Manuel Dominguez

Desde las últimas décadas del siglo XX, el auge de las tecnologías digitales ha sido acompañado de cierto tecno-optimismo acerca de sus posibilidades y beneficios. Sin embargo, a partir de mediados de la década de 2010, han comenzado a surgir discursos alternativos cuestionando el imaginario occidental del progreso tecnológico digital. Entre los discursos críticos, han ganado fuerza aquellos que vinculan estas tecnologías con lo que se ha llamado el «colonialismo digital». Sin embargo, en los crecientes estudios acerca del término, éste no se emplea de manera unívoca, sino que ha acabado por convertirse en un término polisémico con a menudo matices y acepciones contradictorias. Con el objetivo de esclarecer y sistematizar los distintos usos que se hacen de él, en este artículo se realiza una revisión de alcance de la literatura académica sobre el «colonialismo digital». Tras la revisión, se distinguen tres posturas asociadas a tres usos diferenciados: (1) la postura metafórica o ahistórica, que establece paralelismos entre la extracción de recursos naturales y laborales y la extracción de datos; (2) la postura secuencial o por etapas, en referencia a un nuevo orden colonial con nuevas geografías y agentes implicados, situando en un lugar central a las grandes tecnológicas; y (3) la postura continuista o decolonial, que traza una prolongación entre el dominio histórico colonial y el dominio ejercido por y a través de las tecnologías digitales. Se concluye proponiendo una serie de sugerencias para el uso del término en aras de mayor claridad y precisión en los debates, pero también de mayor justicia histórica y global: mientras que la postura continuista hace un uso adecuado y prolífico del término, la postura metafórica debiera sustituirlo por «extractivismo de datos» y la postura secuencial por «colonialidad digital».

Recently, Benjamin Steyn has proposed a novel political spectrum of value where ‘nature’ and ‘technology’ are understood as opposed. The author attempts to provide a metaphysical basis for this spectrum by advocating for the inherent value of technology. However, we regard their argumentation as inadequate, as it fails to substantiate the intrinsic value of technology, instead serves as an interpretive tool for certain images and narratives associated with technologies. From the brief review of the concepts of nature and technology used in the text we offer reasons in favour of the plurality and contingency of technology.

The use of conventional manufacturing methods is mainly limited by the size of the production run and the geometrical complexity of the component, and as a result we are occasionally forced to use processes and tools that increase the final cost of the element being produced. Additive manufacturing techniques provide major competitive advantages due to the fact that they adapt to the geometrical complexity and customised design of the part to be manufactured. The following may also be achieved according to field of application: lighter weight products, multimaterial products, ergonomic products, efficient short production runs, fewer assembly errors and, therefore, lower associated costs, lower tool investment costs, a combination of different manufacturing processes, an optimised use of materials, and a more sustainable manufacturing process. Additive manufacturing is seen as being one of the major revolutionary industrial processes of the next few years. Additive manufacturing has several alternatives ranging from simple RepRap machines to complex fused metal deposition systems. This paper will expand upon the structural design of the machines, their history, classification, the alternatives existing today, materials used and their characteristics, the technology limitations, and also the prospects that are opening up for different technologies both in the professional field of innovation and the academic field of research. It is important to say that the choice of technology is directly dependent on the particular application being planned: first the application and then the technology.

This text corresponds to Lectio Inauguralis of our Faculty in the first academic semester of 1988. Its aim is to show, from theoretical consciously assumed suppositions and through concrete achievements, some lines of research that can make intelligible the process followed in Latin America by the philosophy of explicitly Christian inspiration. It seeks, first of all, to bring to light what is theoretical and vitally at stake in each of the most significant moments of this process. Some philosophical figures are also highlighted as illustrative examples. After some brief reflections that try to define the meaning of the terms “Christian Philosophy in Latin America”, the development of this philosophy is exposed from the 18th century up to the present time. The text preserves its original form, with no references and subtitles. Only a summary bibliography has been added.