Abstract

Human activity is fundamentally embedded in technology. In this sense, technology does not only influence how human beings experience the world, but which possibilities of action, i.e., affordances, are perceivable and translated into actual behavior. Affordances have sociocultural and normative aspects and are deeply relational to the technological human form of life. Postphenomenology describes several kinds of human-technology relations and their perception and action mediating effects. Therefore, this approach is suitable to show how technology mediates the perception of affordances and behavioral outcomes. Technology can reveal hitherto hidden affordances but can also result in the concealment of affordances. Both aspects can be deliberately controlled either by using a particular technology or interfering with the hermeneutic process of this technology. Technological malfunctions, limitations, purposeful corruption, or human errors can lead to false conclusions about affordances and to divergent behavioral outcomes. The fact that the perception of affordances and thereby human behavior is prone to technological manipulation can have severe political and ethical implications. It is necessary to engage in an open debate about the perception and action mediating power of technology and the human reliance on them in their form of life.