ABSTRACT
Arnold Gehlen's theory of technology was developed as a part of a project which aimed to provide a total theory of man. The central concept in Gehlen's anthropology or complete theory of man is action. Gehlen's choice of action as the basic concept is a result of the fact that man, almost by definition, must be understood as a being that creates the environment in which and on which he lives. His theories shed some light on the phenomenon known as technological alienation. Gehlen states explicitly in several places that it is possible to understand the development of technology on the basis of certain fundamental instincts which are decisive factors in the whole development of technology. The chapter concludes by considering if such theories provide an acceptable interpretation of the role of technology even in societies with primitive technology; and considering whether technological change in the perspective of the history of civilization can be explained by such theories.
