The technocentric orientation

Technocentrists believe in classical science, technology, conventional economic thinking, and in the human control over nature. They are confident in the ability of experts (e.g. in inventing new techniques to extract and allocate resources) but without getting into deeper analysis and they avoid public participation in decision making, leaving the authority to the politicians whose judgment they have already shaped. They admit that there are environmental problems that are perhaps not so severe, as an important characteristic of the technocentric philosophy is faith in optimism. They advocate that our society in its present form will always be able to solve them sustainably (cornucopian technocentrism that there are no limits to growth) with a mix of new technology, legislation and public awareness without any deeper changes, or that by careful economic and environmental management they can be negotiated (the 'accommodators' view) without any radical changes in people's lifestyles. "The technocentric ideology is almost arrogant in its assumption that man is supremely able to understand and control events to suit his purposes" 5 and more anthropocentric in the sense that it views humankind as separate from and superior to nature and that the earth is regarded as a life support system for the benefit of human beings. O'Riordan says that technocentrism is 'manipulative', as it sees humanity manipulating and transforming nature into a 'designed garden' to improve both nature and society. According to O'Riordan, "the technocentrist admires the comforting power of technology and is usually found among an urban-dwelling élite who thrive on the sophisticated communications of the electronic global village and the jet age invisible college"

5 T. O'Riordan, Environmentalism, 2nd revised edition, (Pion Books, London, 1981), p. 1