“We Don’t Know Exactly How They Work”: Making Sense of Technophobia in 1973 Westworld, Futureworld, and Beyond Westworld

“We Don’t Know Exactly How They Work”

Making Sense of Technophobia in 1973 Westworld, Futureworld, and Beyond Westworld

Stefano Bigliardi

SHSS -School of Humanities and Social Sciences Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane – Morocco

Abstract

This article scrutinizes Michael Crichton’s movie Westworld (1973), its sequel Futureworld (1976), and the spin-off series Beyond Westworld (1980), as well as the critical literature that deals with them. I examine whether Crichton’s movie, its sequel, and the 1980s series contain and convey a consistent technophobic message according to the definition of “technophobia” advanced in Daniel Dinello’s 2005 monograph. I advance a proposal to develop further the concept of technophobia in order to offer a more satisfactory and unified interpretation of the narratives at stake. I connect technophobia and what I call de-theologized, epistemic hubris: the conclusion is that fearing technology is philosophically meaningful if one realizes that the limitations of technology are the consequence of its creation and usage on behalf of epistemically limited humanity (or artificial minds).

About the Author

Stefano Bigliardi is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at SHSS -School of Humanities and Social Sciences Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane – Morocco.

Published: 2019-07-02