Statements by Jacques Ellul and Ivan Illich

• Published in: Technology in society Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 231 - 238
• Main Authors: Ellul, Jacques, Illich, Ivan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York New York :Pergamon, 1979 01.01.1995
• Subjects: Congresses and Conventions; Philosophers; Science; Sociology; Technology; Theology
• ISSN: 0160-791X

Statements by Jacques Ellul & Ivan Illich at the closing of the international conference on "Technique and Society in the Work of Jacques Ellul" are presented. Ellul praises the people & traditions that contributed most to his work -- Bernard Charbonneau, Henri Poutanne, & Lisown Christian faith -- & led to the development of his two major interests -- sociology & theology. His theology allowed him to focus on the need for the individual to live with love & honor, while his sociology allowed him to explore the trials of such individuals attempting to live together in a rather desperate social world. Illich praises the unity of Ellul's thought while simultaneously challenging the reflections of both philosopher & believer. Particularly challenging was his concept of technique, which forced consideration of three troubling issues: (1) the influence of the regime of technique on the development of a social world characterized by the converse of Christian values; (2) the genesis of the regime of technique in Christianity; & (3) the need for new analytic concepts to study the regime of technique. D. Generoli