While studying in Germany, Hui noticed that Western philosophy of technology (from Heidegger to Stiegler) often treated technology as universal — something that confronts humanity in the same way everywhere. But Hui, coming from a background in both engineering and philosophy, began questioning: Why don't Chinese traditions have a single word for "technology" that matches the Greek techne?
You're likely referring to the name , a contemporary philosopher of technology. His work has gained significant attention, especially for concepts like cosmotechnics and the recursion of technology . yuk hui
Here’s a short, interesting story about how his thinking developed: While studying in Germany, Hui noticed that Western
This insight challenged the standard Western narrative of technology as neutral tools or as an existential threat. Instead, Hui argues, different civilizations can develop different technological futures. That’s why his work fascinates people across design, media theory, and environmental humanities — he opens the door to thinking beyond Silicon Valley’s vision of AI. His work has gained significant attention, especially for
This led him to propose — the idea that every culture's technology is inseparable from its moral and cosmological understanding. So, for example, ancient Chinese clockwork wasn't just about measuring time "accurately" in the Western sense; it was about aligning human activity with cosmic rhythms.