Dealing with the Machine: Strategies of Pilots and Doctors Towards Technological Integration


ERGUR A.

Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, cilt.41, sa.4, ss.99-115, 2021 (Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 41 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1177/02704676211065973
  • Dergi Adı: Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Periodicals Index Online, CAB Abstracts, Communication & Mass Media Index, EBSCO Education Source, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, PAIS International, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.99-115
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: automation, doctors, pilots, professional expertise, professional skill, technology
  • Galatasaray Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

As a global and profuse fact, all professions are more or less affected by the rapid penetration of technology in their domain of practice. As the technological capacity progresses, we observe a gradual replacement of human skills by machine-guided procedures. Although such a gradual passage undeniably reduces the human presence in the practice of a profession, the transfer seems not to be a linear process. It has rather a pivoting character, comprising a series of ambivalences and contradictions. Consequently, professionals tend to keep their already acquired knowledge and ability through education and practice, and instead submissively abandon their place to technological tools. From such a perspective, we discuss in this article the strategies of resistance adopted and developed by professionals for keeping their professional power. Among a variety of professions, we choose to focus on medicine and aviation, due to their two fundamental distinctive characteristics: Both have (1) a high degree of technological determination, and (2) accomplishing vital functions. For this purpose, we discuss the strategies of resistance towards technology by professionals, throughout data we gathered from some field research conducted with doctors and pilots.