Life and Technology: Why Ortega y Gasset Matters Today

Title: Life and Technology Subtitle: Why Ortega y Gasset Matters Today Subject Classification: Anthropology, Philosophy, Technology BIC Classification: JH, HP, TB BISAC Classification: Binding: Hardback, eBook Planned publication date: Nov 2026 ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-83711-856-4 ISBN (eBook): 978-1-83711-857-1 e-books available for libraries from Proquest and EBSCO with non-institutional availability from GooglePlay For larger orders, or orders where you require an invoice, contact us admin@ethicspress.com Description Life and Technology offers a philosophical reappraisal of José Ortega y Gasset’s thought in light of contemporary technological transformations: the emergence of artificial intelligence, algorithmic anticipation, and autonomous systems as defining conditions of human existence.Drawing on Ortega y Gasset's philosophical anthropology, the book argues that technology is not merely a set of tools but a fundamental dimension of human life, shaping the conditions of action, responsibility, and meaning. This marks a "fourth phase" of technological development, one that gives rise to the moral blasé: a condition in which functioning persists without genuine biographical weight. By bringing Ortega y Gasset into dialogue with contemporary philosophical traditions, the volume shows that his philosophy is not a historical curiosity but a living framework for contemporary debates on technology, ethics, and human agency. Rather than proposing a purely normative ethics of technology, the book develops an anthropological perspective that clarifies how technological mediation reshapes moral experience itself. It will be of interest to scholars and advanced students in philosophy, ethics, and technology studies, as well as readers interested in philosophical anthropology and contemporary ethical theory. Biography Author(s): Massimo Vittorio is Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Catania, Italy, and a former Fulbright Distinguished Chair at the University of Notre Dame, USA. His work draws on philosophical anthropology to examine how technology, including AI and digital environments, reshapes moral space and human agency. Reviews This title is currently being reviewed. Please check back for further updates in due course.