The Progressive Potential of Technology and the Transformation of Work

Year 2022, Volume: 5 Issue: 10, 394 - 417, 31.12.2022

Çağlar Karaca

https://doi.org/10.35235/uicd.1169952

Cited By: 2

Abstract

The advent of full automation is now anticipated due to acceleration in technological discoveries. As a consequence of this, it is concerned that full automation would lead to a big global structural unemployment, and new debates on the transformation processes of work emerged. This study discusses the possibility and consequences of full automation, as well as its progressive potential with a labour-based approach. For this purpose, in the first section late inventions in robotics and AI are described and relevant social and philosophical problems are addressed. The second and third sections discuss technological unemployment, labour alienation, and new environmental problems. It would be inconclusive to insist on utopic expectations without analysing the relationship between technology and capitalism, which leads to structural problems and new labour discipline mechanisms. Nevertheless, a call for being realistic does not necessarily mean refusing the transformative potential of technology. In the last section of this paper, negative and positive aspects of technology are addressed, current proposals to deal with technological unemployment are discussed, and solutions such as UBI are criticized. As an alternative to these criticized approaches, it is argued that demanding shorter working hours is both realistic and progressive as a long-term solution. This is because such a demand would not only support labour rights, but also deepen the rift between traditional forms of capitalism and a desirable future which machines could provide, keeping a post-capitalist alternative on the agenda.

Keywords

Automation, Alienation, Capitalism, Philosophy of Technology, Universal Basic Income

Teknolojinin İlerici Potansiyeli ve Emeğin Dönüşümü

Abstract

Teknolojik keşiflerdeki ivmeyle birlikte tam otomasyonun gerçekleşme olasılığı artık beklenir hale gelmiştir. Bu durumla birlikte, tam otomasyonun geniş çaplı ve küresel ölçekte bir yapısal işsizliğe yol açacağı kaygısı doğmuş ve emeğin nasıl bir dönüşümden geçeceği sorgulanır hale gelmiştir. Bu çalışmada, tam otomasyonun gerçekleşme olasılığı ve sonuçlarının yanı sıra ilerici potansiyeli emek eksenli bir yaklaşımla tartışmaya açılmıştır. Bu amaçla, makalenin ilk bölümünde yakın dönemde robotik ve yapay zeka alanında gerçekleşen gelişmeler betimlenmiş ve ilgili toplumsal problemler insan-makine ilişkisinin felsefî boyutu açısından ele alınmıştır. Makalenin ikinci ve üçüncü bölümünde ise teknolojinin yol açtığı işsizlik, emeğin yabancılaşması ve yeni çevre problemleri ele alınmaktadır. Teknoloji-kapitalizm ilişkisindeki yapısal krizler ve sermayenin emeği kontrol altında tutmasına yarayan olanaklar çözümlenmeden, otomasyonla ilgili ütopik beklentiler temelsiz kalacaktır. Bununla birlikte, mevcut ekonomik koşullar açısından gerçekçi olmaya çağrı, teknolojinin yarattığı muazzam dönüştürücü potansiyeli reddetmeyi de gerektirmez. Teknoloji bir yandan işsizlik ve sosyal eşitsizlik yaratırken, diğer yandan da yüksek emek verimliliği aracılığıyla bolluk getirmektedir. Makalenin son bölümünde teknolojinin olumlu ve olumsuz yanları ele alınmakta, işsizlik konusundaki güncel çözüm önerileri tartışılmakta ve bu ETG gibi mevcut bazı yaklaşımlar eleştiriye tabi tutulmaktadır. Eleştirilen bu önerilere alternatif olarak, çalışma saatlerinin düşmesi talebinin hem gerçekçi hem de uzun vadeli bir çözüm olarak ilerici bir seçenek olduğu öne sürülmektedir. Bunun neden söz konusu talebin emeğin lehine bir durum yaratmanın yanı sıra, kapitalizmin geleneksel üretim biçimiyle makinelerin sunabileceği arzu edilir bir gelecek arasındaki çelişkiyi derinleştirecek ve post-kapitalist bir perspektifi gündemde tutacaktır.

Keywords

Otomasyon, Yabancılaşma, Kapitalizm, Teknoloji Felsefesi, Evrensel Temel Gelir, Automation, Alienation, Capitalism, Philosophy of Technology, Universal Basic Income

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