Techno-realism

Extracted Attributes

• Core Concept

  A perspective on technological advancement, particularly in artificial intelligence, that acknowledges the inevitability of progress and advocates for leading it rather than passively experiencing its effects.

• Contrasted With

  Techno-optimism, Techno-pessimism

• General Approach

  Seeks a middle ground between techno-utopianism and Neo-Luddism by critically examining technology's social and political implications to gain control over the future.

• Academic Classification

  A theory within political realism, extending structural, classical, defensive, and offensive realism.

• Broader Historical Origin

  Early 1990s

• Introduced in AI Context By

  David Sacks

• Context of Introduction (AI)

  All-In Podcast discussion on AI

• Application in Sustainability

  Advocates for thoughtful, critical adoption and development of technology in energy use, acknowledging both its potential and limitations.

• Broader Historical Proponents

  Douglas Rushkoff, Andrew Shapiro

Timeline

• The broader concept of Technorealism emerged, introduced by Douglas Rushkoff and Andrew Shapiro, as an attempt to find a middle ground between techno-utopianism and Neo-Luddism. (Source: Web Search Results (Wikipedia: Technorealism))

  Early 1990s

• David Sacks introduced 'Techno-realism' as a third view on technological progress, specifically in the context of AI, during an episode of the All-In Podcast, advocating for proactive leadership in technological development. (Source: Provided Summary, Document Context)

  Not specified

Heroic realism

Heroic realism is art used as political propaganda. Examples include the socialist realism style associated with socialist states, and sometimes the similar art style associated with fascism. Its characteristics are realism and the depiction of figures as ideal types or symbols, often with an explicit rejection of modernism in art (as "bourgeois" or "degenerate").

Web Search Results

• Technorealism - Wikipedia

  Technorealism is an attempt to expand the middle ground between techno-utopianism and Neo-Luddism by assessing the social and political implications of technologies so that people might all have more control over the shape of their future. An account cited that technorealism emerged in the early 1990s and was introduced by Douglas Rushkoff and Andrew Shapiro. In the Technorealism manifesto, which described the term as a new generation of cultural criticism, it was stated that the goal was not [...] ## Approach The technorealist approach involves a continuous critical examination of how technologies might help or hinder people in the struggle to improve the quality of their lives, their communities, and their economic, social, and political structures. In addition, instead of policy wonks, experts, and the elite, it is the technology critic who assumes the center stage in the discourse of technology policy issues. [...] to promote or dismiss technology but to understand it so the application could be aligned with basic human values. Technorealism suggests that a technology, however revolutionary it may seem, remains a continuation of similar revolutions throughout human history.

• Techno-Realism: Navigating New Challenges in the Contemporary ...

  Unlike concepts, such as anarchy, balance of power, and hegemony (Diez et al., 2011), techno-realism operates as a theory. It is the continuation of structural realism, classical realism, defensive realism, and offensive realism (Lobell, 2017) within the paradigm of political realism, offering a more contemporary approach to understanding the role of technology in politics, especially amid contemporary challenges, such as hybrid wars and repression. [...] aims to find a middle ground. Techno-realism introduces a few key concepts: identity establishment, technological advancement as a means of power, and the role of non-state actors in interconnected relations, to be used in the analysis of contemporary warfare. It explores the role of non-state actors, including big-techs, while affirming the significance of states as central elements in power struggles. [...] ##### Figure 1 Techno-realism on the process of power struggle. To sum up, techno-realism posits that the development of an identity framework has a significant influence in collective power struggles and interest narrative. Each element mentioned has the potential to either combine or operate independently. For example, political ideology and national identity often concurrently shape national interests in power struggles on national, regional, and global scales.

• Techno-Realism - Energy → Sustainability Directory

  Understanding Techno-Realism begins with acknowledging its essential concept within the realm of sustainability, particularly concerning energy use. At its most basic meaning, Techno-Realism represents a balanced perspective regarding the influence and potential of technology. It stands in contrast to both unquestioning technological optimism, which views technology as a silver bullet capable of solving all environmental challenges effortlessly, and radical technological pessimism, which sees [...] From an academic vantage point, Techno-Realism within energy sustainability constitutes a sophisticated analytical paradigm that rigorously interrogates the recursive relationship between technological development, societal structures, environmental constraints, and energetic flows. Its academic definition transcends simple balance; it is a critical framework engaging with socio-technical systems theory, political economy, environmental science, and ethical philosophy to construct a [...] The fundamental definition of Techno-Realism in the context of energy sustainability is therefore an approach that advocates for the thoughtful, critical adoption and development of technology, acknowledging its potential to drive positive change while remaining acutely aware of its limitations, trade-offs, and potential negative consequences. It urges careful planning, robust regulation, and equitable implementation. It is about using technology intelligently to support sustainable energy

• The Case for Technorealism - STEPHEN R. BARNARD

  by humans, it may even increase it. These considerations do not negate the powerful, disruptive potential that new technologies may hold. But they should surely temper our hopes for their revolutionary potential. In contrast to the polemics of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism, technorealism is a perspective that seeks to balance out both irrevocable positions with a realistic consideration of both “positive” and “negative” forces. As defined by <www.technorealism.org>: [...] Technorealism demands that we think critically about the role that tools and interfaces play in human evolution and everyday life. Integral to this perspective is our understanding that the current tide of technological transformation, while important and powerful, is actually a continuation of waves of change that have taken place throughout history. Looking, for example, at the history of the automobile, television, or the telephone -- not just the devices but the institutions they became --

• Techno-Realism: Modernizing Political Science Theory - Medium

  During my MA studies, I developed this theory, techno-realism, to examine how politics are now centered around technological advancement. I argue that technology is not just a tool for power, but a means of power itself. In techno-realism, I also developed three concepts: how identity is being formed, how the process of technological advancement looks, and how the structure of politics is affected.