Final answer:
Soft determinism posits that technology influences but does not completely dictate human actions, allowing for personal agency. The request for automated doors leading to a more accessible workplace is an example that aligns with this perspective. It highlights how human choices and cultural context work alongside technology to effect change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of soft determinism, as proposed by Susan Douglas, suggests that technology influences human actions but does not completely determine them. For instance, if a person has access to the internet and uses it to learn new skills and apply for jobs, this demonstrates how technology can create opportunities and influence actions. However, it is still the individual's choice to use the technology for these purposes. An example that best demonstrates why Susan Douglas proposes we consider technology through a lens of 'soft determinism' would be the tale of an employee whose request for automated doors led to a more accessible workplace. While the technology (automated doors) provided the means for change, the instigation and implementation of that change depended on human agency and the cultural environment within which the technology was introduced.
Soft determinism acknowledges the role of internal states and personal agency in human behavior even when technologies can induce certain behaviors or desires, as in the case of an experiment where a physiologist can provoke certain volitions in a subject. Here, technology can push certain 'buttons' to create desires, but the overall framework of soft determinism holds that our actions, even when influenced by tech, involve a degree of personal freedom and are not solely determined by external factors.
Therefore, in exploring the relationship between technology and human action, soft determinism allows us to consider how technological advancements do shape social change, human cognition, and inequalities, yet it simultaneously recognizes human agency and the influence of our social contexts. This perspective helps us navigate the ethical questions about the future of AI and other technological innovations, advocating for the use of technology in a way that is sustainable and responsible.