The problem of technology in the republican exile thought: Sánchez Vázquez critical reader of Nicol?

Abstract

This paper tries to offer both a critical analysis and a comparation of Eduardo Nicol and Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez’ ideas regarding technology. In that sense, we will contrast the concept of “force majeure reason” of Nicol with the idea of “technological rationalism” of Sánchez Vázquez. We will demonstrate that the nicolian concept can be perfectly considered under the parameters of the ideology of the technological rationalism such as it is defined by Sánchez Vázquez. Our aim is to study significance and limitations of the thought of both authors and its hypothetic relevance in order to face such a current problem like the technological development and human responsibility for it.

So, this essay neither aims to study a dialogue or a real controversy between the authors nor studies an explicit critic from Sánchez Vázquez to Nicol. What we try is to connect two different philosophical proposals in order to analyze how they tackle the problem of the technology and the hypothetical implications of the ideas one author to the other’s. In that sense, we begin studying the historical context of the philosophers; then we define their ideas regarding technology in contrast with their different conception of the “praxis”. We analyze the coincidences and divergences. Finally, we highlight the hypothetical effect of Sanchez Vázquez ideas on Nicol one’s.