Question 1. The current focal practice threatened by the device paradigm
I think overlying on automation is one focal practice that is threatened by the device paradigm since this focal practice makes the society to be distracted by a technological culture. The device paradigm by Bormann ascertains “helping people become more conscious of the distractions of the culture of technology and more confident of the focal things and practices that can center one’s life” (Strong & Higgs, 2). This makes me feel that the device paradigm as quoted by Borgmann is a very wonderful point to be noted; people should not only focus on the current technology and ignore the natural norms that also have a great influence on human beings. I have the strong feeling that technology and nature must just be balanced so that people must have a respect for nature just as they do to technology. The device paradigm also urges that the quality of our lives have gone depreciating time after time as try to chase after technology and in providing solutions to problems yet ignoring what nature has provided for us.
Question 2. Personal experience of a centering experience
The centering experience I encountered was the time when commencing the guitar lessons. It was quite a difficult and an awful experience since the strings were painful to press on the fret board and also to produce a quality sound. This is a centering experience since the focus to become a skilled guitarist began then and so the focal practice was on skill development and perfection. This centering experience is not in danger of being lost with the device paradigm since there is a clear balance between technology and a centering activity. As Borgmann quotes the society ought to become more conscious of being distracted by a culture of technology but being driven by centering activity.
Question 3.
Yes, having some resoluteness to vow to engage in focal activities is something that should be done. The focal things that require skills, patience, endurance and a regular practice will not only help to preserve the ancient skills and marvelous talents for generations to come but also the focal practices will help to inculcate the culture of innovation, invention and sense of advanced creativity. Focusing in technology alone will definitely kill the focal practices that the society should have and so the best practice is to strike a balance between technology and the focal practices so that the public may be in peace with nature too.
Work cited
Strong, D. & Higgs, E. Borgmann’s Philosophy of Technology. University of Chicago Press, 2000. Proquest library, Web. 14 October 2015.
