Overcoming the Gap: Gilbert Simondon's Philosophy of Technology Between Determinism and Constructivism

The philosophy of technology by Gilbert Simondon occupies a unique position in the contemporary intellectual landscape, finding itself at the epicenter of a key and still unresolved contradiction in the social study of technology. On one hand, by recognizing the immanent logic of technical evolution through the concept of "concretization," it inherits the intuitions of technological determinism. On the other hand, by introducing the concepts of "associated milieu" and "information" as elements that initiate the process of "individuation," it opens up space for social influence, aligning itself with constructivism. The relevance of this research lies in overcoming this deadlock dichotomy that paralyzes both theoretical thought and technological policy, forcing a choice between technocracy and relativism. This article argues that it is this apparent paradox that makes Simondon's legacy exceptionally productive for synthesis. The methodological approach of the research is based on an interdisciplinary synthesis strategy aimed at bridging the gap between philosophical analysis of technology and empirical social studies. Its foundation consists of the integration of three key perspectives: historical-philosophical reconstruction, critical-theoretical interpretation, and sociocultural analysis of technologies. Specific research methods include: conceptual and comparative analysis and case studies. Thus, the methodology of the work is integrative in nature, aimed not at simple comparison of theories, but at developing a new conceptual language for the analysis and critique of contemporary technological processes. Such a synthetic approach allows for the formulation of the scientific novelty of the research, which consists in developing solid foundations for a radical technology policy based not on external moralization but on immanent technical rationality. By rethinking concretization as not merely a technical but a technosocial process, the article argues that democratic participation in technology formation is not an external imperative but an internal condition for genuinely progressive development, leading to greater integration between humans, machines, and nature. The symbiosis of Simondon's ideas with Marcuse's critical theory, which reveals the "potentiality" of technical development, creates a robust theoretical foundation for a policy aimed at overcoming alienation. As a result, democratic intervention in technological development receives a deep philosophical and technical justification: it appears not just as a moral choice but as a necessary condition for a truly rational and progressive path that actualizes the suppressed potentials of technology itself.

Simondon, Marcuse, technics, specification, pre-individual, individuation, critical theory, determinism, constructivism, philosophy of technology