Technology and Freedom: The Virtuous Circle Friday, January 10,
2003 by James K. Glassman Table of Contents 1Without freedom,
technologies that enhance human welfare would be scarce rather
than abundant. Technology and freedom are symbiotic, forming a
virtuous circle. By examining the relationship between them, we
can find ways to preserve the circle and to accelerate activity
within it. "Technology spreads human freedom by empowering
individuals" Friedrich von Hayek used the word freedom
carefully. He began The Constitution of Liberty with a quotation
from Abraham Lincoln: "The world has never had a good definition
of freedom."2 Hayek agreed. He frequently used "freedom" in the
sense of a personal state of being - one "in which a man is not
subject to coercion by the arbitrary will of another or
others."3 A good definition of technology is "the application of
science, especially to industrial or commercial objectives."4
With respect to the relationship between the two, three
conclusions emerge: - Technology