The Religion of Technology

David F. Noble's 'The Religion of Technology' traces the deep historical roots of technological utopianism in Western culture, arguing that the drive to perfect technology has been fundamentally shaped by religious and millenarian thought. Noble demonstrates how medieval alchemy, Christian theology, and Enlightenment rationalism converged to create a quasi-religious faith in technology's redemptive power.

The work challenges the secular self-image of modern technology by revealing how technological progress narratives inherit structure and meaning from religious eschatology. Noble examines key figures and movements—from Francis Bacon to contemporary Silicon Valley—showing how technologists have consistently framed their work in terms of salvation, transcendence, and the perfectibility of humanity.

Published in 1997, the book became influential in technology studies and cultural criticism, offering a genealogical critique that questions whether technology can ever be truly secular or whether it will always carry the burden of utopian religious expectations.