Using Heidegger's Conceptual Framework to Analyze New Media Technologies and Explain the Effects of Technological Determinism Through the Use of These Media

Abstract

This paper, drawing upon Martin Heidegger’s conceptual framework, re-examines and philosophically analyzes new media technologies and the implications of “technological determinism.” The research employs a qualitative-hermeneutic phenomenological approach, conducting textual analysis of Heidegger’s primary works and relevant secondary literature. The findings indicate that an instrumental and anthropocentric definition of technology is insufficient; Heidegger views technology not merely as a tool but as a “mode of unconcealment,” particularly as Gestell (enframing), which presents the world as a “standing-reserve” ready for exploitation. The application of this insight to new media yields several key consequences: (1) the pictorial reproduction and “pictorialization” of the cognitive world; (2) the formation of “global time” and the speed of message transmission, which transforms the experience of temporality; (3) the emergence of virtual worlds leading to identity crises and the multiplicity of real/virtual identities; and (4) the reinforcement of deterministic aspects of technology, bearing both positive effects (e.g., networked crisis management) and negative ones (e.g., the colonization of time-identity and reduction of human agency). The discussion argues that a critical engagement with technology necessitates moving beyond a purely instrumental understanding and adopting a stance where humanity is the “master” of technology, not its “slave.” The proposed strategy involves a re-evaluation of “dwelling in unconcealment” and fostering a conscious and reflective approach to media. Finally, the study emphasizes the need for further interdisciplinary research (philosophy of technology, media sociology, and identity psychology) to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of new media.