Technocritical

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Expressing or involving criticism aimed at technology or its impact on society
2. Characterized by a skeptical or analytical view concerning technological development and consequences
3. Relating to the evaluation or critique of technology and the problems it may cause

Etymology: "Technocritical" is a plain compound: "techno-", from Greek "technē" meaning art, skill or craft, joined to "critical", which in its older sense referred to judging or evaluating, and here carries the sense of being opposed to or skeptical of something. Put together, the word describes a stance that questions or resists technology rather than simply reporting on it. The "techno-" prefix is the more productive part of the word. It has been attached to many English words in the twentieth century to mean "relating to technology," so "technocritical" follows a familiar pattern: a prefix that brings the subject of technology into the picture, and an adjective that adds a critical attitude toward it. The two parts combine without any change in meaning, so a reader who knows either piece can usually work out the whole.