Jacques Ellul

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History & Society

Jacques Ellul

French politician and social scientist

Also known as: Jacques César Ellul

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 29, 2024 • Article History

Category: History & Society

In full:: Jacques César Ellul

Born:: January 6, 1912, Bordeaux, France

Died:: May 19, 1994, Bordeaux (aged 82)

Subjects Of Study:: urban culture

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Jacques Ellul (born January 6, 1912, Bordeaux, France—died May 19, 1994, Bordeaux) was a French political and social scientist, Protestant theologian, and philosopher of technology, best known for his critical analysis of what he called “technique,” which he defined (in La Technique: ou, l’enjeu du siècle [1954; The Technological Society]) as “the totality of methods rationally arrived at and having absolute efficiency (for a given stage of development) in every field of human activity.” In other words, technique is a societal state of affairs in which all human endeavours are conceived and conducted in ways that emphasize maximum efficiency and ...(100 of 248 words)

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