Introduction

Technology changes the way we live, work, play, communicate, fight, love, and die. Yet, few works have systematically explored these changes in light of their implications for individual well-being and social welfare. Are these changes for better or worse? Are they good for some but not others? And how could we answer these questions—what evidence do we need and what standards can we use? In short, how can we conceptualize and evaluate the influence of technology on human well-being? And how can we combine disciplinary perspectives to do so? This volume tackles these questions.