‘Pre‐Technologies’ and the Lifeworld: Assistive Technologies as ‘Pre‐Technologies’ for Self‐Formation as Freedom

ABSTRACT This article identifies assistive technologies (ATs) as ‘pre‐technologies’ mediating access to other technologies for disabled subjects (DSs). The motivation is to show that without ATs, DSs cannot be said to have the same level of access to freedom and self‐forming activities as able‐bodied subjects. I make this point through arguing that freedom in relation to power is predicated on freedom in relation to technology. I analyse Verbeek's argument that self‐formation is only possible through a relation to technology that continuously sets the norms and codes of society. I further analyse Verbeek with reference to Foucault's argument that freedom is relational to power, and that freedom is manifested through self‐forming activities in relation to the codes and norms of a society. In this way I create a relation between Verbeek's understanding of freedom and Foucault's notion of ‘self‐formation’ that demonstrates that self‐forming activities entail the ability to choose how to relate to the norms and conditions of possibility generated by technology. This ability for what I will refer to as ‘authentic’ choice then leads me to argue in conclusion that ATs function as ‘ pre ‐technologies’ pre‐conditioning access to other technologies through which DSs mediate their lifeworld.