[keiferski]

One of the most salient examples of this attitude is how the sub-field of the philosophy of technology is basically ignored by all technologists.

“Why should doers care what thinkers think,” you might wonder? Well, because they might have important insights that you, as a practitioner, aren’t immediately aware of.

The medical profession pays a lot of attention to bioethics and cares what philosophers think about issues like abortion, patient end-of-life rights, etc. Scientists care about the ethics of using test subjects. And so on.

But when it comes to technology and business, the attitude is just, “not my problem - there’s too much money and cool stuff to make.”

At the end of the day, there is just too much money, power, and knowledge at stake for people to stop and think seriously about the tech they’re building.

[bawolff]

Just because thinkers think something doesn't make them right. Thinkers are expected to defend their thoughts with arguments and logic. If they can't convince the do-ers, maybe their thoughts just aren't very deep and should rightly be ignored.

[keiferski]

Pretty hard to be convinced by something if you don’t even bother to read it.

Also – you are really suggesting that the entirety of philosophy of technology field is “not very deep” …?

I rest my case.

[zahlman]

But the thinkers aren't speaking out against scalpels, protein-folding simulation software, chemical synthesis techniques etc. because they might be used wrongly.