ABSTRACT

The Internet: A Philosophical Inquiry develops many of the themes Gordon Graham presented in his highly successful radio series, The Silicon Society. Exploring the tensions between the warnings of the Neo-Luddites and the bright optimism of the Technophiles, Graham offers the first concise and accessible exploration of the issues which arise as we enter further into the world of Cyberspace.
This original and fascinating study takes us to the heart of questions that none of us can afford to ignore: how does the Internet affect our concepts of identity, moral anarchy, censorship, community, democracy, virtual reality and imagination?
Free of jargon and full of stimulating ideas, this is essential reading for anyone wishing to think clearly and informatively about the complexities of our technological future.

chapter |5 pages

Introduction

chapter |15 pages

Neo-Luddites versus Technophiles

chapter |18 pages

The radically new and the merely novel

How transformative is the Internet

chapter |23 pages

The Faustian bargain

Assessing the value of technology

chapter |22 pages

The Internet as democracy

chapter |19 pages

The Internet as anarchy

chapter |25 pages

Policing the Internet

chapter |23 pages

New communities

chapter |16 pages

Virtual reality

The future of cyberspace

chapter |3 pages

Conclusion