Luddite. You Should Be One Too.” The Conversation (August 9, 2021). https://theconversation.com/im-a-luddite-you-should-be-one-too-163172.

Schatzberg, Eric. Technology: Critical History of A Concept. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Scheler, Max. Problems of A Sociology of Knowledge. Translated by Manfred S. Frings. London & Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. “Science, Religion, Evolution and Creationism: Primer.” What Does It Mean to Be Human? (2024). https://humanorigins.si.edu/about/broader-social-impacts-committee/science-religion-evolution-and-creationism-primer.

Statista. “Countries with the Highest Internet Penetration Rate as of July 2023.” (July 2023). https://www.statista.com/statistics/227082/countries-with-the-highest-internet-penetration-rate/.

Taylor, Charles. A Secular Age. Cambridge & London: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2007.

Termcoord. “Can We Live Without Technology?.” Terminology Coordination (2014). https://termcoord.eu/2014/10/technology-addiction/.

Tollast, Robert, and Thomas Helm. “Israeli Military AI System Led to Mass Killing of Civilians, Alleges Report.” The National News (April 5, 2024). https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/04/04/israel-lavender-ai-gaza-air-strikes/#:~:text.

Vanderburg, Willem H. Living in The Labyrinth of Technology. Toronto & London: University of Toronto Press, 2005.

Williams, Clifford. Religion and the Meaning of Life: An Existential Approach. Cambridge: University Press, 2020.

Author Biography

Asna Husin, Scopus ID (56451725100), Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh