Why did Gabriel Marcel criticize an obsession with science and technology?

Gabriel Marcel criticized an obsession with science and technology because he believed they foster a "spirit of abstraction" that reduces human existence to functional, objective problems to be solved.12

While Marcel acknowledged that primary reflection—the logical, analytical approach used in scientific inquiry—is essential for engaging with the world, he argued that it is not the only way to understand reality. He contended that modern society mistakenly treats all human concerns as problems requiring universal, technical solutions, thereby ignoring the realm of "mystery"—experiences like love, hope, and faith that require personal involvement and cannot be analyzed from a detached, objective distance.1

Furthermore, Marcel warned that an over-reliance on technology seduces individuals into equating material comfort with human fulfillment. This obsession contributes to a "broken world" where people are treated as instruments or functional roles rather than as ends in themselves, leading to alienation, a loss of inner life, and a diminished sense of the spirit. Ultimately, he argued that this focus stifles the "ontological exigency," or the fundamental human need to develop a meaningful inner life.2