Borgmann's Proposal to Reform TechnologyAlbert Borgmann follows Heidegger's overall project to see how technology has harmful effects on humanity and to determine how it can be reformed. Borgmann shares Heidegger's view that modern technology is markedly different from premodern technology in its way of revealing the world to human beings. Borgmann agrees that we need to undertake some sort of ethical reform to prevent technological ways of living from dominating the lives of individuals and to keep technology in its place. His proposal for a direction of reform takes inspiration from Heidegger but then states the need for different tactics. First, let's look at Borgmann's chapter “Focal Things and Practices.” Here he calls “focal” the things that matter in directing human life. Focal things contribute to the direction and ordering of one's life in productive ways, and reveal the world and illuminate the context of oneself and related life activities. He actually uses many verbs to convey the sense of concentration he is concerned with, so no concise definition is given. Borgmann agrees with Heidegger that simple kinds of things are those that focus a collection of information on the world and benefit. human beings highlighting important concerns of life, although he thinks Heidegger sees the use of these things as an escape from technology rather than an affirmation of it. These simple, focal things are premodern objects, like Heidegger's example of an earthenware jug, or even activities. The jug collects and opens up the world because it is made of earth and is used to preserve the wine of the grapes that grow in the earth; furthermore, the jug is used in the human context of tradition, ... middle of paper ... things and practices are not misled by the level of technological complexity of a thing. It seems that if the focal practices involve certain elements but technology does not in principle exclude those elements, which Borgmann agrees with, then there is no need to maintain Borgmann's criticism of modern technological things. His concern is the model in which technology is currently engaged, and he has not at all clarified how troublesome disunity and commodities are necessarily tied to the products of modern technology. We must find the essential characteristics of the focal concerns and apply them to a reform proposal without Borgmann's intermediate complications. Bibliography Borgmann, Albert. “Focal Things and Practices.” Philosophy of technology. Ed. Robert C. Scharff and Val Dusek. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. 293-312.