1. MIT271 Technology & Human Values March 5: Language/Technology (a) Invisible Technologies (b) Technology and Gender

2. Language: “Invisible” technology Hidden (inconspicuous) ideological agenda:  Ideology integrated into our personalities and world-view; seems natural  More hidden than machines because inside us

3. Examples of linguistic technologies Questions  1.multiple choice  2.smoking and praying  3.no one buried alive/everyone buried dead  Zero — calculation without an abacus  makes calculation more accessible  makes complex calculations easier …

4. Problems with statistics  Reification =making an abstract idea into a (“real”) material thing [in other contexts associated with problems of essentialism] e.g. Francis Galton

5. More problems  IQ  What is it?  Application to groups  Polling  Loaded questions  Opinions not measurable  No account of ignorance  Undermines political leadership

6. Benston: Gendered Voices and Technology  Men and women inhabit different conceptual worlds defined by their languages: Masculine language is distinguished by its occupation with technology and technical terms  Problem: Women denied resources

7. How men use technology to express masculinity  Cars  Guns  Stereos  Sports/statistical talk  Computers over typewriters  More?

8. Expressing femininity  Dress  Not technology:  home-ec not shop  theory not technique (practical knowledge)  More?

9. Disempowering women  Restricts women’s domain of action (control)  Technology not developed to suit women’s needs

10. TEST ON THURSDAY  Questions on sheets and the web  Ppt slides now up?  General question session: Grad Club 5-7 tonight?