Will, Homo Faber, Extension

Bergson's proposal, that the human race be redefined as 'Homo Faber', instead of 'Homo Sapiens', reflects the historical transition from the Age of Enlightenment to the Age of Technology. Hence, when he interjects that such a redefinition requires that "we rid ourselves of all pride", he is implying that the historical transition constitutes a degenerative trend. In contrast, as an apparent departure from his own critique of Modernity, Heidegger discerns in Homo Faber not a fall of Spirit into Matter, as does Bergson, but Being making for the sake of making. Potentially reinforcing Heidegger's insight is the further observation that not all instruments serve ulterior material purposes--some produce the music that, for Bergson, exemplifies the transcendence of Matter by Spirit. A third interpretation of Homo Faber recognizes that instruments, both of work and of play, are extensions of the human body, i. e. they extend Motility. That characteristic is of sufficient interest to Formaterialism, for which Extending for the sake of Extending is a fundamental principle of human Experience, i. e. is the experiential Excession and Diversification effected by Will.