Book contents
- Political Theory of the Digital Age
- Political Theory of the Digital Age
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Learning from the Amish
- 3 Artificial Intelligence and the Past, Present, and Future of Democracy
- 4 Truth Will Not Set You Free: Is There a Right to It Anyway?
- 5 Knowing and Being Known
- 6 Beyond Porn and Discreditation
- 7 The Fourth Generation of Human Rights: Epistemic Rights in Life 2.0 and Life 3.0
- 8 On Surveillance Capitalism, Instrumentarian Power, and Social Physics
- 9 Data as Social Facts: Distributive Justice Meets Big Data
- 10 God, Golem, and Gadget Worshippers: Meaning of Life in the Digital Age
- 11 Moral Status and Political Membership: Toward a Political Theory for Life 3.0
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
1 - Introduction
Digital Lifeworlds in Human History
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2023
- Political Theory of the Digital Age
- Political Theory of the Digital Age
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Learning from the Amish
- 3 Artificial Intelligence and the Past, Present, and Future of Democracy
- 4 Truth Will Not Set You Free: Is There a Right to It Anyway?
- 5 Knowing and Being Known
- 6 Beyond Porn and Discreditation
- 7 The Fourth Generation of Human Rights: Epistemic Rights in Life 2.0 and Life 3.0
- 8 On Surveillance Capitalism, Instrumentarian Power, and Social Physics
- 9 Data as Social Facts: Distributive Justice Meets Big Data
- 10 God, Golem, and Gadget Worshippers: Meaning of Life in the Digital Age
- 11 Moral Status and Political Membership: Toward a Political Theory for Life 3.0
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter takes stock of the current situation confronting political theory. I introduce the concept of “digital lifeworlds” and explain its relevance in the narrative of humanity. I use Max Tegmark’s distinctions between Life 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0, respectively, for guidance in locating digital lifeworlds in history. We do not know if Life 3.0 (the kind of life that designs both its culture and physical shape, the physical shape of individuals) will ever arise. But if it does, it will be from within digital lifeworlds – lifeworlds that already fundamentally change our lives and thus require intense scrutiny even if there will never be a Life 3.0. To understand these lifeworlds, we need appropriate notions of “data,” “information,” and “knowledge” and characterize the connections among them. To that end, we enlist Fred Dretske’s understanding of knowledge in terms of flow of information. Such a notion of knowledge allows for a broader range of knowers than humans (to whom classical analyses were limited): It includes both animals and artificially intelligent beings as knowers. I also draw on Luciano Floridi’s work on the philosophy of information for a related look at digital lifeworlds from a more detached standpoint (“infospheres populated by inforgs”).
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- Political Theory of the Digital AgeWhere Artificial Intelligence Might Take Us, pp. 1 - 22Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023